Chapter 83
Her humiliating little secret had been laid bare in front of him once again. No matter how Elissa listened to it, that sentence dripped with mockery.
She shot back without thinking, her words sharp as knives. “Who said I’m living apart from him? Mr. Murphy, you’re single, so I’m sure you wouldn’t understand p>
“Sometimes, a change of scenery is just what a marriage needs–keeps things interesting p>
“Oh, really p>
Rowan glanced at her bristling defensiveness, lips curling into an icy half–smile. His voice was as cold as ever. “Does every couple spice up their marriage by bringing a best friend along p>
The alcohol still clouded Elissa’s mind. She was a beat too slow to catch on. “What? ”
“Tanya Foster just called,” Rowan answered smoothly, as if he was used to cleaning up her confusion. “She wanted to know why you hadn’t come home yet p>
Elissa pressed her palms together, realizing there was no point pretending anymore.
She dropped the act. “Fine. We’re separated p>
“ My marriage is exactly what the rumors say it is–a complete disaster p>
what I
She stared at him, her eyes rimmed red from the alcohol “This is got for ignoring your warnings all those years ago. Are you happy now p>
With that, she snatched up her purse and practically fled the room.
Three years ago, she’d made up her mind to marry Frank.
For nearly four years before that, the man who now stood before her
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Chapter 83
hadn’t said a single word to her in private. Then, out of the blue, he’d shown up, dragged her into his car, and with a stone–cold face said, “I don’t approve of you marrying Frank p>
Back then, Elissa had been even angrier with him than she was now.
Even a dog would have grown attached after nine years.
But not him. Not even a little.
Elissa remembered it vividly: one sweltering summer day, the temperature soaring above a hundred degrees, she’d knelt outside until she nearly passed out. The man, who had already taken over the vast Murphy Group, walked past her without a flicker of emotion.
He just turned to a maid and said, “Has she upset Matriarch Paige Murphy again? Keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn’t die p>
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Then he walked away without looking back.
After that, the next time he appeared in her life, it was only to interfere in her marriage.
There was no way Elissa would take that lying down. She wouldn’t listen to a single word. Before either of them could say much, the air between them had already grown tense enough to snap.
In the end, she’d jumped out of the car to escape.
Their relationship hadn’t just failed to improve; the rift between them had only grown deeper.
People whispered behind her back, saying Elissa didn’t know how to appreciate kindness.
But Elissa couldn’t afford to gamble. She refused to be someone’s stray, abandoned on a whim,
Rowan didn’t look away until her silhouette disappeared around the
corner.
He could still feel the softness of her skin lingering on his fingertips.
Chapter 83
The air inside the car grew heavier.
lan let out a sigh. “Sir, you know Miss Elissa never responds well to force. If you’d just talk to her, she’d have forgiven you ages ago p>
“I owe her p>
Rowan slipped the old wooden rosary off his wrist, fixing lan with a gaze. through the rearview mirror that was sharp as shattered glass. “You think I should humble myself for her forgiveness p>
“…No, sir. You don’t owe her p>
But I do, lan thought, biting his tongue. Why did I have to open my big mouth?
He knew his boss too well. Even if Rowan were dug up from his grave five hundred years from now, he’d still be stubborn as hell.
Actually, scratch that.
By then, he’d be hard in every way–the bones would probably rattle when you knocked on them.
The moment Elissa opened her front door, Tanya Foster shot out from behind her desk, sliding dramatically across the floor on her knees.
She truly hadn’t expected Rowan to answer the phone p>
If she’d known, she would never have blurted out so much.
Chapter 84