The Ashes of Vows (Elara and Damon) novel Chapter 18

18

Six months later, at a seaside cake shop in Southern Italy.

It was quitting time. I peeled off my work apron, carefully organized all the leftover baking ingredients, then locked up the shop for the night. After that, I started my walk home, alone, along the coast.

Unlike Veridia City, this place wasn’t gloomy and rainy. It was usually drenched in sunshine, dotted with lemon trees. Even the ocean water felt warmer, like it was soaking up all that light.

I’d been here for half a year already. I’d gotten used to the climate, the vibe, everything. My eyesight was completely back to normal too.

So, yeah, I landed myself a job as a baker.

Barely a month ago, the boss wanted to sell the place. My coworker and I teamed up and bought the shop, so now I’m practically half the

boss.

Everything was humming along.

But tonight, walking home, my phone buzzed with an unexpected text. It was from Julian, back home.“Elle,” it read.“You might want to brace yourself.

Damon spent a fortune hiring private investigators overseas, and there’s a really good chance they’ll actually track you down.”

Honestly, it was only a matter of time.

That fleeting glimpse on the beach six months ago? Damon saw me, decided I wasn’t dead, and he’s been relentlessly trying to track me

down ever since.

Lost in thought, I completely missed the traffic light up ahead. A convertible came barreling straight for me.

But just as it was about to hit, a huge force surged forward, yanking me into an embrace.

“Elle, look out!”

That familiar male voice froze me solid. The body that tackled me wrapped around me, and we both crashed to the ground.

The car didn’t even pause, just floored it and peeled out.

I was completely protected by the human shield who dove on top of me. I wasn’t hurt at all, but I felt a faint smear of someone else’s blood on my forehead.

Before I could even react, I was pulled into a bone–crushing embrace. The hug was so tight it felt like it was squeezing the air right out

of me.

“Elle, it IS you!

Oh, perfect! Just perfect! You’re still alive!”

A choked, raw voice, full of suppressed pain that somehow felt unleashed. His cold tears streaked my skin.

It was Damon.

Just like Julian said, he found me.

I froze solid for a couple of seconds, my heart hammering in my chest.

I took a slow breath, trying to shove down the anxiety that threatened to crush

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my hard–won peace.

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I just lifted my hands and shoved him off me.

“Don’t touch me!”

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My rejection was icy, and Damon froze, tumbling back onto the ground, completely unprepared. Blood ran from his temple, where he’d hit it protecting me, tracing a stark red line down his jaw. It looked… brutal.

“Elle, it’s me, I…”

His plea died in his throat because I didn’t even spare him a glance. After yelling, I just stonily got up and walked away.

Until, from behind, that relentless shadow was on me again, his arms wrapping around my waist.

“Elle, please, don’t do this. My life’s been pure hell since you disappeared. I messed up so bad back then, I was totally wrong. I couldn’t tell right from wrong, I didn’t appreciate what I had. Please, just forgive me.”

“Just look at me, Elle, even for a second…”

His desperate words were thick with a pathetic kind of humility, but in that moment, a strange calm settled over me.

I knew this day would come, eventually, if he was truly looking.

And running wouldn’t solve anything. It was time to clear the air.

“Mr. Blackwood, you’re a lawyer. You should know the law better than I do. If you don’t want me to call the police for harassment right this second, then let go.”

My words were ice–cold. The moment his grip around my waist finally slackened, I turned to face him.

But the calm in my eyes made it clear I was looking at a complete stranger, someone utterly insignificant.“I don’t think there’s anything left for us to talk about,” I said.“Damon, we’re divorced. There’s no connection between us anymore.”

A sudden sting filled Damon’s eyes.“No, Elle,” he pleaded.“We only got to this point because of a misunderstanding.”

Look, I genuinely had no idea Sloane had done all that back then. And I honestly didn’t know you were actually going to divorce. Otherwise, I would’ve died before signing that damn agreement…”

“It’s pointless now. What’s done is done. No need to bring up the past.”

I cut him off, my voice sharp and cold.”Don’t you ever come looking for me again. Don’t you dare show your face in front of me. Damon, we’re done. Absolutely done.”

I finished. My back as I walked away was pure, cold resolve.

Damon just stood there, frozen, a picture of pure despair.

That night, I finally stumbled back to my apartment. My colleague Aubrey Tate was practically glued to the window, totally engrossed, like she was binging a live reality show.

She used to be an international student here. We actually met when she was working part–time at a bakery. After graduation, she decided to stick around and make this city her home. We’re both from the same country, and since we were colleagues, we ended up going in on a shop together. That’s how we became super close friends.

“Elle, I just saw that guy out on the street, totally bothering you. You know him, don’t you?”

Aubrey practically dragged me to the window so we could look down together.

“Look! He just followed you all the way here, and now he’s still standing there, refusing to leave.

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