His Last Command Came Back to Kill Him novel Chapter 53

Clive’s rejection was casual, almost dismissive, but it instantly sucked all the air out of the room.

Yelena’s smile froze. Her hands, resting at her sides, clenched into tight fists. She stared at him, looking as though she couldn't believe what she had just heard.

Whitley was just as shocked.

He actually said no?

Wasn't he supposed to be completely devoted to her? Hadn't they been carrying on an intensely intimate affair? Yet here, in front of all the elders, he didn't hesitate to shoot her down.

Whitley looked up at the man standing next to her. His expression remained mild and composed, as though declining the offer was the most trivial thing in the world.

But she was the only one who noticed that the arm he still had wrapped around her waist had tightened ever so slightly.

Standing near the stage, Yelena’s fingers curled inward. "That's fine," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I can just play by myself. I forgot your position... it wouldn't be appropriate to make a big spectacle."

Whitley supposed that was true. Given Clive’s professional standing, putting on a public performance wasn't exactly fitting. Turning her down didn't necessarily mean anything.

Without waiting for him to reply, Yelena lifted the hem of her dress and gracefully walked up to the small stage.

Clive sat back down on the main sofa, his fingers tapping rhythmically against his knee. His dark eyes rested calmly on Yelena, betraying no emotion whatsoever.

Whitley couldn't care less about this ridiculous soap opera. She sat beside him, leaning back lazily, her long legs crossed. She kept her eyes glued to her phone, occasionally scrolling, looking completely detached from everything happening around her.

Guests turned their heads, their curious and amused gazes bouncing between Clive, Whitley, and Yelena.

Whitley kept her eyes on her phone. Her scrolling finger paused, but she didn't look up. She maintained her look of total indifference, as though the man hadn't been talking to her at all.

She was his wife, but barely anyone knew that. Clive had never gone out of his way to introduce her to people, repeatedly leaving her in these incredibly humiliating situations.

Yelena’s face, on the other hand, turned deathly pale. Her heart seized, and a bitter wave of jealousy rushed up to her eyes, burning her vision. She dug her nails into her palms to keep the tears from falling. She knew she had no legal standing, but being in this environment and hearing someone openly ask about his wife sparked a desperate, greedy hope inside her.

A faint, polite smile touched Clive's lips. He looked friendly but entirely unapproachable.