Chapter 6 Go to Work
Elodie's POV
My heart felt like something had given it a light squeeze, stirring up a sour, uncomfortable feeling.
Isabella went into Mr. Nelson's bedroom, and half an hour later, she walked out with her clothes disheveled. I guessed she went to the bed to take some provocative photos.
I was left alone in the living room with that huge floor-to-ceiling window I'd only half-cleaned. Outside was New York's bustling nightscape, the brilliant lights reflecting on my face, but they couldn't brighten the confusion in my eyes.
I let out a self-mocking laugh. Elodie, what are you still hoping for? Whether it was Lorenzo five years ago or Mr. Nelson now, when he wants to leave you, he won't even say goodbye.
After that night, Isabella never appeared again.
My life returned to that caged-in calm from before. Every day, apart from classes, I just stayed in this empty, cold apartment.
Things at school had changed completely too.
I was no longer orbiting around Alex like a satellite. I started going places alone - to class, to my coffee shop job, then spending time at the ice hockey rink. Life was simple to the point of boring, but it made me feel more relaxed than ever.
My change naturally caused quite a stir.
At first, everyone thought I was just throwing a tantrum, waiting to see when I'd break down and beg Alex for forgiveness.
Alex obviously thought so too.
He cornered me in the hallway several times, wearing that arrogant look he was so proud of.
"Elodie, had enough of this act yet?" He crossed his arms, looking down at me. "Don't think that—"
I didn't even bother giving him a glance, just walked right past him.
This complete dismissal seemed to piss him off more than any argument could.
After being ignored a few times, Alex's face got darker and darker.
He probably never imagined that the female simp who used to hang on his every word, who came running whenever he called, would one day actually treat him like he was invisible.
That afternoon, after the last class ended, I packed up my things to leave like usual.
The moment I walked out of the building, I sensed a persistent gaze following me from behind.
I didn't need to turn around to know it was Alex.
I picked up my pace, not wanting to deal with him, but he kept following me relentlessly, keeping a certain distance, that annoying stare burning into my back.
What did he want? Was he planning to pull the same old trick, humiliating me in public to feed his pathetic ego?
I walked to a quiet corner near the school gate, stopped, and turned to look at him coldly. "What exactly do you want?"
Alex didn't expect me to suddenly stop. He froze for a moment, then a mocking smile appeared on his face. "Done with the act? I thought you'd actually grown wings and could fly away. What happened? Ready to come crawling back to me now?"
"Alex," I looked at him calmly, saying each word clearly, "it's over between us. Stop bothering me, please."
"Over?" He scoffed. "Elodie, I'm the one who decides when it's over. Don't forget you were the one who shamelessly chased after me. Now you want to just quit? What do you think I am?"
His logic was ridiculous and laughable. I didn't want to waste any more words on him and turned to leave.
Just then, a black Bentley silently pulled up to the curb in front of me.
The window slowly rolled down, revealing the driver's expressionless face - one of those two men in black I'd seen before.
I jumped, instinctively stepping back.
"Miss Elodie, our boss sent me to pick you up."
Alex's shouting stopped abruptly.
He stared in shock at this expensive luxury car, then at the respectful driver. His expression went through a whole range - from disbelief to suspicion, finally settling on offended anger.
In his mind, I was just a poor student working multiple jobs to pay tuition. How could I possibly be connected to a car like this?
I ignored his probing look, opened the car door, and got in.
The car smoothly drove away. In the rearview mirror, I saw Alex still standing there in a daze, staring hard at the direction the car had gone, his handsome face full of darkness.
The atmosphere in the car was a bit heavy. I couldn't help asking the driver, "Why... why did he send you to pick me up?"
"Boss's orders." The driver said briefly.
My heart sank a little. Was it because he didn't trust me, or... did he have some new "rules" to set?
Back at the apartment, the first thing I did was tell Nelson I wanted to keep working at the coffee shop.
Right now I was inexplicably confined by him. Even if I wanted to figure out his true identity, this wasn't the way to do it.
He was sitting behind his study desk at the time, holding a document between his fingers.
When he heard what I said, he looked up at me.
I stood stubbornly in front of him. "Look, I still need to go work at the coffee shop."
He finally raised his eyes, those deep blue ones examining me. After a long moment, he said, "Suit yourself."
As if my insistence was a joke to him.