Chapter 104
As expected, she shook her head, resigned.
Even Grady couldn’t resist walking over. “Of all the people to pick a fight with, you chose Ms. Fielding? And with Mr. Silverstein watching? What did you think would happen—that Ms. Fielding would lose out to you?”
In his mind, going up against Sylvie was just Elodie setting herself up for disappointment.
“If you’re so unhappy, why not drag your husband over and let him fight for you?” Grady sneered, unable to resist another jab.
He still remembered how shocked he’d been when he heard Elodie had gotten
married. Back then, he’d had quite a soft spot for her-beautiful, poised, a woman of substance with her own ideas. He’d thought highly of her. But then, out of nowhere, she’d gotten married. Worse, she’d chosen to settle down as a housewife.
Now she spent her days fussing over a man and the kitchen, wasting her potential.
Just like that, his admiration turned to contempt.
Turned out, she was no different from all those other women-nothing like Sylvie: smart, educated, independent, never relying on a man.
Elodie couldn’t have cared less about Grady’s opinion. Still, she had to admit, the situation was bitterly ironic.
Her so-called husband? He was right there, doting on another woman.
At that moment, Esmeralda returned from upstairs. Catching sight of Grady once again hovering around Elodie, she marched over and snapped, “What’s your problem now?”
Elodie squeezed Esmeralda’s hand, then glanced coldly at Grady. “We’re not friends, Mr. Mercer. In the future, please keep your opinions about my life to yourself. It has nothing to do with you.”
She wasn’t the sort to let people walk all over her. She only kept the peace when it suited her. If someone crossed the line, she would never back down.
Grady stood there, stunned. He’d never expected the usually mild-mannered Elodie to speak so bluntly.
He didn’t even react at first, but once it sank in, his expression turned even more disdainful.
Just as he thought-compared to Sylvie, Elodie couldn’t even handle a simple truth. All she could do was deceive herself.
Elodie and Esmeralda headed to the lounge for a cup of tea.
She gave a brief rundown of what had just happened.
Esmeralda took a long breath, her face dark with anger. “Does Jarrod not care at all how you feel? After everything you’ve been through together, how can he go out of his way to hurt you like that?”
Was this what a marriage was supposed to be?
Anyone could see Jarrod didn’t love Elodie. But if you didn’t know better, you’d think he was deliberately trying to make her suffer. Did her pain amuse him?
Elodie lowered her gaze. The painting had Selma’s name on it; she had no solid ground to fight for it, especially with Jarrod backing Sylvie. There was no way she could win this round.
She’d have to change tactics.
But she truly didn’t understand-after the divorce papers were signed, why
couldn’t they at least part on better terms?
A moment later, the answer dawned on her.
It wasn’t that Jarrod wanted to make things hard for her. She had simply crossed Sylvie’s interests, and he would never let her upset Sylvie-even if it meant turning on her.
Still, she needed to get to the bottom of the painting.
On her way back, Elodie ducked into the restroom, hoping to gather her thoughts.
While she was lost in thought, a shadow fell across the floor behind her, blocking out the light.
She looked up in the mirror and met Jarrod’s dark, unfathomable eyes.
He glanced at her, saw she looked calm, and walked past to wash his hands.
After drying them, he turned to leave.
Elodie followed, calling out, “Wait, I—”
Before she could finish, she stepped on a lipstick someone had dropped and stumbled forward, falling straight into Jarrod’s arms.
She’d assumed he’d let her fall.
But in the next instant, Jarrod reached out and caught her, steadying her against his chest.
He didn’t let go right away.
Looking down at her, his eyes unreadable, he raised an eyebrow and said lazily, “Throwing yourself at me won’t get you the painting.”