The formal dinner had ended, and a heavy silence lingered between Elena and Liam.
While everyone else exchanged conversations, Elena felt the weight of their presence choking her chest.
She stood up quietly and said in a polite but firm tone,
"Please excuse me, I need some fresh air."
No one responded, and without waiting for an answer, she walked towards the wide balcony overlooking the sparkling lights of London.
She closed the door behind her and stood there staring at the city, breathing in the cold air.
She took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one quietly.
The smoke rose gently into the night, just like her feelings—faint but powerfully present.
She ignored all the sounds from inside, and all of Liam's glances trying to penetrate the wall of her silence.
At that moment, she was just a woman trying to find a space of peace for herself,
breathing slowly, exhaling cigarette smoke with steady rhythm as if trying to expel all the tension and anger accumulated in her chest.
Her breaths were even; no embarrassment showed on her face, but her sharp eyes hid a depth of pain and disappointment.
She hugged herself tightly, as if trying to stop her heart from breaking despite everything.
The cigarette was nearing its end, and the cigarette pack in her coat pocket was half empty.
Every puff was like a drop melting away her confidence, yet she refused to show any weakness.
When she put out the last cigarette, she felt an unshakable heaviness, but she did not allow it to take control.
She returned inside, her steps steady, her face showing nothing but unyielding determination.
She knew what lay between them was a cold deal.
"Just one or two years until the project stabilizes, then I'll ask for a divorce,"
Elena told herself as she extinguished the last cigarette in her pack.
She returned with a face like an impenetrable shield, ready to face everyone but careful not to let Liam see her weakness.
Elena returned to the dining room with steady, cold calm steps, but she couldn't hide the smell of cigarettes wafting from her coat.
Everyone noticed as she entered and exchanged glances filled with surprise and judgment.
Before anyone spoke, Mrs. Victoria Carter raised an eyebrow and said with contempt,
"Seems like someone is used to that smell of smoke. Elena, do you really smoke?"
Ethan added with a mocking tone,
"No wonder she's tense, smokers tend to be more nervous."
Julian, the youngest, joked,
"I think she's using the cigarette as a shield against everyone here!"
A cold smile appeared on Elena's face, but she didn't respond.
Then Maria, who had been in the bathroom, entered the living room with a sly smile, saying loudly,
"Oh, what a distinctive scent filling the place! Is this the secret to your calm, Elena? Cigarette smoke? Well, at least you have a way to ignore what's going on here."
Maria shot a sharp look at Elena, then swayed lightly as she sat beside Liam, as if daring everyone with her obvious presence.
Liam glanced at Elena briefly, coldly, then turned back to Maria as if she were nothing but a passing shadow.
Silence reigned for a moment, but it was loud in its meaning… Everyone knew this cigarette smell wasn't just a sign of stress, but her silent message against the coldness and dryness of their relationship.
Everyone fell silent for a moment before Ethan, Liam's middle brother, spoke sarcastically:
"Looks like cigarettes aren't the only thing causing tension here."
Julian chuckled lightly but quickly lowered his voice, trying to break the tension:
"Come on, let's not turn dinner into a drama stage."
Liam slowly raised his head, looking at Elena with cold eyes that held some annoyance:
"Elena, you need to talk about the project tonight."
But his voice was not as firm as usual; it seemed weighted with more than he showed.
Maria smiled slyly and said,
"Well, if everyone is ready to get back to discussing the project, I'll be happy to help."
Liam glanced quickly at Maria, then at Elena, before saying firmly,
"Let's focus on Lunex District. Everything else can wait."
Elena lifted her head coldly and said in a quiet but decisive voice,
"No… not today. I have no energy for work. If there's something to discuss, come to my company tomorrow… goodbye now."
She quietly closed her bag and prepared to leave, ignoring all the looks trying to stop her.
She stood confidently and walked toward the door, leaving behind an atmosphere of silence and astonishment as everyone watched her in shock.
"Elena, this isn't the way to act. We are partners in this project, and it's not wise to behave like this."
Maria smiled sarcastically, then added mockingly,
"Seems like your mind is occupied with things other than work, isn't it?"
Ethan brought some calm, saying in a balanced tone,
"Maybe we all need some time to cool down and talk later rationally."
But Elena had already opened the door and stepped out, leaving their words and potential shouting behind.
The sound of her calm footsteps faded down the hall while everyone remained trapped in a heavy silence full of tension and astonishment.
When Elena closed the door behind her, an awkward silence filled the room.
Everyone waited for Liam's reaction, who stood silent for a moment, his eyes following her movements until she disappeared down the corridor.
He took a deep breath, then said in a low but charged voice with suppressed anger,
"She doesn't understand… or pretends not to understand. This project isn't just business, it's our future."
Maria looked at him with a sarcastic smile and said,
"Maybe because your future holds no real value to her, Liam."
Ethan stood up, trying to break the tension, saying calmly,
"We have to be more understanding. Pressuring Elena won't help."
Julian remained silent, watching the scene with cold eyes.
Outside, Elena walked steadily toward her car, a storm of conflicting emotions inside her, but she maintained her apparent calm.
She knew this battle wouldn't end tonight,
but she was ready to fight it… She started the engine and drove toward her home