Chapter 43 Two Choices

When Elijah called, Yvonne had just finished her work meal and was getting ready to take a nap.

The melodic ringtone made her feel guilty.

She had torn up Elijah’s invitation from the Winston family and thrown it in the trash. Could Elijah have found out so quickly?

Regardless of whether Elijah knew about her "engagement" with Ryan tomorrow, it was always a good idea to be humble.

Just as the ringtone was about to end, Yvonne pressed the answer button and asked gently, "Do you miss me again?"

"Yvonne," Elijah called her name coldly.

An instant shiver ran down her spine, and she cautiously responded, "Yes."

"I ended the deal between you and Ryan, so what have you done behind my back?" Elijah's calm tone hid extreme restraint.

Her worst fear had come true!

Yvonne sighed helplessly and confessed, "Ryan's company urgently needs a large amount of capital, and the Winstons wanted Ryan to..."

"None of these are reasons for you and Ryan to hold an engagement ceremony," Elijah interrupted her. "Yvonne, before you agreed to Ryan, shouldn't you have discussed it with me? Your actions have seriously crossed my bottom line. Now, I'm giving you two choices—"

Although he spoke calmly, Yvonne listened anxiously.

"One, call Ryan immediately and tell him you won't be appearing at the engagement ceremony tomorrow." Elijah's voice was icy. "Two, do whatever you want. From now on, we will no longer have any relationship."

"Elijah, I already promised Ryan, and Mrs. Winston has been good to me. How can I suddenly be absent at this time?" Yvonne whispered, explaining. "Tomorrow is just a simple engagement ceremony. I will make it clear with Ryan next week."

"Simple?" Elijah mocked. "How can the engagement ceremony of the sole heir of the Winston Group be simple?"

"Ryan and I are only getting engaged as a formality, to get Mr. Winston to provide financial support for Ryan's company. It won't affect my relationship with you," Yvonne argued logically.

Her engagement with Ryan was a transaction, just like her relationship with Elijah.

Since they were both transactions and didn't affect each other's substantial interests, why bother fussing over it?

Everyone could get what they needed and live in peace, couldn't they?

Elijah fell silent for a moment and then said with a cold voice, "Yvonne, I've said everything I needed to say. It's up to you to decide what to do."

"Elijah, Ryan and I..." Yvonne began, but Elijah had already ended the call.

Yvonne felt a mess in her mind, trying to light a cigarette but failing twice.

If it weren't for seeking personal safety and protection, she wouldn't have continued this illicit relationship with Elijah in the first place.

Relationships.

She was just going to Ryan's engagement ceremony as a casual observer, and there was no chance of any physical relationship with Ryan. Why does Elijah have to be so pushy?

Elijah, this seemingly cold and unromantic man, actually has demanding and perfectionistic requirements for relationships.

This should be an extreme case of paranoid possessiveness.

After thinking it over, Yvonne felt that this was the most reasonable explanation for Elijah's behavior.

Considering that Ryan promised her six hundred thousand dollars, she not only had to attend the engagement ceremony tomorrow, but also had to dress up beautifully.

After the engagement ceremony, she would explain everything to Elijah.

If all else failed, she would sleep with him a few more times. She didn't believe Elijah could resist.

While the heavy stone in Yvonne's heart finally dropped, Elijah in Seattle couldn't sit still.

He wanted to change his plane ticket and return to Winslow ahead of time, but soon he calmed down.

Yvonne was just his bed partner, and he didn't need to disrupt his established life for a bed partner.

He had been trying to control his emotions just now so he didn't say anything too extreme.

Yvonne had already tested him in many ways, and if she dared to show up at tomorrow's engagement ceremony, he would definitely not be lenient.

Elijah had a speaking engagement at an afternoon forum.

Despite being able to speak without notes, he stumbled twice in front of the microphone.

His mind was filled with news of Yvonne and Ryan's engagement tomorrow.

He kept looking at his phone the entire afternoon and evening.

He hoped that Yvonne would voluntarily back down. Then, he could give her a way out and they would "return to how things were."

However, even when he boarded the 5 a.m. flight to Winslow, he still hadn't heard from her.

After receiving a call from Elijah, Yvonne packed some personal belongings and moved to a hotel to avoid any further accidents.

She spent a restless and anxious night.

At 7 a.m., the makeup artist Ryan had arranged for her arrived, along with two sets of high-end dresses and designer accessories that Ryan had already prepared.

Yvonne tried on the dresses, and they fit perfectly. Mr. Winston was quite reliable in this regard.

The Winston family chose the most luxurious seven-star hotel in Winslow for the engagement ceremony.

Most of the guests invited to attend the ceremony were prominent figures in the Winslow business circle who were aware of George and Yvonne's broken father-daughter relationship and sympathized with Yvonne.

When Yvonne, dressed in red, appeared alone at the engagement ceremony, no one reacted as she had expected.

Ryan was wearing a dark red suit today, with a shiny new diamond earring in his left ear, holding Yvonne's hand and smiling at the guests.

Although Yvonne was mentally prepared, the grandeur and extravagance of the scene deeply touched her heart.

With the Winston family's status in the Winslow business community, they were considered top-notch figures in the business world.

Everyone had arrived.

