Elodie knew Jarrod only cared about this whole thing because of his grandmother. After all, they were about to get divorced-there was no need to keep up appearances when it was just the two of them.

As for deleting those photos, she figured it was best. No sense clogging up his phone or risking Sylvie stumbling across them and getting the wrong idea.

Jarrod’s cool, dark eyes lingered on her face for a few seconds, as if he was weighing something. Then he let out a soft, almost amused laugh. “Alright. Whatever you want.”

He turned and headed for the bathroom, making it obvious he wasn’t going to argue. Honestly, he probably preferred it this way.

Elodie couldn’t be bothered to guess what was going on in his head. With a tired sigh, she rubbed her brow. She hadn’t expected Jarrod’s grandmother to spend the night, much less plan to stay for several days. There was no way she could keep coming back here.

She sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Jarrod to finish his shower, half- distracted as she scrolled through the project schedule on her laptop.

When he finally emerged, his hair was towel-dried and still a bit damp. He was already checking his phone as he walked. Elodie paused, watching him. She wasn’t sure if all couples in love acted like this-so eager to be in constant contact, not wanting to miss a single message. Even in the shower, he kept his phone close. Was it because he didn’t want to miss a text from someone special? Or was he worried about leaving his phone out, afraid she might see something she shouldn’t?

She kept her expression neutral, pretending not to notice how absorbed he was in his phone. Calmly, she said, “Your grandmother seems set on staying a few more days. I won’t be coming back after tonight. I’ll tell her I’m out of town for work.”

It seemed like a reasonable solution-this way, his grandmother wouldn’t start asking uncomfortable questions.

The holidays were just around the corner. Elodie guessed Jarrod intended to wait until after New Year’s to break the news to his grandmother, let her get through the season in peace. She understood.

Jarrod dropped onto the bed, his gaze locked on his phone. Whatever message he’d just received made the corner of his mouth twitch, a little smile flickering there before he replied with a few taps. Only then did he look up at her, almost absent-mindedly.

“Out of town?”

He’d clearly missed half of what she’d said, too distracted by his phone to really listen.

Elodie knew exactly what was going on, but she didn’t feel anything about it—not anger, not sadness, nothing. Just a quiet, “Yeah.”

She could tell he probably hadn’t caught her meaning, but she didn’t have the energy to repeat herself.

“Suit yourself,” Jarrod said in a low, indifferent voice, then rolled onto the bed and settled in.

He glanced at her from the headboard. “Want me to turn off the light?”

Elodie didn’t feel awkward at all. At this point, there was no reason to be. She lay down at the very edge of the mattress. “Sure.”

Jarrod looked over at her, his eyes falling on the outline of her back beneath the thin cotton T-shirt. Her shoulder blades jutted out just a little-she looked thinner than ever.

He narrowed his eyes, some fleeting thought flashing across his face.

Buzz.

His phone vibrated again, pulling him back. Whatever strange feeling had just crossed his mind, he pushed it away, switched off the light, and went to sleep. Elodie slept soundly that night, undisturbed by the man lying behind her. By the time she woke up, Jarrod was already gone.

After washing up, she went downstairs to find him sitting at the dining table, already dressed after his morning workout.

His grandmother had brought over all sorts of expensive supplements and a collection of homemade herbal tonics, each one neatly stored in the fridge.

As soon as Elodie appeared, the old woman bustled over with a cup of warm herbal broth. “Drink this, dear-one in the morning and one at night. It’s good for your health, helps with energy and circulation. Promise me you’ll take it on time, alright? You look so tired and pale; I can’t help but worry.”

She’d even suggested Elodie get a full check-up at the hospital, but Elodie was always too busy to make the time.

“Thank you, Grandma,” Elodie said, accepting the cup and drinking it down in one go.

The bitterness lingered on her tongue, but after so many bottles and jars of medicine over the years, she’d learned not to flinch. Her face stayed calm and unbothered.