BookToReadElodie hadn't been looking well lately.
She'd noticed it herself the last time-now, she'd fainted again.
Did Jarrod... know about any of this? Elodie didn't sleep a wink that night.
When morning came, she felt drained, her nerves frayed. The looming issue with the gallery hung over her like a guillotine, impossible to ignore. She couldn't shake the feeling that things weren't over yet.
After turning it over in her mind, she decided to take matters into her own hands.
She called Jarrod, but whatever he was doing, he didn't pick up. Or maybe-he just didn't want to.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtEither way, Elodie no longer cared about the why.
She headed straight for The Silverstein Group.
She'd worked there for three years-long enough that the receptionist recognized her. Elodie phoned Keith in the executive office; his voice was as chilly as ever. "Mr. Silverstein is busy, Ms. Thorne. You'll have to wait." Elodie made her way upstairs and settled into the lounge.
Keith caught sight of her in passing but didn't bother with a greeting, just turned and went about his business. It was the other assistants who knew Elodie well. In the past, she'd made a point to befriend them-lunches, coffee breaks, a little harmless gossip—anything to get to know Jarrod better.
They seemed genuinely pleased to see her, and after ssmall talk, one of them said, "You might be waiting a while, Elodie. Mr. Silverstein's got a very important guest in his office." "Important guest?" another chimed in with a wink. "More like the apple of his eye." Elodie didn't need to ask-she knew they meant Sylvie.
So Jarrod wasn't stuck in meetings, too swamped with work to see her. He was with Sylvie—and had left Elodie cooling her heels in the hallway.
"Ms. Fielding really landed on her feet," one of the women sighed. "She waltzes in and out of The Silverstein Group like she owns the place. No restrictions, no appointments-Mr. Silverstein's door is always open to her. I even heard..." "Yesterday, when Ms. Fielding left his office, her lipstick was totally smudged!" "Oh my god-are we talking about soffice shenanigans?" Elodie listened numbly, feeling like a spectator in someone else's life.
She, the wife, had to make appointments and wait her turn, while Sylvie breezed in and out, untouchable. Everyone else cleared the way for her.
Someone brought Elodie a cup of tea, then hurried off, leaving her alone.
She waited nearly two hours. People cand went from the executive suite, but no one cto invite her in. Taking a steadying breath, Elodie realized she couldn't just sit here forever. She spotted Keith rounding the corner and stood up.
"Is Jarrod still busy?" she asked.
Keith glanced at her, a stack of files in hand, and gave a crooked smile. "You're still here?" "What's that supposed to mean?" "Ms. Thorne, I'm sorry, but Mr. Silverstein didn't know you were waiting. He left with Ms. Fielding for lunch over an hour ago. Didn't you see them?" He looked genuinely surprised, but there was no mistaking the cool calculation in his eyes.
Had he deliberately kept Jarrod in the dark about her being here? Or had Jarrod known, and simply chosen not to see her? Either way, Elodie felt suffocated, the air thick in her lungs.
She met Keith's gaze for a long moment, then turned on her heel and walked away.
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Keith watched her go, a knowing look on his face. He'd figured as much-last time, when Elodie had st time, when brushed him off, he'd thought she had more backbone than this. But here she was again, waiting around for Mr. Silverstein. No matter how much she caused, she couldn't walk away from him. That was the truth.
Back at VistaLink Technologies, Elodie threw herself into her remaining work.
She still hadn't heard a word from Jarrod-noessage, nothing But she knew they needed to talk, to finally settle things.
After much deliberation, Elodie decided she'd go back to their house e after work and wait for him. Only- As dusk fell, her phone rang. It was Emile.
He told her, quietly, that Jarrod had gone to visit him at the care facility.
Elodie's face went pale.
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