Chapter


    218


    But what was it that I used to say?


    Elijah clenched the charm tightly, a ch of pain in his eyes.


    Elijah, can''t do much to help keep this charm, okay?


    They


    a


    the spiritual coach who blessed it is incredibly is. A charme this shouldn''t be thrown away.


    -""Eljah, I don''t wish tax you to be wealthy or powerful. All I want is for you testay safe, that''s all"


    He coold still picture me holding the charm, my smile so bright and innocent, as if the world were simple and pare.


    The charm dug into his palm, d he opened his hand only to close it again, denching the symbol of my unwavering devotion


    Jocelyn, who had been rambling on, finally noticed his silence. She nced at the charm in his hand and scotted. "What is that? It looks so tacky"


    She reached out, trying to take it, but Lijah slipped it into his suit pocket without a second thought


    Sensing his resistance, Jocelyn''s expression turned cold "Did she give that to you?Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Elijah started the car, his expression unchanging. "No. It''s a charm I got from a spiritual coach myself" -


    Satisfied, she rxed. "Oh Well, then you should keep it, I suppose. But it looks so dusty. Let me get you a new one for the car." Elijah shook his head. "It''s okay."


    ed her to extend the timeline as much as possible.


    Undeterred, she returned to her earlier topic "Anyway, Elijah, if she agrees to settle out of court, make sure to be pleasant. We need "And as for the so million dors, there''s no reason to give her the whole amount have the ountant fudge the numbers a bit."


    "Enough" Elijah''s voice thundered through the car as he mmed his foot on the gas


    Jocelyn flinched her age pale with sho


    "Elijah, what''s wrong with you the stammered, her voiceced with tears. "You scared...


    Ime... I''m carrying our child."


    Elijah''s eyes bored into her. To, if it weren''t for this child, do you think I would even consider divorcing Ari?":


    Stunned.] ocelyn''s face twisted with a "What? Are you saying you don''t even want to leave that birch ana? What could you possibly see in bech


    "She''s just a spoiled, willful woman, and you''re still thinking about her? Hur voice rose to a shrill pitch. "Elijah, are you blind? Don''t you see that Ariana has already moved on? She''s daring ed, no a thousand times wealthier than you. What makes you think you canpete with him?"


    Her shrill usations echoed through the car, her voice reaching a feverish pich."


    Chjah, Finally reaching his breaking point, pped her across the face


    Jocelyn sat there, stunned. "How dare you hit me?"


    Elijah let out a coldugh. "Deep the act. I told you a long t


    g time ago not to mess with and me, but you kept going after her over and over. Don''t think I''m clueless. If it weren''t to the child, I wouldn''t even be dealing with you." Jocelyn''s expression morphed into sun


    sinister as she let out a dark, twistedugh


    knew all along


    "But do you know why she''s leaving you now? It''s because, even knowing everything, you chose to stand by and do nothing You never truly stood up for her."


    Pointing a finger at him, sheughed in a way that sent chills down his spine.


    For the sake of the chap" She seed. "Ariana probably still doesn''t know that you''ve been secretly giving her birth control pills all this time. I doubt you ever intended to have a child with her, did you? "Oh, I sometimes wonder if you two even slept together."


    Herughter cur through him like a knife, driving home every


    ry bitter t


    With a deathly calm, he said, "If you don''t want to die, shut your mouth."


    uth. Although his face was like stone, tage simmering beneath the surface.


    Jocelyn recoiled from the look in his eyes, her strug expression reced by a flicker of fear.


    Elijah''s face was impassive as he gripped the steering wheel, pressing down on the elerator, the cat


    the cat teasing through the night.


    water wash away the tension in my muscles and the exhaustion on the day.


    Back at home, I submerged myself in the warmth of the bath, letting the hot water wash an


    Everything else the fashion show, Elijah, Jocelyn, the potential settlement-faded away. For now, I just wanted a musent ul prate. A moment to simply be alone.