Chapter 44 We Part Ways Amicably

Yvonne's anger ignited instantly!

Elijah didn't throw her luggage; he threw her dignity!

"No need to bother, I'll take care of it myself!" She turned and rushed into the washroom, packing her toiletries into a storage bag. Then, she returned to the bedroom and stuffed all her clothes into the suitcase.

Elijah stood in the living room, smoking.

One cigarette after another, the ashtray on the small table filled up with cigarette butts.

"You can keep the $100,000 card, and you can take the three platinum bags from the wardrobe. From now on, we are strangers." Elijah's lips curled up with a cold touch, his tone devoid of any fluctuation.

"Thank you." Yvonne squeezed out a polite smile.

Especially at times like this, one must not lose their composure.

As Yvonne's retreating footsteps and the sound of the door lock coincided, Elijah fiercely picked up the ashtray and smashed it onto the floor.

Why couldn't he feel happy about driving her away?

His phone rang, and Elijah glanced at it before answering. "Auntie."

"Elijah, I heard news that Yvonne and Frank's son are engaged." Auntie sounded anxious. "Is it true?"

"It's true," Elijah casually replied. "I'll attend the wedding too. They are a well-matched couple."

Auntie sighed repeatedly, "Yvonne is such a good girl, why didn't you take the initiative? Mr. Winston beat you to it!"

Elijah fell silent for a moment and said, "Yvonne and I are just ordinary friends, it’s not what you think."

"It's rare to find a girl who likes Joseph and is liked by Joseph. It's a shame you missed out on her," Auntie sighed sadly and hung up the phone.

Elijah sat on the sofa, lost in thought.

His phone buzzed again; it was Philippe. He didn’t answer it.

Soon, several voice messages came through in the “Four Treasures” group.

He opened the group chat and played Philippe, Mason, and Louis's voice messages.

"Elijah, we know you're upset. Come to Zero Club and let Mason do another divination for you!"

"We have beer and red wine ready, hurry up and come over. Today, we won't return until we're drunk!"

"Women are like clothes. If you lose one, you can always buy another. If you don't come, our friendship will have cracks!"

Elijah grabbed his coat and hurriedly walked out of the door.

Half an hour later, he met up with Philippe and the others in the VIP room.

They were originally discussing Yvonne and Ryan's engagement, but as soon as Elijah entered, everyone fell silent.

After Elijah took his seat, he propped up his legs and lit a cigarette. "Continue with what we were discussing earlier. Come on, we can't end the game just like that."

The three of them exchanged awkward smiles.

Philippe spoke up first, "We all think that Yvonne and Ryan's engagement is a transaction. Ryan is a playboy and not the type to tie himself down to one woman. Yvonne may seem open-minded, but deep down, she doesn't really fancy Ryan."

"Why does it matter to you whether she fancies Ryan or not?" Elijah shrugged and flicked off some cigarette ashes.

The three of them shook their heads simultaneously. "It doesn't matter to us."

"It doesn't matter to you, and it matters even less to me." Elijah smirked. "Instead of discussing them, let's talk about something more enjoyable."

"Elijah, how about I read your fortune?" Mason took out a brand-new deck of cards.

"Fortune-telling? No, let’s play cards." Elijah stubbed his half-smoked cigarette into the ashtray and rolled up his sleeves. "If we're going to play, let's play big. We’ll start at a hundred thousand dollars, no limit."

"The hospital just got some imported equipment this month, and my wallet is empty. You guys go ahead," Louis withdrew voluntarily.

Elijah, Philippe, and Mason started playing cards.

"George is on the brink of bankruptcy. He gave all his cash to Grace and his daughter, and took on all the debt himself." Philippe glanced at Elijah meaningfully as he spoke.

Elijah stared at the cards in his hand and remained silent.

"After being drained dry by his biological daughter, he wants to leave what little he has to his stepdaughter, who has no blood relation with him. George and Mary are truly in love!" Mason remarked dismissively.

Louis said mysteriously, "Whether it's true love or not, I'm not sure. My uncle used to have some dealings with George when they were younger. He heard from someone that Yvonne is not George's child."

Elijah's expression froze.

"What a shocking secret!" Philippe's interest was piqued. "Yvonne has had a tough life. She was abandoned by her birth mother, and growing up under the hostility of George and Mary..."

The three of them began unraveling the depths of George's family history whenever Yvonne or the Brooks family came up in conversation.

Whenever Yvonne or the Brooks family were mentioned, Elijah's expression would turn serious, and he would refrain from commenting.

Due to being preoccupied with something on his mind, Elijah suffered a considerable loss in their card game that lasted over an hour.

Several times, he held a winning hand but missed the opportunity due to his distraction, allowing Philippe and Mason to ruthlessly obliterate him.

"They say when things go wrong in love, gambling brings money. Elijah, why can't you excel at either?" Philippe taunted, reveling in his winnings.

