She Was Never Just the Wife novel Chapter 81

Chapter 81 Elliott’s Jealousy

“No,” Celia replied, her voice echoing clearly in the quiet room. Her gaze never left Elliott.

On the other end, Haley paused for a moment, then sped up. “It’s Frederick. He invited me out for dinner tonight and asked me to relay two messages.

“First, he said things have been complicated for him lately, and some things he did or said might have accidentally dragged you into the mess, or brought you unwanted attention. He apologizes and hopes you’re not bothered by it.”

‘Frederick? An apology?‘ Celia thought, and her eyes turned icy for a moment.

That name instantly brought to mind the encrypted message from “X” she’d gotten when she first landed in Kenyelle: “Rose, heads up.

A new force, not from the Beckham or Crawford factions, has been digging into your background lately. Their methods are way more professional than before, and their motives are unclear. Tracking them from our end. Will let you know if anything comes up.”

‘Could this “new force” be Frederick? Is he apologizing because Night Owl had caught him digging and sent him a warning?‘ Celia wondered.

“Second,” Haley continued, sounding a bit confused, “he sent you a gift to celebrate your recent achievements.

“It’s a deluxe limited edition facsimile set about the intersection of modern Eastern and Western natural history and botanical illustration, along with scans of some rare hand–painted illustrations.

“He also said that once you’re back, if it’s convenient, he’d like to visit and discuss a possible collaboration. He didn’t give any specifics, mentioned it’s a preliminary idea that might tie into your future plans.”

Celia’s eyebrows flickered slightly. She thought, ‘A gift? A collaboration? I haven’t checked Night Owl’s latest email yet. Could there already be a clue? But now isn’t the time to look into it.‘

“Got it,” Celia said into the phone, her voice calm. “Just hang onto the gift for now. We‘ Il talk about the rest when I’m back.” She was ready to end the call.

“Alright, is everything okay over there?” Haley sounded like she wanted to remind Celia of something else.

“I’ve got something to deal with here. I’ll call you later,” Celia said, ending the call

Successfully unlocked!

decisively and setting the satellite phone back on the table. Her gaze barely strayed from Elliott the entire time.

Chapter 81 Elliott’s Jealousy

The room went quiet again, but you could feel the vibe had changed after that call.

Elliott stood there, catching every bit: Celia’s “we’ll talk when I’m back,” plus the apology, the gift, and the so–called collaboration.

Frederick, that guy who was famous in the legal world for being sharp, cautious, and impossible to read. No big family behind him, but he had made it on his own, seriously talented.

Elliott had a brief showdown with him during a merger once, and he still remembered how slick and smart Frederick was.

‘Now, this guy is making a point of reaching out to Celia through Haley, apologizing, sending gifts, and talking about some collaboration? What’s he really after?‘ Elliott thought.

An unfamiliar, uncontrollable emotion burst unexpectedly inside Elliott, its tang quietly spreading through him.

He could almost picture Frederick’s smooth, gentle way of coaxing people. ‘A gift? And not any gift, but one tailored to her interests, botanical illustrations. What’s his angle?‘ Elliott thought.

Elliott’s expression stayed composed, but his jaw was set a little tighter, and

something turbulent flickered deep in his eyes.-

He heard himself speak in a tone he barely recognized, edged with something strange. “Frederick? Prudence’s lawyer? He’s really got it all planned out. Apologies, gifts, collaboration pitches, one after another. Typical deals guy, always setting the stage perfectly.”

Celia was still focused on the possibility that Frederick might be secretly investigating her, but when she sensed something off in Elliott’s tone, she paused and looked up at

him.

He stood at the edge of the light, his face unreadable, but in those deep eyes, there was a flicker of icy shards. And in his words, there was a hint of jealousy she couldn’t quite understand.

She couldn’t figure out where that emotion was coming from, but that odd, almost mocking tone left her strangely unsettled. She frowned, decided to drop it, and went straight to the point.

She said, “Mr. Perry, you came here late at night. You said you had something urgent and important. What is it?”

Her bluntness and hint of impatience jabbed at Elliott like a tiny needle.

He took a deep breath, tamping down that strange irritation, and set the heavy manila envelope down on the desk between them with a sharp thud, not too hard, but

Chapter 81 Elliott’s Jealousy

definitely not gentle.

“I came to give you this,” Elliott said, his voice back to its usual low register, though if you listened closely, there was still a trace of tension. “It’s the initial report on your ex- husband, Beckham, being drugged.

“And more than one person is working behind the scenes, trying to pin it all on you.” Celia’s gaze zeroed in on the envelope, her eyes sharpening instantly. She reached out, took it, and could feel how thick the stack of papers inside was.

She didn’t open it right away, but looked up at Elliott. “Why are you investigating this?”

Her question was blunt, her eyes sizing him up.

Elliott locked eyes with her. The line he’d rehearsed, something possessive and classic alpha, like “You’re mine, so of course I have to protect you“, hovered on the tip of his

tongue.

But facing her clear, steady gaze, with not a trace of dependence or softness, he couldn’t bring himself to say it. He switched gears, but his voice still carried that unspoken sense of ownership and a bit of childish sulking he didn’t notice.

“Just couldn’t stand it. You…” He paused, Frederick’s gift and collaboration offer flashing through his mind, and that surge of jealousy bubbled up again.

His words came out sharper than he meant. “Even if you don’t care about people smearing your name, you need to remember you’re not anyone anymore.

“There are eyes everywhere. Don’t go accepting gifts from anyone, or jumping at every partnership.”

It sounded like a warning, but with that tone and those words, plus the chill in his eyes, it was impossible to miss the weird hint of jealousy and how controlling he was being.

Celia finally understood what was going on. She looked at Elliott, and for a split second, the whole thing struck her as both absurd and a little amusing.

She gave the envelope a small shake, her voice steady and detached, almost clinical, like she was stating facts. “Mr. Perry, first, thanks for the report. I’ll read it.”

“Second,” she paused, her gaze sharp and direct on him, “I handle my own affairs. Who‘ s watching, what gifts I accept, and who I choose to work with. That’s my business and my decision. You really don’t need to concern yourself.”

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