Betrayed Heiress Strikes Back

Chapter 15

Elena Carney stood at the edge of the ballroom, her silk gown shimmering beneath the chandeliers. She swirled the wine in her glass, her smile poised, her eyes sharp as they followed Julian and Kya gliding through the crowd like royalty. Together, Byrd and Gray looked untouchable—two dynasties united in elegance. Elena’s jaw tightened. That should have been me.

“Quite the view, isn’t it?”

The voice was smooth, playful. She turned to find Alexander Gray, Julian’s younger cousin, standing beside her. He was five years younger, equally handsome, with the same sharp Gray features softened by charm. Though wealthy in his own right, he lacked Julian’s empire—but his confidence made up for it.

“You look far too stunning to be standing here alone,” Alexander said, offering his hand.

Elena arched a brow, masking her curiosity with elegance. “And you are?”

“Alexander,” he replied with a grin. “Julian’s cousin. Though I’d prefer you think of me as something more interesting than that.”

She accepted his hand, her lips curving faintly. “Charming.”

Alexander leaned closer, lowering his voice. “You know, the Byrds and Grays together—it’s a fortress. But even fortresses have cracks. Julian may think he’s found his perfect match, but Kya Byrd isn’t flawless. She has a past. We all do. The question is whether hers will stay buried.”

Elena’s pulse quickened, though her smile remained intact. “A past?” she echoed, feigning innocence.

Alexander sipped his champagne, letting the silence stretch. “Whispers. Nothing more. But whispers have power. Especially when they concern someone about to marry into the Gray legacy. Although, I think he should be concerned more about being a Whitmore.”

Around them, the ballroom hummed with speculation. Guests leaned toward one another, their voices hushed but eager.

“Look at her—Elena’s already found a new Gray.”

“Alexander? He’s too young for her. Barely thirty.”

“Too young, too reckless. But reckless men are dangerous in the right hands.”

“She’s turning into a cougar.”

“Cougar or not, it’s still power. And power is money.”

“Imagine the scandal if she shifts her attention from Julian to his cousin. The Grays would never forgive her.”

“Or maybe that’s her plan. Tear them apart from the inside.”

Elena heard them—of course she did— but she didn’t flinch. She tilted her head toward Alexander, her smile sweet, her voice low. “They’re talking about us.”

Alexander smirked, unbothered. “Let them. Gossip is just another form of power. And tonight, it belongs to us.”

Elena studied him, trying to decipher whether he was baiting her or confiding in her. His tone was casual, but his eyes gleamed with ambition. He knows something. Or he wants me to believe he does. Either way, she would play along.

“Then perhaps,” she whispered, her voice dripping with charm, “you and I should spend more time together.”

Alexander’s eyes glinted, unreadable. “Perhaps.”

And with that, the game between them began—an alliance built on flirtation, ambition, and secrets, leaving everyone guessing whether Alexander was a friend, a foe, or something far more dangerous.

**

Elena’s laughter rang softly, polished and deliberate, as Alexander leaned closer, his words dripping with charm. The ballroom glittered around them, but she barely noticed. Her focus was on him—the cousin, the rival, the man bold enough to flirt with her in Julian’s shadow.

“Shall we take a walk?” Alexander suggested, his smile mischievous, his tone daring.

Elena tilted her head, feigning hesitation, though her eyes gleamed with intrigue. “A walk? In the middle of an engagement party?”

“Why not?” he countered smoothly. “They are busy entertaining themselves. Let them gossip. We’ll give them something worth whispering about.”

Her lips curved faintly. He understands the game.

Together, they slipped from the ballroom, their departure subtle but not unnoticed.

They moved through the estate’s side corridor, chandeliers giving way to softer sconces, the hum of the party fading behind them. Alexander guided her toward the garden terrace, the night air cool against her skin.

“You enjoy scandal, don’t you?” he teased, his voice low.

Elena’s smile was sweet, her tone sharper. “Scandal is survival. And survival is power.”

Alexander chuckled, stepping closer. “Then perhaps we’re destined for each other. Julian may have the empire, but I have ambition. And ambition burns hotter than inheritance.”

