Elodie lifted her head and saw Jarrod standing behind Grady, his face calm and unreadable. With effortless control, he’d stopped Grady in his tracks.

Grady felt a sharp pain between his shoulder blades and was forced to take a step back. The moment he realized who stood behind him, he pressed his lips together. “Mr. Silverstein?”

“You’ve misunderstood, Mr. Silverstein. I was just having a conversation with Elodie, that’s all.”

Only then did Jarrod release his grip on Grady, doing so at his own deliberate pace. His gaze slid sideways, landing briefly on Elodie.

Alexander had already stepped in front of Elodie the instant Grady reached out, acting as her shield. Now, seeing things calm down, he relaxed slightly, though his expression remained icy.

Grady couldn’t help but rub his aching shoulder, eyeing Alexander with suspicion. “Mr. Sterling, are you here to defend Ms. Fielding’s honor?”

After all, Jarrod was Ms. Fielding’s boyfriend. And with everything Ms. Fielding had endured, it made sense for him to show up and settle the score.

Grady, for his part, had just learned about all the trouble Sylvie had stirred up. In his agitation, he’d rushed over without thinking.

“Mr. Mercer, Ms. Fielding’s actual boyfriend is here. You don’t need to play the white knight anymore,” Alexander snapped, finally losing his patience. Even if Grady was Esmeralda’s brother, Alexander saw no reason to be polite.

Grady’s face twisted in surprise. “Mr. Sterling, why are you sounding more and more like Elodie? Haven’t you picked up some bad habits?”

Birds of a feather, indeed.

“If you find our words unpleasant, Mr. Mercer, maybe you should reflect on your own behavior. Anyone watching might think you’re Ms. Fielding’s boyfriend, the way you’re hovering around, being so ‘helpful.” Alexander’s tone was sharp, his sarcasm plain.

Grady’s face froze. He glanced quickly at Jarrod, his expression darkening. “Mr. Silverstein, don’t get the wrong idea.”

“You don’t owe me an explanation, Mr. Mercer. You owe Ms. Thorne an apology,” Jarrod replied, his voice even, showing no concern for Grady’s reasons for being there.

Grady was momentarily speechless. He hadn’t actually done anything to Elodie— he’d just asked her to clean up the mess she’d made.

Elodie wasn’t interested in arguing with Grady. She only looked up at Jarrod, her tone cold. “Aren’t you here for the same reason as him?”

Why bother pretending to be the good guy?

Jarrod didn’t bother to explain himself. Even when Elodie’s gaze turned frosty, it didn’t faze him. He simply asked, “Do you have a moment to talk?”

Elodie frowned. Trouble was piling up around Sylvie, one thing after another. Just today, Professor Abbott had publicly withdrawn his support-she’d lost all credibility.

“Mr. Silverstein, at this rate, our

doors at VistaLink Technologies will be worn out by all your visits,” Alexander remarked dryly, having caughton to Jarrod’s intentions. He could see now that some things were inevitable. sŵnovel

Jarrod turned to him, his tone measured. “If you’re really worried about that, Mr. Sterling, why don’t we settle everything in one go?”

Alexander scowled, understanding Jarrod’s meaning all too well. If they didn’t talk today, VistaLink would never know peace.

Elodie understood as well. Her eyes grew colder. She knew Jarrod-he would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. It was only a matter of time before he intervened in Sylvie’s affairs, and once he did, there was no avoiding it.

“Alex, I’ll talk with him. You take care of Grady,” Elodie said, giving Grady a

dismissive glance before heading toward VistaLink Technologies.

Jarrod followed without hesitation, striding after her.

Keith fell in step behind them.

There were some conversations between Elodie and Jarrod that outsiders simply weren’t meant to hear. Elodie led the way to her office.

It was Jarrod’s first time in her workspace. The décor was modern and minimalist, but Elodie had filled the room with personal touches that made it feel warm and inviting.

The moment he stepped inside, he noticed the delicate scent in the air. His eyes landed on a gardenia blooming on the window sill. He glanced at it, then looked away.

Elodie didn’t bother with pleasantries like “Have a seat” or “Would you like something to drink?” She got straight to the point.