Chapter 74 Swipe It Like He Said
Elizabeth didn't miss the flicker in Calista's eyes — that brief, involuntary flash of uncertainty.
It was enough to make her push harder.
"Let me guess," Elizabeth said, her tone deceptively casual, "that photograph came from Elijah, didn't it?"
Calista didn't answer. Instead, she deflected. "It doesn't matter how I got it. What matters is… have you thought it over?"
Elizabeth paused, then curved her lips into a faint smile. "Answer my question first."
"I don't know who sent it," Calista replied coldly, her voice tightening. "And I've forgotten which year it arrived."
Elizabeth lowered her gaze, as if considering. "Give me two days."
Calista's expression softened with cautious relief. She thought she saw a crack in Elizabeth's armor. "Thirty billion will be more than enough for you to live comfortably. You have my word — the photo won't leave my hands."
"You should go. I have work to do." Elizabeth's tone was cool, clipped.
Satisfied she'd gotten what she came for, Calista rose, lifted her bag, and walked out, leaving the photograph on the table.
The conference room fell silent.
Elizabeth stood alone, the quiet pressing in around her. Then, unexpectedly, she laughed — a low, amused sound.
She had another theory about the photo's origins, but in truth, it didn't matter.
To think Calista believed she could threaten her with a single picture? Absurd.
What did other people's stares matter to her? What did whispered gossip amount to?
Elizabeth folded the photo neatly, slid it into her hand, and strode out of the room without a backward glance.
Calista sank into the driver's seat of her car and exhaled, relief loosening her shoulders. The Howard family's crisis was, in her mind, as good as solved.
She believed Elizabeth would choose whatever option served her own interests best — and that option, in this case, was cooperation.
She called Bruce first, her voice carrying a note of triumph. "Elizabeth agreed to give the Howard family seventy billion."
"Calista, you always find a way," Bruce said, his tone easing after weeks of fruitless pleading. "How did you get her to say yes?"
"No matter what's happened," Calista said softly, "I'm still the one who gave birth to her."
"You're right," Bruce agreed after a pause.
Calista's thoughts shifted. "Natalia cannot marry Mr. Smith."
Bruce hesitated, then relented. "Once Elizabeth transfers the money, I'll apologize to Mr. Smith myself. When will she send it?"
"Within three days."
They hung up.
As the car rolled through the city, Calista's mind drifted back to the photograph. Elizabeth was sharp — sharp enough to guess its origin almost immediately.
Calista remembered exactly when she'd received it: Elizabeth had been ten years old. But she would never tell her that.
Back then, Calista's only thought was to keep the Howard family from knowing something so humiliating.
She'd kept it hidden, never considering bringing Elizabeth into the family, and she certainly hadn't gone to the police.
Elijah had called her once, threatening that if she didn't pay him, he'd hurt Elizabeth.
Calista hadn't paid. She'd ignored him. And then the photograph had arrived.
She'd been married into the Howard family for only two years at the time, struggling to find her footing. She told herself it wasn't her fault.
Her fingers tightened around the leather strap of her handbag. Enough about Elizabeth.
When Calista stepped through the Howard family's front door, Natalia came running.
"Mom, you've worked so hard."
Natalia, ever attentive, took the bag from her hands.
"Don't worry. Elizabeth agreed."
Relief washed over Natalia. "Thank you, Mom."
At the end of her workday, Elizabeth shut down her computer and clocked out precisely on time.
Yosef had been trying to reach her, first through the office line — no answer — then on her personal phone.
"Off already?" he said when she picked up. "I need a favor. Mina's going shopping. Can you go with her and handle the payments?"
Elizabeth's first instinct was to refuse. But she wasn't in the best mood today, and maybe buying something would help.
"Fine. Send me the address."
Mina recognized Elizabeth the moment she saw her — the same woman who'd accompanied Yosef to the school that day.
"Where's Mr. Sutter?" Mina asked, glancing behind Elizabeth with a frown.
"He's tied up at the office," Elizabeth said with a polite smile. "Ms. Clark, I'm here to accompany you."
They weren't close, and Mina's expression was cool at first. But every time she picked something out, Elizabeth stepped forward to pay without hesitation. Mina's mood brightened.
Sherry hadn't expected to run into Elizabeth.
"Ms. Penrose, I want this dress. Go ahead and pay for it."
While Elizabeth handled the transaction, Mina stood before the mirror, admiring the dress.
Sherry smiled at her. "It's beautiful."
"Thank you," Mina replied, turning to see a woman in sunglasses she thought she recognized. "Do you know Elizabeth?"
"You know Ms. Penrose?" Sherry's tone was light. "We're not friends. She's my boyfriend's secretary."
Something flickered in Sherry's eyes. Elizabeth, reduced to running errands for Yosef's girlfriend — how far she'd fallen.
Elizabeth returned from the register, glanced at Sherry, and chose not to acknowledge her. "Ms. Clark, anything else?"
Mina hesitated. She wanted more, but she knew spending too much might make Yosef reconsider their future. "No, this is enough for today."
Sherry selected a dress of her own, then turned to Elizabeth. "It's been a while. I didn't expect your job to… look like this."
Elizabeth caught the edge of mockery in her voice and smiled. "Miss Scott, your performance of "Fly High" was lovely. It's a shame you didn't win the newcomer award."
Sherry's jaw tightened. She handed the dress to the sales associate. "Send all the new season's pieces in my size to Imperial Garden."
Mina's eyes widened. "Miss Scott, you look even better in person than on TV."
"Thank you."
"Elizabeth, I never thanked you for the doll you sent Sloane," Sherry said sweetly. "I'll buy you a few outfits now. Armando's card is with me — spend as much as you like."
Elizabeth's smile didn't waver. "No need. I have plenty already."
Sherry scoffed inwardly. Plenty? More like she'd been buying for Mina all day. With the Howard family's supermarket on the brink of collapse, Elizabeth's finances wouldn't last.
The store manager approached, holding a bill. "Ms. Penrose, sorry for the wait."
"Thank you." Elizabeth accepted it.
Mina leaned over to peek, counting the zeros. "Three million dollars… you really do have money."
Elizabeth's smile was dazzling. "My boyfriend's card is with me. He told me to use it freely."
"Your boyfriend is amazing!" Mina said, half envious, half jealous.
Sherry's thoughts darkened immediately, her mind jumping to Timothy. The comparison stung.
Elizabeth handed the bill to Sherry. "Miss Scott, really — don't buy me clothes. I've already bought more than I can wear."
Sherry's voice was tight. "Fine. I have somewhere to be."
A warm lamp lit the living room.
Timothy sat on the sofa, legs crossed, phone resting on his lap.
Elizabeth stirred from a light sleep, eyes half-closed, raising a hand to shield them from the light. She rolled over, and the jacket covering her slipped to the floor.
Lowering her hand, she spotted Timothy. "What time is it?"
She'd come home after shopping with Mina, intending to rest for a moment, but had drifted off.
Stretching, she sat up, the hem of her top lifting to reveal a strip of skin at her waist.
"Ten o'clock."
Timothy rose, picked up the jacket, and set it back on the sofa. "Did you enjoy your shopping?"
He'd already seen the alert earlier — several million charged to his card while he was still in a meeting.
Without warning, Timothy pulled her into his arms, settling her on his lap.