Chapter 40

“Boss’s wife?”

So the whole company had already accepted Sylvie’s place.

Back when Elodie had devoted herself to Jarrod, both he and everyone around him insisted she was just trying to make people misunderstand their relationship. He never even spoke to her at work, keeping her at arm’s length.

But with Sylvie, he’d stepped forward himself to clear things up.

Elodie didn’t answer Jason, but Esmeralda couldn’t hold back any longer. “But I heard your Mr. Silverstein is already married. Isn’t he?”

Jason froze, words catching in his throat before he finally replied, “That’s just gossip. There was a rumor that Ms. Fielding was involved in something scandalous, and the PR department at Silverstein Group didn’t handle it well. Mr. Silverstein himself came forward to set the record straight-publicly defended Ms. Fielding’s reputation, said she was above reproach. If he had a wife, why would he do that?”

So he’d openly contradicted his own wife?

What kind of man acts like his wife doesn’t even exist?

It had to be rumors, then.

Elodie lowered her gaze.

So, in the end, he’d personally come out to clarify things. He didn’t want Sylvie to suffer even the smallest slight.

But his wife? She could swallow her pain in silence.

He was certain she wouldn’t dare make a scene-certain she had neither the right nor the nerve.

Esmeralda was fuming. “If your Mr. Silverstein cares about Ms. Fielding so much, why aren’t they married? Is he not allowed?”

Jason chuckled, finally relaxing a bit. “You can tell, can’t you? Ms. Fielding is the modern career woman, not the type to settle down as a housewife. From what I’ve heard, she’s just not ready for marriage.”

Elodie found that plausible.

Jarrod cared so deeply for Sylvie-if Sylvie wanted to get married, he’d have ended things with Elodie in a heartbeat, not waited for her to file for divorce.

Esmeralda’s heart ached for Elodie as she watched her with worry.

Elodie squeezed Esmeralda’s hand gently.

She gave a calm shake of her head. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

The divorce papers were already signed. As soon as the last formalities were done, she and Jarrod would be strangers.

Even if Esmeralda wanted to expose Sylvie as the other woman, she had to consider Elodie’s position.

Scratching her head, Esmeralda finally sighed, “I’m going to get the car. When you’re finished here, come out the front entrance and we’ll go home.”

She muttered under her breath that she might have a heart attack if she stayed any longer.

Elodie nodded, her voice cool and composed. “Alright.”

After they finalized the materials, Jason tried to keep Elodie around to go over the details with Sylvie, but Elodie excused herself, saying she was needed back at the office.

She stepped into the elevator as the doors slid open-only to come face-to-face with Jarrod inside.

He stood tall and composed, his deep eyes catching hers for a moment before turning away with practiced indifference.

To any onlooker, they seemed like strangers, not ex-spouses.

Cutting ties, it seemed, was second nature to him.

Elodie didn’t flinch or avoid him; she stepped inside quietly and stood behind him.

She hadn’t expected Jarrod to show up at Nexus Analytics, but then again, with Sylvie working here, it was obvious who he was really here for.

Jarrod didn’t look like he wanted to talk. He was messaging someone on his phone.

As Elodie glanced at the elevator display, she accidentally caught a glimpse of his screen.

A contact labeled “BB” had just sent a message:

[Just a little headache, no need to come over. Probably just tired from staying up all night with you.]

Elodie quickly looked away.

She knew “BB” was short for “baby.” And as for staying up all night—she could guess what that meant.

Their relationship, it seemed, was even more intimate than she’d imagined. “Are you feeling better?”

Jarrod suddenly put away his phone and asked in his usual calm, even tone.

He was talking to Elodie.

She was a little surprised. He turned slightly to look at her, his eyes impassive-it was just a casual inquiry.

So he still remembered that she’d fainted from a fever.

But he only thought to ask because Sylvie had just mentioned a headache. A passing concern, nothing more.

Otherwise, he’d never acted like it was any of his business.

Only Sylvie mattered to him.

There was no real care in the way he asked about Elodie.

“I’m fine now,” Elodie replied, voice steady.

“That’s good,” Jarrod said coolly, though this time he glanced at her a moment longer.

Elodie didn’t try to use the opportunity to say more, which seemed to catch him off guard.

He stared at her openly. Elodie frowned slightly. “Is there something else you want, Mr. Silverstein?”

“Not calling me ‘husband’ anymore?”