Elodie looked back at the man behind her. After returning from Hokkaido, they had taken some time to rest and reconnect.


    During this period, she hade to understand Jarrod''s past thoughts and feelings. Hearing his perspective on their history made her realize just how precious and difficult honesty between two people could be.


    Sometimes, the simplest things were the hardest to achieve. Because once you cared, you started to keep score. You worried about who loved more, who loved less. Every little detail could be a weapon that choked the life out of a rtionship. Adults were often caught between a rock and a hard ce, their actions dictated by a sense of helplessness.


    "You were a really good actor. I didn''t suspect a thing," Elodie said. She was grateful to Jarrod for helping her grow. She knew she wasn''t born with an independent or daring personality; most of the time, shecked courage. Looking back, Jarrod''s greatest contribution to her life had been to her mental and emotional strength.


    Jarrod looked at her. "What, was I supposed toe on strong from the start? With your personality, always keeping people at arm''s length, you would have run faster than anyone."


    He knew her well. Getting close to Elodie was no easy task.


    Elodie felt a little sheepish. He was right.


    Her shell had been thick back then. But it was that honeymoon, disguised as a business trip, that had made her ept himpletely. After that road trip, she had returned to Eldermere with a new mindset and had begun to focus on their life as a married couple. Back then, her understanding of how to show someone you cared was limited, so she expressed it by taking care of the home, unconsciously bing more and more dependent on him.


    "That ck card I gave you, you were so silly you never even used it to buy anything for yourself." At this, Jarrod gently flicked Elodie''s forehead. "I had to go out and pick everything for you. All your things were bought by me."


    Elodie raised an eyebrow. She suddenly remembered something. Later, when things had turned sour between them, the gifts had still kepting, delivered by his assistants.


    The message was always the same: "Mr. Silverstein apologizes for not being able to be here in person. He hopes you like the gift he chose for you."


    At the time, she had misunderstood, thinking it was just a perfunctory gesture to appease his grandmother. She had stubbornly refused to use any of them.


    Thinking about it now, she realized Jarrod had probably chosen each gift himself, with great care, and then had them delivered as the didn''t care at all.


    Jarrod, however, wouldn''t confirm or deny it. He just turned away and said casually, "Really? I don''t think so."


    Just then, Octavia came home from school and rushed straight to the bedroom to see Nadia.


    Jarrod seized the opportunity and ced Nadia in Octavia''s arms, then pulled Elodie towards the door.


    Octavia realized toote that she


    was being used as a babysitter again. Where are you two going


    now she fumed. "Did I give birth to


    this child for you Content bngs


    fo


    Jarrod didn''t even look back. "Taking your sister-inw to a movie. She''s all yours."


    Octavia was speechless. "???"


    She had juste up to say hello,


    1.n


    not to babysit! They had been in Hokkaido for two weeks! How had she survived those two weeks? Taking care of the baby day and night. The dark circles under her eyes were practically down to her chin! She wanted to ask Lucinda for help, but Lucinda was away on a business trip. She thought about asking their grandmother, but she couldn''t bring herself to do it, given her age. She considered hiring a nanny, but she didn''t trust anyone else with the baby. She worried about a nanny being clumsy Sh thought about hiring a maternity nurse, but she was afraid Nadia wouldn''t be as close to her. So she had shouldered the entire burden herself! She had be Jarrod and Elodie''s personal nanny!