Elodie finally allowed herself to rx a little.


    She stayed with Emile through lunch, waiting for the difort from the treatment to ease, and then returned to VistaLink Technologies to wrap up some loose ends.


    Jarrod hadn''t reached out to her again.


    The next day.


    Just as Elodie was about to log off at the end of her workday, her grandmother called. "Sweetheart, what time are you getting off?"


    "I''m just about to finish," Elodie replied, closing herptop.


    "Perfect! I''ve sent Jarrod to pick you up. Come home with him after work, I need you both here for something."


    Elodie blinked in surprise. "Grandma, actually I have—"


    "He''s already downstairs. Just head down when you''re ready."


    "...Okay."


    Rubbing her aching temples, Elodie resigned herself to it. If it weren''t for her grandmother''s direct orders, there was no way Jarrod would be offering her a ride.


    She packed up quickly and headed downstairs.


    Sure enough, a sleek Bentley was idling at the curb.


    The window slid down; Jarrod nced over at her. "Get in."


    The situation felt strangely novel. In all her years at The Silverstein Group, no matter how many times her grandmother insisted Jarrod give her a ride, not once had they actually left work together in the same car.


    Now, after leaving The Silverstein Group-once there was nothing left to hide- she''d finally earned the "privilege" of being chauffeured home.


    Elodie hesitated, weighing the odds that her grandmother''s request was urgent. "You know, I can skip it. Could you just tell Grandma I have ns?"


    "You can tell her yourself. I''m not your messenger," Jarrod replied, ncing at his watch with a hint of irritation.


    Elodie picked up on his mood. It didn''t take much to guess why. Her mother''s issue still hung between them, unresolved. This was not the time to stir up conflict.


    So she walked over to the car.


    Instinctively, she nced at the passenger seat, but in the end, she slid into the back.


    She knew his rules. The front seat belonged to his girlfriend-she wasn''t about to cross that line.


    Jarrod noticed her sitting behind him, pressed close to the door, bundled in her coat and staring silently out the window. She showed no interest in conversation.


    He looked away and addressed the driver coolly, "Turn up the heat."


    Elodie was momentarily taken aback.


    Was he...taking herfort into ount?


    She quickly lowered her gaze. No, she was reading too much into it. Even if he did give an order for her sake, it was out of courtesy, not concern.


    Back at the Silverstein Mansion, Octavia had already returned from hanging out with her friends and was curled up on the couch, chatting away on her phone.


    She was waiting for dinner, but when she saw Elodie, she couldn''t resist a dig: "I knew you''d use Grandma to get closer to my brother. If it weren''t for picking you up, he would''ve taken Sylvie to the movies tonight..."


    Elodie had grown used to this. She didn''t bother responding.


    So that exined Jarrod''s mood—she''d interrupted his date with Sylvie.


    Their grandmother emerged from the side parlor. "Dinner''s ready. Let''s eat first."


    She lived in a quieter wing of the estate, set some distance from the main house. Usually, only Jarrod and Octavia dropped by regrly.


    Dinner was served.


    Throughout the meal, Grandma kept shooting Jarrod meaningful looks. "That dish is too far from Elodie. Pass it to her."


    Unbothered, Jarrodplied, helping Elodie to the food with his usual chilly detachment.


    Elodie knew better than to mistake her grandmother''s efforts for real progress. Forced connections neversted-these gestures were pointless.


    Octavia barely looked up, glued to her phone from the moment she sat down. She couldn''t resist texting herints: [Grandma forced my brother to pick up Elodie. Poor Sylvie''s date night was totally ruined. Elodie just loves getting in the way.]


    Sylvie replied: [Don''t worry, your brother and I are together all the time anyway.] Sylvie''s mood was unruffled. She even sent over photos of some new outfits she''d bought, asking Octavia which one she liked best.


    Octavia nced across the table at Jarrod. [Try them on and show me, please!] Sylvie obliged, quickly sending a picture.


    Octavia''s eyes lit up.


    She angled her phone out of Grandma''s line of sight and nudged Jarrod. "Hey, check this out-isn''t it stunning?"


    Elodie sat right beside Jarrod and caught a glimpse of the screen out of the corner of her eye.


    Sylvie was wearing ace camisole dress with a plunging neckline—so low that it left little to the imagination...