To Love a Shadow, To Be the Sun novel Chapter 193

Elara went rigid for a split second.

She never expected Stella Knightley's cover to be blown so quickly.

But with Nanette behind this—did she really have that kind of skill?

"If you want to find a living soul at The Serpentine Club, you'd better hurry. Wait any longer, and who knows what'll happen."

The call ended, leaving Elara frozen in place.

The Serpentine Club was a private lounge, the type where only the well-connected got through the door. Nanette dragging Stella there? That didn't fit her usual style at all.

But Elara couldn't just stand by and watch someone's life slip away.

She steadied herself, pushed open the car door, and stepped out.

She barely found her footing before a fist crashed into her face, hard and fast.

"You witch! If you've got guts, stay in your car forever—don't you dare get out!"

Staggering backward, Elara was grabbed from behind by another thug, who yanked her roughly into a waiting car.

Inside The Serpentine Club, in one of the private rooms—

Stella Knightley's legs, once stretched out straight, were now buckling under Nanette's weight. She looked up at Elara, lips moving, but no sound came out.

Elara's cheek burned, but she forced herself to focus on Nanette, meeting her eyes with icy calm.

"What do you want from me? What will it take for you to let her go?"

Nanette's arm was still bandaged from an IV. Her gaze, fixed on Elara, seethed with hate.

"You tried to set my husband up with another woman. Did you really think he'd leave me for that? I'm telling you, even if I kill this woman today, Gareth won't say a word!"

Elara almost smiled—so close, but not quite. Pity.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Still, I have to admit, I didn't expect Ms. Winters to have such… connections."

Nanette took it as a sign her intimidation was working.

"Hmph. I'm just getting started."

"Can't even handle two weaklings? What, are those tattoos just stickers?"

The other three thugs charged, bottles in hand. The ice bucket was no match.

Ryan moved fast, pulling Elara into his arms and shielding her with his back as the bottles crashed down.

Suddenly, more figures burst in from the hallway. The thugs were sent flying across the room like rag dolls, landing hard and groaning.

The Vincent family bodyguards took position by the door as Brian strode in, looking a little tipsy, as if he'd just slipped away from a party.

"Brian, you're here! That woman—" Nanette jabbed her finger at Elara, "she tried to set your father up with another woman! She has no sense of decency!"

Brian's eyes darkened when he saw Elara in another man's arms.

"The doctor must've given you some hell of a drug, Nanette. You've got enough energy to create this mess and make the Vincent family look like fools?"

"Brian, your wife is cheating on you and you're still defending her? She and—that man!" Nanette stabbed her finger at Ryan.

"She was hugging him in front of the bar that night. I had video of him carrying her into a hotel room, but someone deleted it this morning. Brian, this woman is rotten to the core. Open your eyes!"