NovelUSAQueenie noticed Elodie and greeted her warmly. "Cjoin us. After all, we're all family here." It made sense-technically, Queenie was Elodie's sister-in-law.
Ivan arched an eyebrow. "Well, my wife has spoken. Mr. Sterling, care to join us?" Alexander glanced at Elodie.
She knew it would be awkward to refuse now, so she nodded at him.
They all took their seats.
Jarrod and Sylvie sat together on one side, Ivan and Queenie practically inseparable beside them. Elodie hesitated for a moment, unsure where to sit. Before she could decide, Mr. Ableson and another executive had already settled across from Ivan's group.
With no other option, Elodie sat opposite Jarrod and Sylvie.
Sylvie glanced at Elodie, her gaze lingering a moment longer than usual.
She had noticed Elodie's thoughtful hesitation. From the moment Elodie changed jobs and started working with Alexander, it had seemed inevitable that their paths would cross with hers and Jarrod's.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtWas this Elodie's way of taking the long way around for her own goals? The heavyweights at the table soon launched into a discussion about technology projects.
Elodie had no intention of joining in. She quietly focused on her meal.
That's when she learned that Jarrod and Ivan had only just signed the contract for their collaboration today-it was a fresh deal.
Yet, with such a major project, so full of confidential details, Jarrod didn't seem to be holding anything back from Sylvie anymore.
Was he trying to nurture Sylvie's growth, or had he already decided that she was his future Mrs. Silverstein? Just then, the restaurant manager himself arrived with specialty drinks prepared by the chef as a gesture of hospitality.
The bottles were passed around the table.
There were three left: one mango juice, two coconut waters.
Elodie didn't care for the taste of coconut and reached for the mango juice.
But Jarrod was quicker. He placed the mango juice in front of Sylvie.
Sylvie smiled, her eyes crinkling. "You always remember what I like. You're the thoughtful one." Elodie's hand stilled midair.
She couldn't help but recall all the times she'd adjusted her cooking to suit Jarrod's tastes—whether she cooked herself or Cara did, it was always about what Jarrod liked.
He probably never even knew her preferences.
Or, more accurately, whether by choice or indifference, he'd never wanted to find out.
Her hand hovered, awkward and uncertain, before she finally picked up a bottle of coconut water and set it down by her plate, leaving it untouched.
The last bottle, naturally, went to Jarrod.
The conversation about business continued for a while until Mr. Ableson suddenly turned to Elodie and Alexander. "Ms. Thorne and Mr. Sterling...are you two together, as in, the way we're thinking?" All eyes shifted to them.
Ivan shot a look at Jarrod but stayed silent.
Elodie answered calmly, "No, we're not." Mr. Ableson looked surprised. "Oh, I see. My mistake. You two seem to work so well together. Ms. Thorne, you look quite young-are you married?" A hush fell over the table.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmSylvie frowned, sensing the question's awkwardness.
She knew Elodie would never spell things out, didn't have the nervelor the desire. Still, she found this kind of question distasteful. Jarrod's reaction was even more indifferent; he simply glanced at Elodie from across the table, his expression unreadable.
Elodie set down her fork, her face serene. "Divorced. Widowed, in a sense." Mr. Ableson froze, his face stiffening.
Alexander was the first to break the silence, unable to hold back a daugh before quickly covering it with a En cough. "Sorry, that was out of line." Jarrod looked across the table at Elodie, her calm composure giving nothing away, though something flickered in his eyes.
After a moment, Sylvie turned her attention elsewhere, her frown fading.
A woman with no power, Sylvie thought, always resorts to tough talk and bravado -simply to shield a battered sense of pride from further hurt.
Elodie didn't intend to say more.
She didn't think she was wrong.
They were on the verge of divorce anyway. As for being"widowed" well, for three years she'd been invisible in her own marriage. The difference was only technical.
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