LOGINElaine curled her lips slightly, a faint expression of contemplation crossing her small face."Alright," she said softly.She lowered her head and took a deliberate bite of the meat on her plate. The warmth of the kitchen, the sound of her small chewing, and the quiet atmosphere wrapped around them like a fragile cocoon. Then she looked up at Ellena with surprising seriousness."When school starts, I will be very busy, too."Ellena smiled faintly, her tone gentle yet affectionate. "Yes, my little Ella is also a busy person."Elaine’s eyes sparkled with amusement, and she chuckled softly, her joy infectious. Ellena watched her for a moment, the warmth of motherhood settling quietly in her chest. Yet her own appetite was gone. She barely touched her meal, her attention constantly drifting toward the entrance of her home.But no one came. The door remained still, the hallway silent.She kept glancing up, her thoughts restless, but the minutes slipped by unnoticed. By the time she and Ela
Ellena had no idea what Edward was thinking. His expression remained unreadable, shrouded in gloom, as though he were weighing some invisible burden. The shadows in the underground parking lot seemed to cling to his face, making his hesitation even more tangible.She recalled that Stacy was still at home and that Edward’s presence in her life was still shrouded in secrecy. The reason he had not shown himself openly was clear to her now. He did not want anyone to know where he truly was. His return was deliberate, concealed, calculated.The thought hardened her tone. She lifted her eyes to meet his, steady and controlled, though there was an unspoken edge to her voice. "You know where I live," she said quietly but firmly. "You can come up in half an hour. If you don’t come… it’s on your own."There was finality in her words. Without waiting for his answer, she pressed the button to close the elevator. The metallic hum filled the small space as the doors slid
Ellena’s voice carried a trace of ridicule as it sliced through the suffocating silence. "Am I tired? The way I handle the Arnoult Group has nothing to do with you."Her words, though calmly spoken, dripped with accusation. They were a shield, a blade, and a declaration of her independence all at once. Yet the moment the words fell, Ellena could feel the air around her shift. The atmosphere in the car, already heavy with unspoken history, grew unbearably oppressive. It was as if the walls of the underground parking lot closed in, leaving the two of them no room to breathe.Then, in a tone that was restrained but unmistakably edged with anger, Edward spoke. "Ellena."Her name rolled off his tongue with a weight that made her chest tighten. He wasn’t yelling. He wasn’t pleading. But the tension embedded in those three syllables was louder than any outburst.Ellena’s composure cracked for a brief instant. She took in a deep breath,
"President Smith!"Paul’s voice echoed from behind, carrying a mix of urgency and resignation. Ellena didn’t even glance back. She simply raised her hand in a dismissive wave, her pace brisk and decisive.Paul paused, staring at her retreating figure for a moment. His eyes drifted downward to the documents scattered across the polished floor. The corners of his mouth tugged down in a sigh, half weary, half helpless. Kneeling, he began gathering the papers one by one, each sheet a reminder of how complicated things had become.By then, Ellena had already left the Arnoult Group. The tall, imposing building disappeared in her rearview mirror as she drove away. Her fingers gripped the steering wheel tighter than necessary, and though she told herself to stay composed, her foot pressed heavier on the accelerator. The car glided forward swiftly, almost aggressively, as if speed could drown out the storm brewing inside her.When she finally arrived at the old st
Ellena sat at her desk for a long while, the pen still lying near her hand, its presence pulling her thoughts into a deep spiral. When she finally rose and returned to her room, the heaviness in her chest had not lifted.Sleep did not come easily. Even when she drifted off, her mind was restless, caught between half-formed memories and strange fragments of thought. Her dreams were a jumble, scenes that shifted and changed without warning, flowing into each other like frames in an old, flickering film reel. She saw a boy’s shadow, the glint of a pen, Spencer’s cold eyes, Edward’s distant figure… and then the faces blurred, becoming strangers she couldn’t name.When Ellena woke, it was with the sensation that she had not rested at all. Her body felt heavy, as though she had run a marathon in her sleep. She pressed a hand to her forehead for a moment, collecting herself before swinging her legs over the edge of the bed.The air was still cool as she padded barefoot
Ellena heard Elaine’s words and paused mid-motion, one shoe halfway into the cabinet. She placed the pair neatly inside before gently closing the door. Her mind, however, was still tangled in the earlier events with Spencer.From the kitchen came the faint clink of dishes being put away. The nanny, Stacy, was tidying up after supper, her sleeves rolled slightly, movements efficient yet unhurried. Hearing the commotion at the door, she turned off the faucet, dried her hands on a towel, and placed the cleaned dishes carefully into the bowl cabinet. Then she stepped out, her face bright with welcome.“Miss Smith, you’re back!” Stacy greeted warmly.Ellena gave her a small smile. “Stacy, thank you for taking care of my daughter.” Her tone softened as she said it.The nanny’s name was Stacy, and she had been with them long enough to know the rhythms of the household. By now, Ellena’s earlier tension had been tucked away, her expression returning to its usual c
Madeline originally planned to sit beside Ellena, but after hearing what Ellena said, her expression froze.She maintained a stiff posture and stood there with an extremely ugly expression.Nolan originally stayed behind to watch the show and wanted to know what kind of stupid thing
After Ellena left the hospital, she wandered aimlessly on the streets for a while before she went to fetch Elaine from school.The kindergarten would be on holiday in two days.Ellena drove the car and asked Elaine , "I'll take you out to play when the vacation is over, okay?
Jaydenknew that Madeline was short-sighted and inexperienced. She doted on Naomi too much, but at the same time, she did not care about Ellena.Jaydensaw all these things. As the oldest elder of Smith family, he acted like an outsider and turned a blind eye to these things.
Someone must have passed the evidence pointing at Spencer to Vincent on purpose.As for who would pass the evidence to Vincent,Ellena lowered her eyes and laughed mockingly.Who else could it be other than Edward?Edward was planning to let Vincent deal with Spencer s







