All Chapters of Song of the Quiet Flame: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Elaine inhaled the chilly air deeply, fighting to keep her calm. She stayed silent, not a peep escaping her lips.She was worried Jasper might catch on to her unease and glance her way.However, she thought Jasper probably did not care about her personal life or whether she had someone special waiting for her outside.Elaine had wanted to pretend she had not noticed anything.Yet, she could not ignore it. The fear of her secret being exposed was too real.She bowed, her fingers tapping a message at a snail's pace.[Elaine: Time for bed.][Stephen: Mm, come over to sleep.]Elaine wondered if Stephen had any clue what he was suggesting, biting back her frustration.[Elaine: Jasper's here too.]Stephen, fresh from a shower and clad only in a bathrobe in the room next door, chuckled at her message. He shot back a casual reply.[Stephen: Right beside you?]Elaine felt exposed, as if he could read her mind.As she stewed in her irritation, not wanting to respond, Jasper, who had

Elaine did not want to consider anything.There was no such thing as a free lunch, and she could not help but wonder what Stephen would want in return.Clutching her phone, she retreated to the guest room.As expected, Jasper was still awake, his silhouette engulfed by the couch, the dim light obscuring his expression.Was he pleased or furious? It was impossible to tell.Elaine pulled her coat around her and asked with feigned nonchalance, "Why aren't you asleep?"Jasper's gaze pierced through the darkness, deep and unreadable. He studied her briefly before saying, "You were on the phone for quite a while."Elaine gave a noncommittal hum and slipped under the covers. "Just some annoying stuff."Jasper's icy stare lingered on her. After an eternity, he dropped a bombshell. "Hope you weren't out cheating."Elaine's heart missed a beat, the telltale sign of a guilty conscience.She turned away, burying her face in the quilt, her voice muffled as she said, "You're overthinking."

Jasper's body tensed, a blind fury rising within him, the urge to hurl the phone against the wall nearly overwhelming.However, Jasper's pride would not let him stoop to such lowly acts.He had to maintain his air of superiority around Elaine, never letting a single undignified expression cross his face.Jasper's voice was icy as he asked, "Who's the guy? Got a name? How old is he?"Elaine got irritated. "It's none of your business, but just so you know, he's a lot better than you."If only Jasper could see his face right then—twisted in an ugly snarl. He asked, "Does he satisfy you?"Elaine tried to shrug off the sting but could not shake the feeling of being insulted.She knew she did not hold a flattering image in Jasper's eyes. In the years without much intimacy, she had often been the one to broach the subject with him.However, that did not make her an easy lay.Elaine retorted, "Don't worry about me, we're a great match."He's surprisingly good, you know. Maybe you'll

The day after their last encounter, Elaine and Jasper had fallen into a silence that stretched nearly a month.Divorce proceedings were left in the hands of their attorneys, yet things were moving at a snail's pace. The other lawyer's lack of enthusiasm was evident, to say the least.Jasper's side was stalling, peppering the divorce papers with outrageous terms.It was a clear-cut case of intentionally making things difficult, a tactic Elaine had anticipated.What caught her off guard, though, was Jasper's lawyer's cluelessness about her attorney's affiliation with Stephen's prestigious firm—a detail that afforded her a moment to catch her breath.The month was not entirely devoid of developments.The usual group of beauties that orbited Jasper had thinned out, their absence from the gossip columns as noticeable as their absence from his arm at social events.He appeared to have turned over a new leaf, leading a life less desire-driven.Jasper's mother, Mandy, mistook that for

The door swung open.Mandy eyed the couple, but nothing seemed out of place to her.She was noticeably warmer toward Elaine. "Ellie, are you alright?"Elaine stayed quiet.Jasper answered for her. "She's fine."Mandy quickly advised, "Get to the hospital for a check-up after you eat. This may be wonderful news."There was no hint of happiness on Jasper's face. "Perhaps," he muttered.Mandy nudged him. "What's with the attitude?"Jasper, rubbing his forehead, tiredly said, "Mom, Ellie and I need to talk."Ever the optimist, Mandy assumed they were patching things up, back to being inseparable."Okay, okay. If you're expecting, no need to keep it a secret. The whole family is here to celebrate, even your big brother says it's a blessing.""Mm-hmm," Jasper hummed, his mind clearly elsewhere.He gently but firmly took Elaine by the arm, leading her out without force, yet leaving no room for resistance."We're going to the hospital.""I haven't finished eating," she protested.