Chapter 59
Keith hadn’t expected Elodie to ignore him.
He stared, baffled, at her receding figure disappearing down the hallway.
What on earth was with Elodie? She’d clearly seen him, yet hadn’t even bothered to say hello.noveldrama
“Keith?” someone beside him called.
Snapping out of his daze, Keith replied, “It’s nothing. I’ll report back to Mr.
Silverstein with all the details.”
Before leaving, he glanced once more in Elodie’s direction, frowning.
What game was Elodie playing at this time?
Back on the top floor of The Silverstein Group.
Jarrod had just exited a meeting, scanning the reports handed to him by his assistants as he walked. Keith told the secretaries to return to their department and followed Jarrod into his office.
“Mr. Silverstein, the Kim & Co. side agreed to a one percent concession. They’re being quite sincere. Please take a look.”
Jarrod flipped through the documents and signed with barely a glance. “Good work.”
Without looking up, he asked, “Any progress contacting Dr. Charlie Sterling?” Sylvie had been eager to meet Dr. Sterling, and Jarrod was doing all he could to make it happen.
Keith hesitated. “It’s been a challenge, sir. Dr. Sterling is notoriously private-he doesn’t do casual meetings, rarely shows up at public events, and turns down most invitations. We’ll need a new angle.”
“As long as it gets done, I don’t care what it takes or how much it costs.” Jarrod closed his pen, his tone cool and matter-of-fact.
Keith knew how much Jarrod valued Sylvie. For someone like Dr. Sterling, Jarrod was willing to go to any lengths, just to help Sylvie gain a foothold and reputation in the field.
But-
“I just ran into Ms. Thorne at the Kim & Co. office.” The memory of Elodie brushing him off made Keith sneer inwardly. Playing hard to get, was she?
Sooner or later, she’d have to come crawling back, begging for a chance to get close to Mr. Silverstein.
Jarrod’s eyelashes flickered. “Did you.”
“She’s with Dr. Sterling now,” Keith continued, unable to hide his disdain. “Acting like she’s above everyone else.”
Getting too big for her boots, that’s what.
Now Jarrod finally looked up at Keith, his gaze cold and heavy with authority. “She’s already joined VistaLink Technologies. Calling her ‘Ms. Thorne’ isn’t appropriate anymore. She may well be a partner in the future-watch your attitude.”
Keith froze, completely unable to figure out what Jarrod was thinking. He quickly dropped his gaze. “Understood, Mr. Silverstein.”
Jarrod checked his watch and stood to leave.
Keith’s eyes happened to land on the cabinet across the office. He asked, “Should I clear out the things your wife sent over earlier? All those boxes and documents are still sitting there, unopened.”
Elodie had once asked him to deliver those items to Jarrod, and they’d sat there ever since, untouched.
Now that she was gone from The Silverstein Group, wasn’t it just a waste of space to keep her things around?
Jarrod didn’t even turn his head. “Leave them.”
That afternoon, Elodie was surprised to see Jarrod’s name light up her phone.
Since she’d moved out, he’d barely contacted her-only once, in the middle of the night, when his call woke her from sleep.
Most of the time, Jarrod seemed to forget he even had a wife.
Elodie answered. “What is it?”
His deep voice came through. “Grandma needs you. She asked you to visit her.” Elodie paused. “Alright.”
This time, Jarrod didn’t hang up immediately. He spoke at a measured pace: “Don’t mention my business to her.”
He was talking about Sylvie-and the affair, and all the fallout.
Elodie’s lips curved in a silent, bitter smile.
Before she could reply, Jarrod hung up—just as he’d always done, never caring about her reaction.
Because, in his mind, she would always put him first, never refusing any of his requests.
He couldn’t care less how she felt.
He was sure she wouldn’t, or rather, wouldn’t dare.
Elodie took a deep breath. She really wouldn’t say anything; Grandma’s heart and blood pressure were already fragile. The last thing she wanted was to upset her.
After work, Elodie headed back to Silverstein Mansion.
That’s when she learned that Grandma had specially arranged for blue lobster to be flown in from France-Elodie’s favorite. Grandma remembered her love of seafood.
“You’ve lost weight, sweetheart, and I don’t like seeing you looking so worn out,” Grandma fussed, her eyes kind. “I’ve asked the staff to prepare some nourishing dishes for you. You need to eat well and take care of yourself.”