Elijah's father, Charles, the Michael couple, Anthony, and Abigail were arranged in the front row of the VIP seats.

Since entering, Anthony's gaze had been complex and indiscernible, while Abigail was beaming with joy.

Philippe, Mason, and Louis came with their elders, and their expressions were filled with excitement when they saw Yvonne.

Edward, on the other hand, was placed in an inconspicuous seat at the back. Grace, by his side, had a sour expression since they entered.

Grace never even dreamed that Yvonne would win over Ryan in such a short time.

Mr. Winston may be flirtatious, but he is talented and wealthy.

And here she is, struggling for a lifetime of happiness, marrying an old and crippled man!

How could she not feel resentful about this contrast!

Yvonne felt gratified by Grace's hostile and jealous gaze.

Mrs. Winston held Yvonne's hand more than once, saying with affection in her eyes, "From today, you have a true home that belongs to you. I have gained a daughter."

Even though it was all an act, Yvonne couldn't help but feel moved to tears.

"Elijah is here. Should we go and say hello?" Ryan suddenly sighed softly. "It's all because of my dad. He personally called Elijah yesterday."

Yvonne glanced over at Philippe's table and saw Elijah just taking his seat.

Dressed in a black suit, he exuded an air of coldness and elegance.

Philippe and Mason wore mischievous smiles and appeared to be saying something to Elijah. Yvonne had a strong feeling that she was the topic of their conversation.

At that moment, Elijah suddenly looked up, and his gaze met Yvonne's!

Elijah looked at her calmly, his expression devoid of any ripples; to the point that Yvonne felt a sense of unfamiliarity from him.

Images of their passionate encounters flooded Yvonne's mind.

They had clearly experienced the pinnacle of human emotions together, but now he was so indifferent.

Yvonne sneered; he sure knew how to separate his public and private personas!

"Let's go." Yvonne straightened her back and purposely took a step closer to Ryan.

"Aren't you afraid that Elijah will be jealous?" Ryan said, taking Yvonne's arm and smiling softly.

Yvonne's eyebrows curved in a lovely arc as she picked up a goblet filled with red wine. She walked toward Elijah's table with Ryan.

Elijah's peripheral vision had already noticed Yvonne, and a faint hint of playfulness curled his thin lips.

"Yvonne is here!" Philippe was the first to stand up and greet her. "Congratulations!"

"Today is my big day, let's not leave until we're all drunk." Ryan raised his glass and toasted to Philippe and the others, his gaze finally falling on Elijah. "Elijah, you must have fun today."

"Congratulations," Elijah replied, raising his goblet to clink it against Ryan's.

After finishing, he downed the drink in one go.

Yvonne swayed her wine glass and said with a smile, "Mr. Harper is really generous."

"It wouldn't be appropriate for me not to have a few drinks for your celebration." Elijah's voice was deep, with hidden meaning in his words.

Mason had been observing Yvonne and Ryan for a while and never thought they looked like a couple. Curiously, he asked, "So, when did you two get together?"

Yvonne gave Ryan a signal with her eyes, and he understood immediately, replying, "If we're engaged, it naturally means we've been together for quite some time."

"I hadn't seen Yvonne for just a few days, and you took her away from me!" Louis lightly punched Ryan on the back.

Ryan chuckled deeply, his lips forming two shallow dimples. "Fate cannot be measured by time."

Yvonne sneakily glanced at Elijah, who was looking down at his phone.

"The two of you found your destiny quickly." Philippe couldn't believe it and pursed his lips. "Skipping dating and going straight to engagement, you two are lightning fast!"

"If I had missed Yvonne, it would have been the biggest loss of my life," Ryan spoke sincerely, sparing a glance at Elijah.

Elijah's face remained expressionless, offering no response.

"Elijah, Philippe, continue chatting. Make sure to have a few more drinks." After saying this, Ryan held Yvonne and went to greet other guests.

Elijah and Philippe watched Yvonne and Ryan walk away in the distance.

Surprisingly, the two of them looked perfect together.

Philippe whispered, "Elijah, is it over between you and Yvonne?"

"It never started, so how can it end?" Elijah's eyes dimmed with sorrow.

They lived together, yet he claimed it never started?

The three of them exchanged glances and dared not ask further.

A simple engagement ceremony was turned into a grand occasion by the Winston family.

This engagement banquet was truly star-studded and extravagant.

The Winston family's dowry was extremely generous. With Yvonne having no place to stay now, she had to entrust it to a trust company.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, after all the guests dispersed, Yvonne returned to Rhode Hills.

As she twisted the doorknob, a strong smell of tobacco hit her face.

Elijah was sitting on the balcony, smoking.

Feeling guilty, Yvonne took the initiative and broke the silence, "In a few days, when Frank's funds come through, Ryan and I will sever our ties."

"Yvonne, you have crossed my bottom line." Elijah's gaze was sharp, cold light flickering in his eyes. "Take your things and get out."

These words felt like a loud slap, fiercely hitting Yvonne's face.

She didn't want to lose Elijah's protection right now, so she suppressed her emotions and apologized. "I was wrong, I apologize."

"Now that you're Mr. Winston's fiancée, even if I have no morals, I won't sleep with a taken woman." Elijah stood up and walked into the bedroom near the entrance.

He threw Yvonne's luggage onto the living room floor.