No Longer His Convenient Wife의 모든 챕터: 챕터 61 - 챕터 70

The first thing I notice when I walk into Maison Elara is how quickly I get assessed. It is the kind of place that didn’t need to announce its prices because if you had to ask, the answer was already no. The two assistants near the entrance looked up when I came in. It’s subtle, if you’re not used to it. A glance up from behind the counter, a half-second pause, eyes moving from my boots to my coat to my face—and then the decision is made. Not worth it. The smiles thinned out and disappeared almost immediately. I found it faintly amusing, honestly. Some things really don’t change. Give it a nice setting and a price tag, and suddenly dignity becomes something you can qualify for. I don’t bother reacting. There’s no point. I didn’t come here for them. My phone buzzes in my hand. Eloise: Traffic is a nightmare. I’m stuck on the highway. I type back without thinking. Of course. That part, at least, is simple. I slip my phone back into my bag and start walking slowl

Cressida recovers first. “Careful,” she says, stepping forward just enough to make it clear she’s inserting herself into this now. “That sounded a lot like jealousy.” I glance at her, then back at Arabella. “If that’s what you heard,” I say. Arabella doesn’t react immediately. She’s still watching me, eyes slightly narrowed, like she’s trying to decide bar to do with me. Then she smiles again. It’s different this time. More menacing. “It must be difficult.Seeing someone else step into a position you couldn’t keep.” There’s a quiet murmur somewhere behind them. I don’t respond. Not because I don’t have anything to say—but because I don’t need to give them more to work with. People like this don’t argue for understanding. They argue for audience. And right now, they have one. The assistant who tried to throw me out earlier seems to realize that too, because she steps forward again, this time with a lot more confidence than she had ten minutes ago. “Miss, I think you n

Before I could gather myself to respond, Eloise stepped forward her expression sharp, as if daring her to continue. “Watch your mouth.” Arabella didn’t back down. “Why?” she shot back. “Did I hit too close?” Eloise’s expression went cold. “No,” she said. “You’re just embarrassing yourself. And I do not believe it is smart to insult my fiancée in front of me.” Arabella opened her mouth. “And I’m not finished,” Eloise said. She turned to the manager. “I don’t want them here. Cancel anything under her name and her friend’s. Today and going forward.” The manager nodded immediately. Arabella’s composure was still technically intact, but the effort of maintaining it was showing at the edges now. “You’re being completely unreasonable,” she said, her voice sharpening despite herself. “You don’t have the authority to do that” “You were being rude,” Eloise said simply. “And I don’t have patience for this .” The door opened. I felt it before I turned. I turned and there he was.

Eloise was already halfway to the door, clearly done with wedding planning for the day. Weston followed, pausing only to mouth thank you before they disappeared onto the street. The room quieted almost immediately after they left. I exhaled quietly and decided to go through the rest of the dress

I stared at him through the mirror, fingers still hooked under the strap of the dress like that alone could keep me from falling apart. My reflection gave me away—eyes too wide, mouth pressed into a thin line, all I’d spent years sanding down until it looked almost normal. Almost. This man… Why is he always so hard to understand? He raised an eyebrow. “Helping you with your dress.” “That wasn’t helping. That was—” I gestured sharply. “Inappropriate.” “You don’t get to just—” I waved a hand between us, the motion jerky, useless. My skin still burned where his fingers had brushed against my skin. “Reach for me like that.” His jaw flexed. That tiny tic I used to trace with my thumb when he was trying not to lose his temper. “You weren’t exactly pushing me away a second ago.” My fingers tightened around the fabric at my waist. “I didn’t expect your hand to end up there.” Heat crawled up my throat. I hated how small my voice sounded. “And in the future, keep your hands to your