?Chapter 1143:


    “What an unpleasant surprise,” Ellie muttered, her enthusiasm for shopping vanishing after she saw Fay.


    “Well, if it isn’t Ellie! What a coincidence,” Fay greeted them with a fake smile.


    Ellie rolled her eyes silently, feeling more frustrated. Though she no longer loved Jayceon and despised him deeply, seeing him with Fay still affected her mood. She murmured, “Imagine running into someone you can’t stand. Just my luck.”


    She kept her tone even, unconcerned whether Jayceon or Fay caught herment.


    Jayceon’s gaze lingered on Ellie; he noticed that she looked even younger and more beautiful than before. For a moment, something stirred in him, but he quickly masked it with a casual smile. “Small world, isn’t it?”


    Lifting a tailored jacket, Ellie ran her fingers over the stitching, then nced at Fay with a faint, mocking smile. “You don’t own the ce. Am I supposed to avoid stores just because you’re here?”


    Fay’s reply was a quietugh, her eyes shining with smugness. Ellie’s irritation was proof enough that Jayceon still mattered to her. She didn’t know every detail of their history, but she had heard whispers—Ellie had been pregnant back then, and the Russell family had refused to ept her.


    So she believed that even if Jayceon still had feelings for Ellie, her humble background disqualified her from marrying him. They might have loved each other, but so what? In the end, she would be the one marrying Jayceon. With a satisfied tilt of her chin, Fay said, “I never imed you couldn’t shop here. It’s just a surprise to see you. Who are you buying clothes for?”


    Her sharp starended on the garment in Ellie’s hands, noting its size, a perfect fit for Jayceon.


    It crossed her mind that maybe Ellie, after doing Jayceon’s order, still remembered his measurements and was shopping for a wedding present for him.


    Ellie didn’t miss a beat. “Who else would I buy for? My husband, obviously. Or maybe my father. You should really mind your own business.”


    Fay was left speechless.


    A softugh escaped Brenna, who tossed Fay a teasing look. “Do you want to buy this jacket, Fay?”


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    With a dismissive sneer, Fay shot a nce at the khaki jacket Ellie was holding. “Please. That thing is hideous. I wouldn’t want it even if you paid me.”<fnb> ?????? ???? Find[F]ovel</fnb>


    Ellie countered with a pointed look at the ck shirt draped over Fay’s arm. “That’s a terrible choice for Jayceon. The grey one would do him justice, not ck.”


    Fay’s eyes shed wide as she retorted, “I’m his wife. If I think it looks good on him, that’s what he’ll wear.”


    Watching Fay’s temper rise gave Ellie a quiet sense of triumph. “I’m a professional designer—I actually know how to put together an outfit. Or have you forgotten that it was you who asked me to design your wedding dress?” The more Ellie spoke, the lighter her mood became, her confidence bubbling up.


    Irritation colored Fay’s voice. “I never wanted you to design the dress in the first ce—”


    Jayceon interjected with a quiet nudge, “Let it go.”


    Stung, Fay bristled in silence. She’d never wanted Ellie as her designer in the first ce. That was all Jayceon’s idea; he said Ellie was a world-renowned designer and wearing her designs would bring prestige.


    Now regret prickled at her; she was convinced Jayceon’s feelings for Ellie hadn’t faded.


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