While Elodie sat nearby, squirming in her seat, Jarrod noticed immediately.

She kept glancing at him.

He turned to her in his usual unhurried manner and suddenly asked, “How are you settling in at the new company?”

Elodie pressed her lips together. “It’s going well. I like my new job.”

“So, The Silverstein Group must not have been a great fit for you after all.”

Elodie frowned. The truth was, she’d never really belonged in The Silverstein Group’s PR department. She’d only taken the job so she wouldn’t drift so far from him, hoping it might help them grow closer.

But Jarrod had never cared what she wanted.

He didn’t seem interested in her answer now, either. A notification popped up on the iPad beside him.

Almost reflexively, Jarrod flipped the iPad face-down on the table, as if to keep her from seeing.

Elodie understood the gesture instantly and quickly looked away.

Jarrod asked, “I have something urgent to take care of. Can you catch a cab to work?”

Though he phrased it like a question, it was clear he had no intention of driving her.

In fact it was practically a dismissal.

Elodie hesitated only for a moment before replying calmly, “That’s fine.”

The question she’d wanted to ask never made it past her lips.

She didn’t even ask why Jarrod had come back to their apartment last night. There must have been a specific reason; otherwise, he’d have spent the night with Sylvie.

Elodie climbed out of the car.

After last night’s snow, the wind seemed to claw at her collar, sending a chill racing down her spine. She shivered.

The Bentley didn’t linger, speeding away in the pale morning light.

Abandoned halfway to work, Elodie simply pulled her coat tighter, determined not to let a cold ruin her immune system any further. Bracing herself against the wind, she flagged down a cab to VistaLink Technologies.

At lunchtime, Elodie spent two hours in a conference room with Alexander and the engineering team, hashing out the wild idea she’d come up with the previous day.

By the end, Alexander was practically bouncing with excitement. Her proposal wasn’t just feasible-it was groundbreaking.

They might well be on the verge of something revolutionary.

Elodie resolved to draft a detailed development plan as soon as possible.

Back in her office, her phone rang. Esmeralda was calling.

“Oh my god, I need to bleach my eyes! Why can’t that woman just disappear already?!”

Esmeralda was fuming.

Elodie asked, “What happened?”

Esmeralda huffed. “I had to go to Grady’s company for an event today, and just seeing him was bad enough. I was planning to pick up some pastries and share them with you back at the office, but guess what happened next?”

“I ran into Jarrod and Sylvie!”

“They were out on a date-shopping, eating cake together. She was feeding him dessert in public. Do they have no shame?”

Elodie’s hand stilled over the contract she was signing, her expression shifting into something resigned.

So, Jarrod’s “urgent business” that morning had just been an excuse to ditch her for a date with Sylvie…

“Elodie?” Esmeralda’s tone softened, a hint of worry creeping in.

Elodie snapped out of it and bent over her project plans again. “I’m fine.”

Trying to force someone who resents you to love you-it’s against human nature.

People are complicated, unpredictable creatures. She’d learned that lesson from Ivan.

And Jarrod? Even more so.

Esmeralda asked, “Want to grab a drink after work?”

Elodie knew she was trying to be supportive. She smiled, her voice light. “Why

don’t you come back and work overtime with me?”

Esmeralda hung up in record time.

At least she’d moved on from Jarrod and Sylvie’s drama, which put Elodie somewhat at ease. Esmeralda was a firecracker; sometimes Elodie worried she’d actually start a fight if she ran into the two of them together.

The next two days were a blur of meetings and brainstorming sessions with Alexander and the team.

Everyone was fired up about Elodie’s project plan; the energy in the office was electric.

Alexander even gave her a day off, insisting she take a break.

During that time, Emile called to say he’d be staying with Grandma for a couple of days before heading back to the hospital. He suggested that, if Elodie had time, maybe she and Jarrod could come over for dinner.

Elodie remembered her uncle’s birthday was coming up.

That was probably why Emile wanted everyone together.

After some thought, Elodie decided it was a good opportunity, with both her grandmother and uncle at home.

She texted Jarrod: [Are you free the day after tomorrow? It’s my uncle’s birthday.]

He replied hours later: [I’m busy.]

Elodie stared at the blunt, impersonal response.

She didn’t ask anything else.

On her day off, Elodie allowed herself the luxury of sleeping in-only to be woken

by a frantic call from Esmeralda.

“Elodie, I hit someone…”