Sham Marriage Quit Real Heiress Strikes Back novel Chapter 82

The only lead he had found was that someone once saw Elena and Alexander together.

And tonight, Alexander would be there. If there was anything going on between them, it would show.

After Elena changed, Nathan drove them to the venue.

On the way, a strange unease settled in her chest. She pulled out her phone.

Elena texted, "Nathan's taking me to some event tonight. I've got a bad feeling about this."

Chloe replied almost instantly, "What is he up to now? That jerk never does anything without a reason. He doesn't know about you and Alexander, does he?"

Elena replied, "I'm not sure."

Up until today, she had been confident Nathan did not know.

She had even worried Alexander might contact her over the past few days.

But he had not reached out at all. It was like he had vanished.

If his name was not still sitting in her contacts, she might have thought she imagined the whole thing.

Chloe replied, "Worst case, you just come clean. You've played along long enough."

Elena put her phone away and leaned back, closing her eyes.

By the time they arrived, she had composed herself. Nathan took her hand and led her inside.

The Grayson family might not be at the very top like the Kingsleys or Hawthornes, but they were still powerful, deeply connected across industries.

Tonight was Arthur Grayson's eightieth birthday.

The venue was packed. Luxury cars filled the lot, and the place buzzed with conversation.

Elena walked in beside Nathan, her hand firmly held in his. Just as they entered, a black Maybach rolled up outside.

Sophia sat in the passenger seat. She looked toward the entrance, then turned to Alexander.

"I think that was Elena just now."

The interior light cast shadows across his face, making his expression hard to read, but the shift in atmosphere was unmistakable.

The air in the car felt colder. Sophia had noticed his mood these past few days.

Now she understood why.

"That guy again," she muttered. "Seriously?"

She reached for the door handle. "I'll have Edmund kick him out."

There was a pointed edge to his tone.

Nathan had not even responded yet when Victoria cut in, her voice laced with sarcasm. "She's alright, I guess. Married this long and still no kids. Always busy with work, who knows what she's even doing all day."

Before Elena could say anything, Charles shot her a sharp look.

Victoria pressed her lips together and fell silent.

Arthur quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "Times are different now. Young women value independence, and that's a good thing. Shows ambition. But she does have a point, Nathan. You've been married a while. Ever thought about having a child?"

Charles looked at Elena expectantly.

Nathan tightened his grip on her hand and smiled gently. "Of course I want kids. I'm just waiting for Elena to say yes."

His tone was soft, almost affectionate.

Around them, guests murmured approvingly, praising him as a considerate husband.

Elena felt her skin crawl.

"So you don't want kids?" Arthur asked kindly.

Elena smiled politely. "I just switched jobs. I'd like to settle in first before thinking about that."