Ellison And Joycelyn A Love Beyond The Rules novel Chapter 44

It had been a long time since they’d all been together, so the atmosphere of the dinner was relaxed. 

When Ellison got home. William brought the gifts from his friends down to the living room 

Joycelyn, just coming down the stairs with a glass of water, saw Ellison, who was a little tipsy. His usually stern face had a faint blush. 

He sank into the sofa, leaning back and closing his eyes to rest. 

“Mr. Grant, are you drunk?” Joycelyn asked, walking over with a glass of warm water. 

William, having placed all the gifts down, stood up and replied, “Mr. Grant had a few drinks with friends today. He might be a little tipsy. Thank you for taking care of him, Mrs. Grant.” 

“Oh, no problem. Do you want me to help him upstairs to rest?” Joycelyn asked. 

It was almost nine o’clock, and Ellison’s body clock was usually set for a 9:30 bedtime. 

“I’m not drunk,” Ellison opened his eyes, his deep gaze meeting hers 

His voice, husky from the alcohol, was low and magnetic, a stark contrast to his usual authoritative tone, now laced with a lazy, carefree edge. It was hard to tell if he was truly drunk. 

William didn’t want to intrude further, so he left after giving them a few simple reminders. 

Joycelyn stood beside Ellison, holding the water cup, looking at his handsome face. She sat down next to him and handed him the water, saying, “Drink some water. Would you like me to make you some hangover soup?” 

“No need,” Ellison took her soft, small hand into his, his voice low and dark as he said, “Joycelyn.” 

“Mmm,” Joycelyn replied softly, feeling his warm hand envelop hers. The heat from his hand made her feel a bit flustered, and she could feel sweat starting to form in her palm from the warmth. 

“You’re concerned about me?” Ellison’s gaze was intense as he looked at her. 

His eyes deepened with meaning, and even just locking eyes with him for a moment made her heart skip a beat. 

Joycelyn’s eyelashes fluttered, and she nodded. ‘Mm, drinking isn’t good for your health.” 

“That sounds so dismissive,” Ellison released her hand and closed his eyes again. 

He lay there silently, making Joycelyn unsure of what to do next. 

“Why dismissive?” she asked. 

“My grandmother always said that eyes don’t lie. True concern is gentle, Ellison’s voice was deep and rich, and it sent a strange tightness to Joycelyn’s chest. 

Joycelyn didn’t know how to respond and stayed silent. 

After a pause, Ellison spoke again, “You’re just going through the motions.” 

Joycelyn froze, her clear eyes filled with confusion. 

He must have really been drunk if he was suddenly so melancholic. 

2/3 

51% 

Chapter 45 

“Um, are all these gifts from your friends?” she quickly changed the subject. 

The gifts were obviously well–packaged and expensive. There were bottles of wine and golf clubs, clearly all quite pricey. 

The first gift bag caught her eye–it was from Rolex, and it looked familiar. 

It resembled the limited edition watch she’d seen today at the store, the one that the rich girl had bought. 

Ellison gave a nonchalant “Mm–hmm” in response. 

“Can I see it?” Joycelyn couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity. 

“Go ahead,” Ellison said casually. 

Joycelyn put her water down and picked up the Rolex box. She opened it, and as expected, it was the same watch from earlier, the store’s signature item. 

She froze for a moment, but didn’t say anything. She closed the box again. 

That watch, worth over a million dollars, was far beyond the price of the one she had bought for herself. 

After lying down for a while, Ellison sat up and said, “Tomorrow night, we’re going to Grandma’s for dinner.” 

“Okay,” Joycelyn replied obediently. 

The two of them exchanged a few words, their conversation feeling rather dull. 

Perhaps because of the alcohol, Ellison’s frustration seemed to be replaced by a slight restlessness. 

“Have you taken a shower yet? Ellison asked. 

“Yeah,” Joycelyn nodded, turning to look at him. 

But before she could turn to see him. Ellison leaned toward her, his lips softening as they met hers. 

The scent of alcohol mixed with his fresh, unique fragrance enveloped her, and Joycelyn’s entire body tensed. Ellison kissed her deeply, his hands roaming as if guided by instinct, quickly undressing her. 

The mood shifted quickly. When their skin finally touched the air, Joycelyn, breathless, managed to pull away: 

“…. I’m on my period, she said, her voice halting 

The words hit Ellison like a cold shower, instantly cooling the heat that had built up inside him. 

and stop 

him. 

Ө 

AD 

As expected, the interests of straight men are exactly as the internet describes. 

Joycelyn was about to place the order but was unsure how to fill in the delivery address. On top of that, buying such intimate clothing made her nervous about it being discovered. 

She felt utterly embarrassed. 

Joycelyn lay on the bed, rolling around with her phone, building up the courage. After a while, her face flushed red, and with a deep breath, she squeezed her eyes shut and clicked “send.” 

She needed a safe delivery address. 

When Ellison came out of the shower, he saw the message and sent her an address. 

Joycelyn, her hands trembling, copied it and finalized the order. 

In one swift motion, she hid the phone under the blanket. 

As soon as she set it down, two notification sounds pinged.