Chapter 82
Jacob actually put pressure on the relatives of the mayor's secretary-general just because of that little conflict in the afternoon! This was completely beyond her expectation.
She knew Jacob was fiercely protective, but that ferocity was typically reserved for matters touching upon the Smith family's core interests or its reputation. For trivial clashes like this, he usually couldn't be bothered, let alone respond with such direct and overwhelming force.
A strange, unnameable feeling flickered through her heart, but she kept her expression placid, her voice a calm, even line. "Mr. Hernandez, you're being too kind. The matter is already behind us, and I haven't given it a second thought. This gift is far too extravagant. Please, take it back."
"Ms. Windsor, you must accept it! It's the least we can do!" Preston didn't dare retrieve the gift, nearly forcing the box onto the adjacent coffee table. "As long as you're no longer upset, and if you could put in a good word for us with Mr. Smith, we would be eternally grateful!"
What they truly feared was Jacob's retribution.
Elizabeth understood at once. She hesitated for a moment before finally acquiescing, a silent acknowledgment of the power dynamics at play.
"I'll accept the gift as a sign that I accept your apology. As for Mr. Smith, I will speak with him."
As if granted a pardon, the two men offered a flurry of thanks before making a hasty exit.
Elizabeth picked up the jewelry box, its weight substantial in her hands, and after a moment's thought, turned toward the study.
Jacob was likely still in there.
Before knocking on the door, she seemed to hear a phone call coming from inside, but it ended quickly.
She pushed the door open and went in.
Jacob stood with his back to her, a glass of liquor in hand, staring out into the deep, impenetrable night. He turned slowly at the sound of her entry, his face a mask of indifference. His gaze fell directly on the box in her hands.
"Preston and Flynn paid a visit?" He asked, his tone flat.
Nothing that happened within the walls of this estate escaped his notice.
Elizabeth walked to the desk and set down the box. "They came to apologize and brought this set of jewelry. I accepted it, to signify that the matter is closed."
Jacob said nothing, merely watching her with an unnerving, profound gaze, as if he were assessing something deep within her.
She paused, then continued, "Thank you for standing up for me this afternoon. However, Mr. Hernandez is, after all, connected to City Hall. Was it truly worth employing such heavy-handed tactics for a simple argument?"
She wasn't pleading their case; she was analyzing the situation from a purely pragmatic standpoint. Jacob already had enough enemies; there was no need to cultivate another potential problem over something so petty.
At her words, a smile—so cold it was almost a sneer—curled his lips.
"A simple argument?" He repeated, his voice dangerously soft as he began to walk toward her, his approach closing the space between them until he loomed over her.
She still didn't understand why he was so furious.
His eyes raked over her face, a scrutinizing, icy quality in them that she couldn't decipher.
"I was under the impression his foul language had offended you. But it seems, Ms. Windsor, that you don't mind at all? Then again," he scoffed, his tone suddenly turning sharp and cruel, "you're a woman who has already borne a child. You must be quite accustomed to such things from men, aren't you?"
Elizabeth froze. Blood rushed to her head, only to turn to ice in her veins in the next instant. She snapped her head up, her eyes locking with his. There wasn't a shred of warmth in them, only naked humiliation and a baffling rage.
What was he talking about?
She had thought herself immune to this kind of attack. In her past life, Henry had used her history to humiliate her at every turn.
But what right did Jacob have? If her past truly bothered him, he should have made his decision at their very first meeting. No one had forced him to marry her.
She brutally suppressed the shock and the sudden, sharp sting of pain that pierced through her defenses, her nails digging into her palms.
She couldn't fathom why Jacob was acting so erratically, so aggressively tonight.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, she forced herself into a state of cold composure. Her voice, when she spoke, was back to its usual detached tone. "Mr. Smith, I have no idea what you are referring to. If you are angry because I overstepped, then I apologize. As for Flynn, if you feel he must be taught a lesson, I have no objection. I am grateful that you defended me. That is all."
She did not explain, no argument. She simply drew a clear, uncrossable line.
She would accept his help, but that did not mean she had to endure his inexplicable insults.
Jacob watched the defensive walls shoot up around her, saw the flicker of hurt in her eyes before it was extinguished. The nameless fire inside him, instead of abating, burned hotter, feeding his irritation.
He tore his gaze away, turning back to the window and downing the rest of his drink in one swallow. With his back to her, his voice returned to its cold, remote default. "Dispose of it. I know how to handle Flynn. You may leave."
Without another word, Elizabeth picked up the box of cold diamonds and left the study.
The moment the door clicked shut, Jacob's fingers tightened around the empty glass, his knuckles turning white from the force.
He had lost control. His words had been a misdirected attack, aimed at her.
It was born of the frustrating mystery of his father's death, of the complex, unsettling feelings he had for the woman who had just left, and most of all, of a gnawing sense of failure at his inability to control the board.
Emerging from Jacob's study, Elizabeth's face was a shade paler than usual.
She walked directly toward her guest room, craving only solitude. As she rounded the corner into her hallway, a small figure darted out, nearly colliding with her legs.
"Mommy!" Jack tilted his little face up, his eyes shining, carefully cradling something in his hands.
Elizabeth stopped, her gaze softening as she looked down at him. The child's innocent smile and his call to her were like a warm current, instantly washing away the icy dread and oppression that had settled in her heart. She knelt, bringing herself to his eye level.
"Jack, why are you still awake?" Her voice became unconsciously gentle.
As if presenting a priceless treasure, Jack held out his hands.
It was a bracelet, strung with colorful beads. The craftsmanship was crude, some of the color combinations slightly discordant, but it was clear the maker had poured immense care into it.
"For you, Mommy!" Jack watched her, his eyes wide with a mixture of hope and nervousness. "Tina helped me make it! It's pretty! Put it on, Mommy!"
Elizabeth looked at the clumsy but love-filled bracelet, and her heart melted.
In this life and the last, she had endured so much betrayal, calculation, and coldness. Charles had been willing to push her into an abyss for his own gain, and Henry had conspired with others to have her killed for his ambition.
She had thought her heart was already forged into iron, yet this child, with his pure and simple gestures, warmed it time and time again.
Her hand trembled slightly as she reached out and gently took the bracelet. "It's beautiful," she heard herself say, her voice a little hoarse but filled with genuine warmth. "Anything Jack makes is the best gift in the world."
She slipped the bracelet onto her wrist. It was a little loose, but that did nothing to diminish its brilliance in her eyes. She held up her hand, letting it catch the soft light of the hallway. "See? It looks so lovely."
Jack beamed, his eyes curving into little crescents. He threw himself forward, wrapping his arms around her neck and nuzzling his small head against her cheek in a gesture of pure dependence. "I love you, Mommy!"
Elizabeth hugged his small body back, closing her eyes and burying her face in his soft hair. She gently patted his back, her voice a tender murmur. "You're such a good boy, Jack. Thank you for the gift. Mommy loves it. I really, really love it."
In that moment, her love and her instinct to protect Jack felt sharper and more definite than ever before.
No matter who his father was, no matter what the future held, she would protect this child with everything she had.
As for Jacob…
She opened her eyes, the lingering softness in them replaced by a deeper, more resolute calm.
She had noted his unpredictable moods and his hurtful words. But they would not affect her plans.
Taking Jack's hand, she walked him back to his room, watched him climb into bed, and tucked the covers around him before pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.
"Goodnight, Jack."
"Goodnight, Mommy."