Elena’s breath caught as his hand brushed hers, deliberate, lingering. She tilted her chin, meeting his gaze. For a moment, the bitterness that had consumed her all evening softened into something else—desire, curiosity, possibility.

Their lips met briefly, a kiss stolen beneath the shadows of the terrace. It was not love— it was hunger, desperation, and the thrill of defiance.

When they parted, Elena’s smile was sharper than ever. “Perhaps destiny does have a sense of humor.”

Alexander’s eyes glinted, unreadable. “Or perhaps it has a plan.”

Back in the ballroom, the music swelled, the whispers grew louder, and the Byrd estate glittered on. But outside, beneath the cool night air, Elena Carney had just taken her first step into a dangerous alliance—one that could unravel everything.

When Elena and Alexander returned to the ballroom, the atmosphere had shifted. The music was lively, but the whispers were sharper now, eyes following them with suspicion and curiosity.

“Did you see them slip out together?” “Alexander Gray and Elena Carney—what a pair.” “Julian won’t tolerate this. Not at his engagement party.” “Or maybe he doesn’t know yet.”

Elena moved gracefully through the crowd, her smile flawless, her posture regal. She carried herself as though nothing scandalous had happened, as though she hadn’t just kissed Julian’s cousin beneath the terrace shadows. Alexander followed at her side, his grin unbothered, his confidence radiating like a challenge.

Julian’s gaze found them instantly. His jaw tightened, his hand flexing against Kya’s waist. Kya felt the shift in him, the storm brewing beneath his calm exterior.

“Something’s happened,” Kya whispered, her eyes narrowing as she followed Julian’s line of sight.

Julian’s voice was low, clipped. “Alexander is playing a dangerous game.”

Across the room, Elena caught Julian’s stare. She tilted her head, her smile sweet, her eyes venomous. For a moment, their gazes locked—Julian’s steady, unyielding; Elena’s sharp, defiant.

Kya’s pulse quickened. She knew Elena’s sweetness was a mask, but now it was clear: Elena wasn’t just desperate to reclaim Julian. She was willing to burn the Gray legacy from the inside out if it meant victory.

Alexander leaned closer to Elena, his voice low but audible enough for nearby guests. “You see? They’re already rattled. Power isn’t about what you hold—it’s about what you can take.”

Elena’s lips curved faintly.

Julian’s eyes narrowed as he caught Alexander’s grin across the ballroom. He excused himself from Kya with a gentle touch at her waist. “I’ll be back in a moment,” he murmured, his tone clipped but calm. “I need a word with my cousin.”

Kya nodded, though her gaze followed him as he crossed the room. Alexander’s smirk faltered when Julian approached, the two men slipping into a quieter corner near the library doors.

Left behind, Kya found herself in Elena Carney’s presence once more. A server appeared with a silver tray, offering her a crystal flute of champagne. She accepted it gracefully, her posture poised, her smile faint.

Elena’s voice was honeyed, her tone casual. “Alexander is quite charming, isn’t he? Bold, reckless, but charming nonetheless.”

Kya sipped her drink, her eyes steady. “Is it a fad now,” she asked smoothly, “to date an ex’s cousin?”

The remark landed like a blade wrapped in silk. Elena’s smile froze for a fraction of a second before she recovered, her laugh light, her tone sweet. “Oh, Kya… you misunderstand. I’m not dating Alexander. He’s simply… entertaining.”

Kya’s lips curved faintly, her voice cool. “Entertaining, perhaps. But dangerous games have consequences.”

Elena’s eyes gleamed, though her smile remained flawless. “Dangerous games? My dear, the only game here is business. And we both know Julian is marrying you for that reason alone.”

Kya’s pulse quickened, but she didn’t flinch. She tilted her head, her tone sharp yet graceful. “If that were true, Elena, then why does it bother you so much?”

For the first time, Elena’s mask slipped—just slightly. Her smile tightened, her grip on her glass firm. But she recovered quickly, her laugh polished, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “Bother me? Not at all. I simply enjoy watching how quickly business can turn into… disappointment.”

Kya held her gaze, refusing to yield. “Then enjoy the view.”