Chapter 42 I Will Solve It

Chapter 42 I Will Solve It

Elodie's POV

The rage radiating from Nelson was almost palpable. He stared at Ethan's hand gripping my wrist, his eyes so dark and deadly I thought he might kill him on the spot. "You're asking for it." His arm around my waist suddenly tightened, almost crushing me.

An unprecedented panic seized me.

I was afraid he would kill someone right here, right in front of me, again.

"Nelson," I grabbed his arm forcefully with my other hand and looked up at him, "let me talk to him, okay? I'll handle this myself."

He lowered his eyes. A storm raged in those deep blue eyes, churning with confusion, anger, and a trace of hurt that I'd overlooked. He seemed unable to understand why, at a time like this, I hadn't chosen to rely on him completely.

"I don't want to hide behind you anymore."

The air froze for a few seconds. The storm in his eyes was eventually forced down.

He let go of me, but still stood behind me like a beast ready to pounce, his gaze locked on Ethan like a blade.

I took a deep breath and pulled my hand free from Ethan's grip.

Ethan maintained his refined and cultured demeanor. "Elodie, I know this is hard for you to accept right now, but this was your father's dying wish, and it's the best protection for you."

"Setting me up from the start, deceiving me—is that also a form of protection?"

"That was just to get close to you, a necessary measure. Rather than that, shouldn't you be more concerned about the situation of the gentleman beside you?"

His words shifted too quickly. I couldn't react in time.

"You think he can just walk away from killing William? The Campbells have deep ties to the Council of Elders, plus Mr. Carlo's backing them. All the evidence from the hotel explosion points straight to Nelson. The Council already wants his head. What do you think happens when they find out he's now made enemies of the Randalls—all because of you?"

My blood turned cold inch by inch.

"Elodie, you're a smart girl." Ethan looked at my pale face, his smile deepening. "If you stay by his side, you'll only become a target for all his enemies to attack, his most fatal weakness. You love him—do you really want to watch him get dragged into an abyss of no return because of you?"

Weakness.

Abyss of no return.

These two phrases were like sharp knives stabbing into my heart, the pain almost suffocating.

I'd always thought I'd become braver, daring to resist, daring to face things.

But only now did I realize, in the most brutal way, that my very existence was his greatest burden.

I wasn't his armor—I was his only vulnerability.

"And I can help you solve all of this. As long as you come with me, I can calm the Randall family's anger, and I can even use my mother's connections to work things out for him with the Council of Elders. Mr. Nelson's crisis can be easily resolved with just one choice from you."

I looked at him, at this handsome yet unfamiliar face, my heart ice-cold.

He had calculated everything clearly, backing me into a corner with no way out.

"I won't go with you." I heard my own voice.

"That's fine, I'm very patient. Elodie, think carefully about my proposal—for his sake, and for your own."

With that, he turned and calmly disappeared into the shadows of the parking garage, as if he'd never been there.

I stood there alone, the night wind chilling me to the bone.

Every word Ethan said circled in my mind like a curse.

Was I really his burden? Would staying by his side only hurt him?

"What did he say to you?" Nelson's voice came from behind, pulling me back from my chaotic thoughts.

I spun around abruptly, crashing into those blue eyes full of concern.

I couldn't tell him what Ethan had said—couldn't let him see me as trouble.

I forced out a smile that looked worse than crying and shook my head. "Nothing, just some nonsense about the engagement. I already rejected him."

He looked at me deeply, as if trying to read something on my face, but in the end he just raised his hand, gently stroking my cheek with his thumb before pulling me into his arms. "Don't be afraid. I'm here."

That simple sentence made my eyes instantly well up.

We didn't return to the banquet hall. Nelson took me through a secret passage directly back to the penthouse suite.

As soon as we entered, I saw Vivian standing in the center of the living room, holding a glass of red wine, as if she'd been waiting for a while.

Nelson's expression instantly darkened. Without even glancing at her, he pulled me toward the bedroom.

"Nelson." Vivian called out to stop him. "Just one drink. After this drink, I promise, from now on, there'll be nothing between us. I'll disappear from your world immediately."

Nelson didn't stop walking. "Not interested."

"What are you afraid of?" Vivian suddenly laughed. "Afraid I poisoned it? Or afraid she'll misunderstand?"

Her words successfully made Nelson stop.

I looked at Vivian's pale and stubborn face, that thorn in my heart still not completely removed.

Before Nelson could speak, I suddenly pulled my hand free, walked up to Vivian, looked straight into her eyes, and said coldly, "That photo—was it you?"

"So what if it was? You already know it's fake, don't you?"

Getting her personal admission, the last bit of tension in my heart dissipated.

I turned to look at Nelson and nodded at him gently.

Only then did Nelson step forward, take the wine glass from Vivian's hand, and without even lifting an eyelid, tilt his head back and drain it in one gulp. He set the empty glass heavily on the table with a crisp sound.

Then he looked at Vivian and spoke the last word he would ever say to her since knowing her.

"Get lost."

Vivian's body stiffened for a moment. Then, as if she hadn't heard that cold dismissal, she turned her gaze to me instead.

She picked up another glass of wine that had been poured at some point, walked up to me, and actually pulled her face into a stiff smile.

"Elodie. I was wrong before. I shouldn't have used such underhanded methods. I apologize to you."

She held out the wine glass. Her eyes, usually burning with jealousy and spite, were now eerily vacant—like stagnant water.

I looked at the clear liquid in the glass, alarm bells ringing in my mind.

This didn't feel like an apology. It was very strange.

"She has no right to talk to you." Nelson impatiently tried to pull me away.

But I shook my head and took the glass.

I didn't want to let him be bothered by these pointless entanglements anymore.

In front of her, I raised the glass, touched the liquid to my lips, then set the glass down.

"I accept your apology, and please remember the promise you just made."

With that, I stopped looking at her, turned and took Nelson's arm. "Let's go."

Nelson looked at me deeply, said nothing more, and left that suffocating suite with his arm around me.