Chapter 82

Elias’s POV

I woke up to discover Maya wasn’t beside me. Before I could get up and search for her, my morning alarm blared insistently. Begrudgingly, I rolled out of bed and began my routine without a moment’s hesitation. Normally, I would have everything done in ten minutes flat, but today it took me a full fifteen. I suppose I’ve grown accustomed to Maya laying out my clothes before I wake—something she’s done since our second month of marriage. During those nights when we fell asleep side by side, bleary-eyed and elbow-deep in paperwork, she would prepare everything so I could slip into my suit the second I opened my eyes.

“Damn this watch,” I muttered under my breath as I fumbled with the clasp of my Rolex. It always felt tricky first thing in the morning. After a few more seconds of wrestling with the metal band, I finally managed to close it around my wrist. Satisfied, I