Chapter 17

She clenched her fingers and said evenly, “No one wants to get a stye. Just so everyone’s aware.”

She didn’t want to explain, nor did she feel the need to.

Jarrod studied her, his expression unreadable.

“Stop making excuses. If I hadn’t caught you, you’d never have admitted it,” Octavia complained, glaring at her. “This is so annoying. This is a guesthouse- everything’s taken care of here. Why are you even following us around? We don’t need you.”

For the past three years, to escape her mother’s nagging, Octavia often spent weekends or holidays at her brother’s place. Elodie had always fussed over her like a housekeeper.

Octavia had gotten used to it, so she automatically assumed that Elodie was using the pretense of looking after her to stir up trouble for everyone.

“What’s going on?” Queenie and Ivan came out one after the other.

Ivan glanced at the isolated, outnumbered Elodie and grinned. “Mr. Silverstein, why’s the mood so tense?”

Octavia, though young, could read the room. She knew Ivan was, at least in name, Elodie’s brother, so she just pursed her lips and fell silent.

But Elodie understood-Ivan was offering her a way out, a chance to move past this.

Sylvie didn’t comment, just turned to Queenie. “Let’s go grab a bite.”

Queenie wasn’t interested in the drama either, and left with Sylvie.

Ivan smiled lazily, as if he hadn’t even noticed Elodie’s awkward predicament. “Mr. Silverstein, I’ll leave you to your family matters. I’m going to join my girlfriend.”

He didn’t even care that Jarrod was parading his mistress around he wasn’t going to get involved.

Octavia looked like she wanted to say more, but Jarrod shot her a look. The girl’s shoulders hunched; she bolted without another word.

Elodie’s gaze lingered on Ivan’s back for a few seconds.

“What are you looking at?” Jarrod’s cool, detached voice snapped her out of it.

She looked up and met his deep, inscrutable eyes.

His gaze was cold, emotionless. “Care to talk?”

“I wasn’t spying on you,” Elodie replied calmly.

“Sure. Give me your phone.” He almost sounded like he believed her.

Elodie frowned. “Why?”

Without another word, Jarrod reached out and plucked the phone from her hand. His long fingers tapped the camera and opened her gallery.

Elodie’s face finally changed. She was so stunned her breath trembled. “You actually think I’d sneak photos of you?”

Was this supposed to be some kind of insult?

Jarrod glanced through-nothing inappropriate there-then handed her phone back.

His black eyes were cold and sharp, his tone so indifferent it made her skin prickle. “Three years ago you managed to invite the press to photograph us in bed. Is there anything Mrs. Silverstein wouldn’t do?”

Elodie understood-Jarrod still couldn’t let go of what happened three years ago.

He still believed she’d shamelessly taken advantage of him when he was drunk. That she’d called in the reporters to publicize their affair. That she’d forced him into marriage without shame.

No matter how she explained herself, it all seemed weak and pointless.

She had nothing to prove her innocence.

“Are you really worried that your thing with Sylvie will make even bigger headlines?” Her voice was almost serene now.

Jarrod shot her a look. “She’s different. If photos like that got out, it would damage her reputation.”

The implication was clear: there was a world of difference between her and Sylvie.

She had stooped low enough to call the press to their bed, but Sylvie-Sylvie was someone whose reputation he’d protect.

Jarrod didn’t bother waiting for Elodie to defend herself. He gave her a final, indifferent glance, then turned and walked away.

Elodie could only smile bitterly.

Rounding the corner, she spotted Ivan leaning against the wall, smoking.

No telling how much he’d overheard.

He looked up. “Rough day?”

Elodie hesitated, and for a moment, it almost felt like the old Ivan was back.

Ivan flicked his cigarette ash. For the first time since getting out of prison, he made small talk with her. “I’ve taken over Queenie’s dad’s branch office. Lately, I’ve been working on a joint project with Jarrod’s company.”

“So?” Elodie replied, her voice finally steady, calm.

Ivan looked at her and realized Elodie had changed. She’d once been meek and compliant. Now…

She had edges. She could hold her own.

“Just don’t get on his bad side,” he said, tone casual, almost offhand.