After Death, Love Unveiled (Elara and Lysander)

"Not bad," Adair said, smirking. "Life's been great since leaving you. My new boyfriend is tall, handsome, and still in college. He's way better than you in every way."

Her words were meant to provoke Asher, but he remained entirely unbothered. "Congratulations!" he said lightly.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

Adair was seething at his indifference.

Spotting Elara, Adair immediately turned to her in an attempt to break the awkwardness. "Elara."

Asher's gaze followed, landing on Elara.

Elara knew that Adair had not moved on from this matter. Otherwise, she wouldn't have let her entire attitude shift just to avoid Asher.

Elara said, "Why are you two standing here instead of going inside? Has our law firm suddenly run out of space for conversations?"

Asher followed her lead. "I'm here for Hazel, but they haven't arrived yet."

Hazel was now in charge of their company's matters.

Elara asked, "I heard you've returned to the Linde Group."

Crispin had mentioned it to her, saying that the current progress at the Linde Group was largely Asher's doing.

Asher chuckled at her question. "That's right! QuickClip has already been keeping me busy, but my mom's health hasn't been great, so she asked me to step in."

He continued, "I'll be tied up for a while, so you probably won't see me around here for some time."

Adair snapped, "Then get lost already. Who wants to see you anyway? You're so shameless!"

Asher wasn't fazed by her outburst. "You're still holding onto resentment about the broken engagement, aren't you?" He said it as casually as if discussing the weather, which only made Adair seethe even more. "This world is so unfair! How can a man like you still end up on top?" She fumed.

"You didn't seem to think that when you used to like me," he quipped, smirking.

Then, Adair stormed off in a rage.

Elara watched her leave and thought it was probably for the best that Adair wasn't with Asher anymore. Getting involved with him would only lead to regrets down the line. Asher shifted his attention to Elara. "So, when are you and Lysander getting married? Don't forget to send me an invitation. I'm looking forward to your wedding party." Elara didn't respond, instead studying him silently.

Asher noticed her gaze and asked, "What are you looking at?"

For some reason, her gaze made him feel uneasy

She replied coolly, "Nothing. I have work to do. Feel free to make yourself.comfortable, Mr. Blackwood

When Asher took over the 4 inde Group, there were no official announcements. The changes happened quietly, with leadership positions being reassigned internally.

Asher excelled at maintaining appearances, and many of the company's key personnel appreciated his competence. His continued success with QuickClip only strengthened their support. Though a handful of individuals didn't like him, they were too few to make any significant impact.

In particular, his recent collaboration with the Hacker Group bolstered his standing even further.

After Jack was incarcerated, his mother took over the company and chose to work with Asher.

With this additional support, Asher quickly rose to prominence as a new figure in the tech world, basking in the spotlight and enjoying a surge of success.

Over the weekend, both families gathered at the Kensington family's residence for a meal, mainly to discuss Elara and Lysander's upcoming wedding.

Barrett was especially cheerful. He had always maintained a good relationship with Steven back in Brookfield, and now that Steven was helping organize the event, Barrett couldn't hide his joy. From start to finish, Barrett wore a smile and even insisted on cooking himself.

Elara sat nearby, watching her father's delight, and felt a warm sense of contentment. Aubrey, seated to the side, glanced at Elara and asked, "Is Lysander not back yet?" "He's tied up with something and will be late," she replied.

"He doesn't show up on such an important day. Aren't you mad at him?" Aubrey teased.

Elara turned to look at him. "You've been holding a grudge against him lately, haven't you?"

Aubrey was momentarily startled by her observation. "Not at all!" he denied quickly.

Elara leaned closer, studying him with a hint of amusement. "I've noticed you've changed a lot recently."

Aubrey looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"You seem unhappy with this family," she remarked. Elara could tell something had shifted in Aubrey. It seemed to have started around the time his mother fell ill.

The once sweet and cheerful younger brother had suddenly developed a deep resentment toward the family.

As Elara stared at him, her gaze was sharp, piercing through him like needles. Aubrey felt unsteeled by her gaze.

Leaning back on the couch, Aubrey fiddled with his phone, as though trying to mask his feelings.

Elara suggested gently, "If something's bothering you, why not talk to me about it? You might feel better letting it out."

Aubrey smiled faintly, though it didn't reach his eyes. "You're joking, right? Nobody cares about others' grievances. If you voice them, people will think you're being dramatic."

He added, "Like when my mom was gravely ill in the hospital, and my dad was still busy with work..."

He glanced toward the others. At the moment, Wyatt was chatting with Felicity.

Since Felicity's return, herauitude toward Wyatt had noticeably softened.

It seemed she had forgiven him for leaving her alone at the hospital during her toughest time. But Aubrey hadn't forgotten.

Elara looked at him with quiet understanding. "I get your point. But if you can't share it with me, at least talk to your mom. It might help."

Aubrey offered another hollow smile. "Sure. I'll keep that in min"

Violet called Elara over to the garden, and she got up to join her

Aubrey looked at them and did not follow them.

As dinner approached, Lysander still hadn't arrived.

Elara called him, but he didn't pick up. She decided not to dwell on it.

After the meal, everyone else began heading home, except Aubrey.

He studied Elara, a glint of mischief in his eyes as if relishing an opportunity to stir trouble. "What do you think Lysander is doing? On such an important day, he doesn't even show up!" Elara sized him up. His attempt to sow discord was obvious but subtle enough to avoid being outright provocative.

"He probably has his reasons. Why? Are you hoping I'll argue with him?" she asked.

Aubrey countered, "You let him off too easily. He's just like my dad, work always comes before family. Anyone else would've lost patience with him by now."

Elara said firmly, "Stop trying to stir things up. I'm not going to fight with him over something this trivial. You should head home now."

Just as she finished speaking, the sound of a car pulling into the driveway caught her attention.

Elara stepped outside and saw Lysander parking his car in the yard.

He got out and greeted her, "I'm back!"

Standing on the steps, Elara gave him a look. "You're late."

Lysander walked over to her. "I ran into something on the way. Have they all left?"