Chapter 4

Bella stepped right up to Elinor. She offered a sickeningly sweet smile. It was a mask of false sympathy.

"Elinor," Bella said softly. She glanced down at the manila envelope in Elinor's hand. She easily guessed its contents. "I am so sorry. I never meant to ruin your marriage."

Elinor felt a sudden surge of nausea. It was partly from the pregnancy hormones, but mostly from pure disgust.

Elinor took a deliberate step back. She created physical distance from Bella's overwhelming perfume. Her face remained completely impassive.

"Don't apologize," Elinor said. Her voice was clear and cold. She looked Bella dead in the eye. "Trash belongs in the bin anyway. You just saved me the trouble of taking it out."

Bella's smile faltered for a fraction of a second. The corners of her mouth twitched. Her eyes flashed with raw venom before she quickly suppressed it.

Bella recovered her mask. She played the victim perfectly. She lowered her voice, making it sound fragile.

"You don't have to be cruel. Gavin just... he just couldn't forget me. We have too much history."

Elinor refused to engage further. The conversation was pointless. She turned her back on Bella entirely, treating her like thin air.

Elinor placed the envelope on the receptionist's marble counter.

"Janice," Elinor instructed, her tone professional. "Please hand this directly to Gavin's legal team. Not to him. The legal team."

Janice nodded nervously. She could feel the heavy, suffocating tension between the two women. She quickly took the envelope.

Elinor adjusted her handbag on her shoulder. She ensured the zipper hiding her pregnancy report was completely closed.

Without another word, without a single backward glance at Bella, Elinor walked toward the revolving glass doors. Her steps were even and unhurried.

Bella watched her leave. The fake concern melted away. A smug, victorious smirk finally replaced it.

Just as Elinor pushed her way through the revolving doors and stepped out onto the busy sidewalk, the private executive elevator dinged.

The heavy brass doors slid open. Gavin stepped out into the lobby. His assistant, Nathan, walked briskly beside him, reading from a tablet.

Gavin's sharp eyes immediately scanned the lobby. He caught the briefest glimpse of a familiar trench coat disappearing through the revolving doors. But what truly confirmed her identity was the faint, clean scent of her subtle jasmine shampoo lingering in the cold air of the marble lobby, completely cutting through Bella's heavy, cloying perfume.

A sudden jolt of adrenaline, born from sheer irritation that she had entered his corporate domain without his prior knowledge, hit his system. The inexplicable loss of control over her movements grated on his nerves. He took a quick, long step forward to follow her.

Bella immediately intercepted him. She stepped directly into his path. She placed a manicured hand firmly on his forearm.

"Gavin!" Bella announced brightly. She held up the coffee cup. "I brought your favorite espresso. Just the way you like it."

Gavin's gaze remained fixed on the revolving doors. The glass spun empty. She was gone. He barely acknowledged the coffee in Bella's hand.

He pulled his arm away from Bella's touch. He walked straight to the front desk.

"Janice," Gavin demanded, his voice hard. "What was Elinor doing here?"

Janice swallowed hard. She nervously handed Gavin the manila envelope. "She... she asked me to give this to the legal team, sir."

Gavin ripped open the flap. He pulled out the documents. He saw the signed final asset waiver. He flipped to the financial compensation page. It was completely untouched. She had legally rejected every single cent.

His jaw clenched. The muscles in his neck pulled tight. He realized she truly walked away with absolutely nothing. She severed the tie completely.

Bella stepped up beside him. She looked at the papers and sighed softly.

"She's just acting out of pride, Gavin," Bella suggested softly. "Give her a few days. She'll come back for the money when reality hits."

Gavin turned to Nathan. He ignored Bella's comment entirely. He didn't even look at her.

"Nathan," Gavin instructed strictly. "Contact the bank. Ensure Elinor's accounts are heavily funded immediately. Force the wire transfer through. I don't care about the waiver."

Bella stood frozen. Her grip on her coffee cup tightened so hard the cardboard buckled. Her knuckles turned white in hidden, seething frustration.