Elizabeth didn’t hesitate as she told Camille, “Of course, I want a divorce. But not just yet. I need to deal with the whole Sandra situation first—at the very least, I have to ensure my safety going forward. Besides, the divorce might give me some leverage when I negotiate with her.”
Camille immediately replied with a thumbs-up emoji. “Sweetie, ever since you got over that lovestruck phase, you’ve become smarter.”
With a smirk, Elizabeth closed the chat window. She spent the next hour organizing the part of the script she had been working on that week and sent it off to the production company.
The company responded promptly, “You can hold on for now. Our sponsor has concerns about the upcoming parts of the script. We’ll get back to you.”
Elizabeth didn’t overthink it. The company had always been generous and flexible, so she figured it was a temporary delay.
Logging out of her email, she stretched and decided to head downstairs for a snack.
In the living room, Elijah sat on the sofa, his expression unreadable. Oliver stood before him, several bags on the table nearby.
When Oliver spotted Elizabeth, he immediately perked up, pulling a glass container from one of the bags. “Mrs. Norris, Mr. Norris asked me to bring this fish maw soup from the Norris Mansion. It was freshly prepared and still warm. Please try some.”
Elizabeth accepted the container and took a few bites. Just as she finished, her phone buzzed. It was a call from Melany.
“Elizabeth, did you get the fish maw soup?” Melany’s affectionate tone came through the line.
Elizabeth smiled, dabbing at the corners of her mouth. “Yes, I just finished it. It was delicious.”
Melany’s voice took on a scolding edge. “It’s good that you enjoyed the soup, but don’t overdo it. Too many tonics can be harmful. Eating too much fish maw can lead to uterine fibroids.”
“Don’t worry, Melany. I didn’t eat much. The ones you asked me to bring back last time—I didn’t even take a bite.” Elizabeth glanced at Elijah, her tone light but pointed. “He fed them to a dog.”
Without missing a beat, she turned on the speakerphone, ensuring Elijah could hear. Melany’s voice sharpened. “What nonsense! Even dogs shouldn’t eat too much! Their lives are precious too.”
Elijah’s face darkened, realizing the jab was directed at Sandra. He hesitated before responding awkwardly, “Got it, Grandma.”
Melany paused, confused. “Wait, when did Bayview Villa get a dog?”
Elizabeth’s tone was casual, almost playful. “Oh, it’s a stray Elijah found. Maybe he’ll bring it home someday.”
Melany bought Elizabeth’s story without further questions and hung up after offering a few more words of advice.
After the call ended, the room fell silent. Elijah’s gaze was fixed on Elizabeth, cold and inscrutable.
Elizabeth, however, was unfazed. She met his gaze with calm defiance and said, “I’m a little hungry right now. If you want to scold me or argue, can we do it after I eat?”
Elijah didn’t take the bait. Instead, his tone softened, though his words stung. “Sandra didn’t have a great family growing up. She might have some flaws and act out sometimes, but she has a good heart. She would never hurt anyone.”
The bitterness hit Elizabeth like a wave.
So, he wasn’t blind to Sandra’s behavior—he simply chose to overlook it, allowing Elizabeth to bear the brunt of the consequences.
Did he ever stop to think about her own struggles? Her upbringing hadn’t been perfect either—a cold-hearted, greedy father, a life devoid of genuine affection—yet she had chosen to rise above it. Family circumstances might shape someone, but they didn’t define their character.
Elijah’s words were pushing on her frayed nerves again.
Suppressing her anger, Elizabeth retorted sharply, “What kind of ridiculous logic is that? What do you mean by having a bad temperament but a good heart? A person’s heart defines them—how do you separate the two? If my hand killed someone, would you say it’s not my fault, and that just my hand should go to jail?”
The room fell into an awkward silence. Elijah’s face twitched, as if he wanted to argue but couldn’t find the words. Eventually, he sighed and changed the subject. “Willow made your favorite dishes,” he said softly.
