The Rejected Live-in Husband Returns

Part XXX

The lobby of the Aurelian Hotel was a temple to modern opulence. Soaring ceilings held cascading crystal chandeliers that scattered light like diamonds across polished marble floors. The air smelled of white lilies and luxury.

For Elara, who had spent the last month navigating the grim, fluorescent-lit offices of debt collectors and the stark silence of her emptied bank account, the sheer grandeur was almost physically disorienting. She felt like a ghost trespassing in a palace.

She kept a half-step behind Leo, her borrowed clothes—a simple, elegant sweater and trousers Olivia had procured—feeling flimsy.

Leo, in contrast, moved through the gilded space with an unthinking ease, as if he were strolling through a park. He didn’t seem to notice the awe his presence inspired in the staff, who nodded with deep deference as he passed.

“The penthouse is a separate lift,” he said, his voice low, guiding her toward a discreet, bronze-doored elevator tucked away from the main thoroughfare. He