A brief tension clenched Sandra’s hands into fists before she quickly masked her emotions with a sly smirk.
She had deliberately brought Elijah along, eager to flaunt her success.
Sandra wanted to show Elizabeth that she hadn’t just stolen Elizabeth’s man, but was also taking the lead role she craved.
Hastily masking her true feelings, Sandra tugged at Elijah’s sleeve and feigned surprise. “Why, what’s Ms. Campbell doing here?”
Snapping out of his reverie, Elijah responded with cool detachment, “She’s had years of luxury, but this rough patch might be the reality check she badly needs. Maybe she can’t handle it anymore and is considering crawling back to me.”
His awareness of Elizabeth’s situation was always current.
She had been living in a hotel, deliberately leaving all her belongings at their shared home. Her actions seemed more like a petulant retreat for lack of attention than a genuine effort to divorce.
In his view, Elizabeth was so accustomed to a life of indulgence that she likely found it difficult to adjust on her own after their separation.
To him, Elizabeth’s sudden appearance was simply an acknowledgment of her inability to manage, perhaps even a sign of impending remorse.
Considering that Elizabeth had often tracked his whereabouts throughout their marriage, it didn’t surprise him at all that she had found him here.
In the lobby, Elizabeth lingered by the vending machine, eyeing the cans of Coke inside. Initially, she had planned to buy just one, but after some thought, she decided to purchase two.
“Elijah, it really means a lot that you took the time to meet me here,” Sandra said, her voice tinged with both gratitude and unease. “Am I interrupting anything? I know how busy you usually are.”
Just then, the soft cadence of Sandra’s voice floated from behind Elizabeth.
Though gentle, in the stillness of the lobby, her words were unmistakable.
Elizabeth turned just in time to see Elijah, with a tender gesture, smoothing down the fabric of Sandra’s coat as he reassured her warmly, “It’s no problem. My recent business trips kept me away, and I haven’t had much time to be with you. Now that I’m back, I’m focused on making sure you’re okay. Everything else can wait.”
A sudden tremor seized Elizabeth’s hand as she reached to insert her money into the machine—a physical manifestation of her inner turmoil. Was it heartache, or something deeper?
In that moment, she felt completely out of place, like an intruder in their lives.
The scene before her seemed almost absurd.
They were still legally married, their divorce proceedings unresolved, and yet, here he was, openly displaying affection for another woman.
A wave of bitterness clenched around Elizabeth’s heart as she wondered what, if any, place she still held in Elijah’s life.
A surge of frustration overwhelmed Elizabeth, so intense that it almost choked her.
She pressed her lips together tightly, her fingers curling into a fist, her eyes fixed on the vending machine with steely determination.
Pressing the button firmly, she watched as two cans of Coke rattled into the chute. Bending down, she retrieved the first can, and just as her hand reached for the second, a large, imposing hand snatched it away.
Without turning, Elizabeth knew it was Elijah.
She inhaled deeply, steadying herself, and cast him a sharp, icy stare. “Do you need something?” she asked, her voice laced with cold disdain.
Elijah turned the can over in his hands. “Oh, come on. Since you went out of your way to find me here, why pretend it’s just a coincidence? Here you are, pulling sodas from a vending machine, living out of a budget hotel—looks like you’ve embraced a simpler life,” he remarked with mock sympathy as he raised an eyebrow.
Elizabeth returned his gaze with disbelief, her eyes sweeping over him dismissively. “Are you alright?” she asked, her tone thick with incredulity.
From behind, a disapproving voice cut through the tension. “Elijah, how can you speak to her like that? She is still, technically, your wife,” Sandra scolded, her brow furrowed as she stepped closer.
Turning toward Elizabeth, Sandra attempted to sound consoling. “Ms. Campbell, please, don’t take his words too seriously. You know how quickly his temper flares.”
Sandra’s presence, exuding unwelcome superiority, only deepened Elizabeth’s discomfort, making her stomach churn.
