Sensing someone’s gaze, Elodie glanced over in that direction.

She was completely unprepared to meet Jarrod’s eyes.

But just as quickly as their gazes met, Jarrod coolly looked away, his expression detached, as if he couldn’t care less.

They were near the Global Trade Plaza-running into Jarrod and Sylvie here wasn’t all that surprising.

At that moment, Sylvie slipped her arm through Jarrod’s uninjured one, leaning close in a show of affection. The two of them had clearly been laughing and chatting just moments before, looking every bit the happy couple.

It hadn’t even been four hours since Elodie and Jarrod finalized their divorce papers.

Yet Jarrod and Sylvie already seemed closer than ever.

Elodie pretended not to know them. She gently pulled her arm from Elias’s grasp and turned to him with a polite smile. “It’s fine, really. I’ve already been.”

Only then did Elias frown slightly.

Something about Elodie’s demeanor unsettled him. She didn’t seem like someone dealing with a simple headache or a cold.

Meanwhile, Sylvie had also noticed Elodie and Elias.

She didn’t bother acknowledging Elodie-she hardly considered her worth the attention. But still…

Sylvie narrowed her eyes at Elias, standing at Elodie’s side.

What was Elias doing with a woman like Elodie? Had they arranged to meet, or was this just a coincidence?

As far as she knew, the two barely knew each other-certainly not well enough to be meeting up alone.

Especially considering how Elias had just supported Elodie’s arm, their interaction looking oddly intimate-

Sylvie’s lips tightened.

Elodie was even more forward than she’d thought.

Or maybe, Elodie just didn’t think one Alexander was enough for her?

The thought sent an icy edge through Sylvie’s expression. She masked her feelings, but a faint, mocking smile tugged at her lips. She mused aloud, as if idly curious, “When did they get close enough to grab coffee together? Or maybe it’s just a chance encounter.”

Jarrod glanced at his watch as they walked.

He showed no interest at all. “It doesn’t matter.”

Sylvie tilted her head, studying his elegantly indifferent profile.

She couldn’t help but smile.

She knew perfectly well that even if Jarrod had no interest in the person she mentioned, he always answered her. He responded to everything she said-no exceptions.

Would anyone else ever get that kind of attention from him?

They stepped into one of the nearby shops together.

Neither of them noticed the car pulling up outside the café across the street,

where Joseph stepped out to open the door for Elodie.

Inside, Jarrod had just entered the lobby when his phone buzzed with a call from Maurice.

He answered.

Maurice sounded like he was still at some business dinner, but had found a moment to call. “Did you get everything squared away for the Neural Intelligence registration?”

Jarrod watched as Sylvie went off to greet someone across the room. He replied calmly, “More or less.”

Maurice whistled in admiration. “That’s quite an operation you’ve got going. You must really care-you’re still injured, and you took the trouble to leave the hospital this morning just to help Sylvie with all those formalities. Couldn’t you have left it to Keith?”

It was clear to anyone-Jarrod handled every last detail of Sylvie’s affairs, nothing left to chance.

Jarrod glanced down at his immobilized right hand, saying nothing about the trip to city hall. He simply replied, “Keith’s been tied up with other matters this week.”

Maurice assumed Jarrod meant Keith was swamped at work, so he didn’t press further.

But Maurice was nothing if not unpredictable, and suddenly another thought struck him. “Hey, your cooling-off period with Elodie should be over by now, shouldn’t it? Did you finalize the divorce?”

Jarrod looked up just as Sylvie returned.

He ignored Maurice’s question and said, “I just finished up the business filings with Sylvie. Let’s catch up another time.”