At home, while packing her bags, Elena tried not to tremble in Evan's presence. James had personally taken charge of explaining to her boss why she would be absent.

She didn’t know the details, much less if James would really go to the local magazine's office, but she decided not to ask questions. The less impertinent she was, the more chances she had to take advantage of this unexpected kindness from the relentless duo of Wolves.

"Pet." Evan's voice sounded in the room.

Elena glanced at him sideways while continuing to pack her clothes. The dark-haired man was sitting on the black pouf next to the bed, sipping the tea he had ordered the journalist to make as soon as they arrived at the apartment.

"Yes?"

Evan crossed his legs, watching her with a calculating and penetrating gaze.

"You understand the seriousness of the situation, don't you? James is doing you a big favor."

Elena swallowed hard and nodded.

"I understand. I thank you both for this."

He smiled slightly, but his eyes showed no sympathy.

"Good. Because if you try anything... anything, pet, I promise the consequences will be severe. Don't think we're being benevolent out of some kind of kindness."

She continued packing, trying not to let her fear show.

"I know that. I just want to help my mother."

A few seconds of silence passed before the billionaire asked again:

"James told me you and your family didn't get along well, right?"

"We had... a complicated relationship."

"I need more details on that."

Elena avoided sighing in frustration. Talking about her family, about the humiliations she had suffered since childhood, was something she had never done. It was easier to pretend everything was normal and never touch on the subject. However, with the Wolf, it couldn't be like that. She had to obey him or suffer the consequences of her irrational attitude.

Folding a pair of jeans before putting them in the suitcase, Elena tried to explain as vaguely as possible:

"My father died when I was five. My mother was responsible for me and Clara, who is three years older than me. We... went through some tough times, especially because of money."

Evan smiled with a macabre interest, his eyes never leaving Elena's face.

"Go on."

Elena took a deep breath, feeling a lump form in her throat. Talking about her past always left her vulnerable, and that was exactly what Evan wanted.

"My mother was always hard on me. She took out her frustrations on me. Clara was the perfect daughter, the favorite. I was... well, I was the black sheep. I was never good enough."

"Was there any reason for Clara to be the favorite?"

"Well, she was always much prettier than me. And she always used her beauty to get what she wanted, especially from men."

"I see. And you?"

"And I refused to use my body as a tool of manipulation. I wanted to shine for my mind, for my wit, not because my breasts or my butt were big."

Embarrassed, Elena felt her cheeks turn red as she let slip the small outburst. When had she ever said something like that out loud? Probably never. The words had been stuck in her throat, kept in some dark corner of her heart.

The man with hair as black as raven feathers sipped more of his tea before speaking again:

"Is that why you became an investigative journalist? To prove to yourself that you were better than her?"

Those questions, so intimate and personal, were more excruciating for Elena than walking the streets dressed as a prostitute with a vibrator between her legs. She answered, in a low voice:

"I've always had an interest in showing the world, showing people, things as they really are. Making them see beyond appearances, beyond the facade. As an investigative journalist, I could not only do that but be useful. Truly useful."

Evan's tone seemed different when he asked:

"Did your mother used to call you useless?"

Elena, thoughtful, nodded.

"Among other things."

Evan nodded slowly, as if digesting every word.

"I see. And now, after so much time, your mother needs you."

"Yes," Elena replied, feeling the pressure of tears threatening to fall. "She’s sick, and Clara can't handle it alone."

He was silent for a moment, seeming to consider his words. Finally, he got up from the pouf and approached Elena, stopping right in front of her.

"Why, then?"

"Because it's the right thing to do."

The billionaire's thick eyebrows arched.

"Helping people who always treated you like a worm is the right thing to do?"

Elena stopped packing and looked directly at Evan, her eyes full of a mixture of sadness and determination.

"Yes," she said, her voice firm despite the evident pain. "Because, no matter how badly they treated me, they are still my family. My mother gave me life, and Clara... well, despite everything, she is still my sister. I can't turn my back on them now, when they need me the most."

Evan observed her for a long moment, his cold and calculating eyes analyzing every detail of her expression.

"You are a curious creature, pet. Your loyalty and determination are impressive, considering everything you've been through. But remember, these qualities can be both a strength and a weakness. Don't let your feelings distract you from what really matters."

Elena felt a shiver run down her spine at those words.

"I'm not doing this because I have feelings. I'm doing it because it's a duty. Because it's what's expected."

"Expected? Expected by whom? Who demands these things from you besides yourself?"

"I'm not like them. I'm not going to repay evil with evil."

"So you'd rather subject yourself to tyranny than subdue it?"

Elena's voice rose, becoming slightly shrill.

"Well, isn't that what I did when you and James made me sign that contract?"

Too far. She had gone too far.

The silence that followed Elena's words was heavy and oppressive. Evan's gaze narrowed, a dangerous glint appearing in his eyes. He took a step closer to her, his presence overwhelming.

"So you think James and I are the bad guys in this story?" A chuckle escaped his lips. "Do you think you're the poor damsel being used by the villains?"

Elena didn't answer. Anything she said couldn't save her now. She had been impertinent, reckless, and with him, who seemed to be the Wolf most prone to violence...

In an inflexible and authoritative tone, he ordered:

"Take off your clothes."