NovelUpdateElodie's mind went completely blank for a long moment.
She could taste the faint bitterness of whiskey on his breath as his lips pressed against hers-Jarrod's kiss was rough, insistent, and she was powerless to resist. It wasn't until he tried to part her lips that she jolted back to herself, adrenaline surging.
She shoved him away, hard.
Scrambling off his lap, she tugged her rumpled nightdress back into place, her eyes suddenly cold. "Jarrod, you're drunk. I'm not Sylvie." Jarrod blinked slowly, startled awake by her sudden resistance. He took in the disapproval on her face, and a reluctant clarity sharpened his dark gaze. His brow furrowed, as if this was the last outche'd expected- especially seeing Elodie's rigid posture.
He glanced around, as if only now registering his surroundings, then straightened and massaged his temples, his voice low and rough. "What tis it?" Elodie's heart was still racing. She hadn't been touched like that in ages, and the intimacy left her uneasy- especially considering what they were to each other now. On top of that, the humiliation of being forced to swap dresses in front of everyone, and now being mistaken for Sylvie, left a bitter taste that crept up her throat.
"It's after ten," she replied.
"Alright. No need to return the call tonight. Tomorrow's fine." Jarrod stood, his tall frsuddenly imposing, casting a long shadow across the room. He shot Elodie a fleeting glance but didn't mention what had just happened. "Get srest." With that, he grabbed his coat and strode out, his departure hurried, as if something urgent needed his attention.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtElodie guessed he must be mortified about confusing her with Sylvie-he'd probably wake up tomorrow, wracked with guilt for letting things get out of hand. As for that slurred, "I missed you," she'd never seen Jarrod act so unguarded before. She supposed he was simply used to being inseparable from Sylvie, tangled up in that sort of clinging affection. With her, things had always been different. Even in their most intimate moments, Jarrod was never tender; he treated their tin bed like an obligation, never once holding her afterward.
She forced herself not to dwell on it.
Turning away, she went to bed.
The next morning, they had a set tfor the return trip.
Not long after sunrise, her grandmother called. "Elodie, are you two up yet?" Setting down her coffee mug, Elodie replied, "We are." "When are you heading back to the city? Have you booked your tickets?" her grandmother inquired.
Elodie hesitated. She and Jarrod rarely traveled together anymore, and she wasn't sure how to answer. "Not... yet." "Well, once you decide, letknow. I'll have someone bring you snourishing soup for the journey." "...Okay." They chatted a bit longer before hanging up.
Elodie mused that she and Jarrod probably wouldn't be on the sflight. Maybe she should check with him about his arrival tin Eldermere, just in case her grandmother asked.
She dialed Jarrod's number.
It rang several times before someone picked up.
"Jarrod's still asleep. What do you need?" Sylvie's calm, almost haughty voice cthrough the line.
Elodie was caught off guard for a second, but quickly regained her composure. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Sylvie simply hummed in reply and ended the call.
Elodie set her phone down, shaking her head slightly. Jarrod really did give Sylvie all sorts of privileges.
Even something as private as his phone-he let her answer it without hesitation.
She couldn't help but remember a twhen Jarrod had chdrunk and she'd taken care of him. Noticing his phone was out of battery, she'd plugged it in for him. He'd looked at her coldly and said, "Don't touch my phone again." She could still feel the sting of that moment-his sharp gaze, the sense of humiliation. He'd always drawn boundaries with her, even when her intentions were harmless.
But with Sylvie? There were no boundaries at all.
Elodie shook off the memory.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmAs for last night, it was obvious-Jarrod had mistaken her for Sylvie, and that was who he truly wanted. It was only natural they'd end up together.
She put her phone aside, sat quietly for a moment, then started packing her suitcase.
Alexander's assistant had booked her a flight for the afternoon, so there was no hurry. Around noon, Alexander called to invite her down for lunch.
Elodie slipped a blazer over her shoulders and headed out.
She ran into Ivan by the elevator.
Ivan, judging by the shadows under his eyes and the casual slouch of his Sual Been posture, had probably been drinking the night before. He glanced at her, his gaze instinctively dropping to her neck.
Not seeing the necklace, he frowned. "Why aren't you wearing it?" As Elodie pressed the button for her floor, she suddenly remembered the necklace had just been a freebie, after all.
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