"Let's have a drink, it'll make the game more interesting." Elijah threw his cards onto the table and opened a can of beer.

"You want to drown your sorrows in alcohol again?" Louis snatched the freshly opened beer from him. "Don't forget, your stomach ulcer just healed. If you drink more, you'll end up in the hospital."

"I think I'll just call Yvonne directly!" Philippe grabbed his phone and left the private room.

Less than two minutes later, with a sly grin, he looked at Elijah and said, "Yvonne said she'll be here soon."

Elijah's initial reaction was to leave, but he felt it wasn't necessary.

They had already drawn the line, so what difference would meeting make?

Yvonne left Rhode Hills.

On the way back to Sunshine Community, Owen's call came in.

After exchanging pleasantries, Owen awkwardly said, "I have some bad news to tell you. I just received a notification from higher-ups that the Logistics Department is understaffed, and they plan to transfer you there next Monday."

Besides Abigail, who could reach FA Center Company and constantly undermine her? There was no one else.

"Owen, I studied architectural design. Isn't it inappropriate for me to go to the Logistics Department?" Yvonne tried to reason.

"I told the HR department the same thing, but they have already issued the notice. Even if I want to keep you, I can't do anything about it."

Owen hung up the phone, full of regret.

Yvonne had a feeling that her life would become more difficult after leaving Elijah.

She started to regret getting into a conflict with Elijah when she was hot-headed.

When she received a call from Philippe, she asked who was in the private room with him.

Philippe understood her intention and mentioned Elijah's name first.

Yvonne immediately agreed.

Back at her apartment, she put on a subtle makeup and chose a slightly conservative gray knit dress and a black coat.

Elijah was too traditional in his views, and he was still angry at the moment. Wearing something revealing would definitely provoke him.

Walking into the private room, Yvonne saw Elijah sitting in the corner.

With his legs crossed, eyebrows and eyes lowered, he smoked leisurely.

She remembered that Elijah didn't smoke, but today his smoking movements were noticeably more skilled than before.

People tend to smoke when they're in a bad mood to find solace. It seems that her "engagement" with Ryan really struck a nerve with Elijah.

"So, Yvonne came alone. Where did Ryan go to have fun again?" Philippe deliberately asked.

Mason chimed in, "He left his fiancée right after getting engaged. Ryan is really going too far!"

"We are each doing our own thing," Yvonne chuckled and took out a cigarette from her pocket. She approached the silent Elijah and leaned forward slightly. "Mr. Harper, can I borrow a lighter?"

Elijah glanced at her lightly and took out a lighter from his pocket.

The faint blue flame flickered, like an enchanting adhesive.

Yvonne narrowed her eyes slightly, biting her red lips as she approached the cigarette.

When the cigarette ignited, their gaze met through the thin haze of smoke.

Elijah maintained his composure and indifference, while Yvonne's expression carried a hint of charm, mixed with a touch of appeasement.

Their interaction was observed by Philippe and the other two.

"Elijah, Yvonne, you two chat. The three of us have other things to attend to, so we'll leave now," Mason tugged at Philippe before leaving.

Philippe and Louis exchanged a glance and nodded.

"Go ahead and talk, take your time!" Philippe grabbed his coat and phone, and was the first to leave the private room.

The room instantly fell silent.

Yvonne blew smoke rings slowly, leaning against a drinks cabinet as she gazed at Elijah.

The cigarette in Elijah's hand had just extinguished.

He moved his eyebrow slightly and reached out to take the half-smoked cigarette from between her lips, lighting it for himself.

The action was seamless, without any discord.

An indescribable tenderness surged in Yvonne's heart.

"I didn't expect you to share a cigarette with someone else." Yvonne's eyes were misty, instantly capturing Elijah's heart.

Elijah quickly threw the cigarette into a water glass, stood up, and pressed Yvonne against the back of the sofa.

Yvonne held onto his waist with one hand and placed the other on his face, speaking softly, "Stop being mad at me. Ryan and I are just using each other."

Elijah's Adam's apple bobbed, his gaze becoming hazy, then calm after a few seconds.

He removed Yvonne's hand from his face.

Yvonne held him tightly, feeling a surge of anger inside her.

He reached out and separated Yvonne's fingers one by one. His voice was cold as he said, "You crossed a line. Do you think a few soft words and a night's sleep can make me forgive you? Dream on."

Yvonne's face stung from the slap, but she still chuckled, "You have to give me a chance to change, right?"

"I gave you two choices. You chose Ryan, so stop thinking about me." Elijah's eyes were resolute. "Let's part ways on good terms."

"But what if I can't stop thinking about you?" Yvonne's lips quivered, her misty eyes revealing both purity and desire.

Even with Elijah's strong self-control, his heartbeat involuntarily slowed for a moment.

Yvonne tiptoed and kissed his lips. Elijah didn't avoid it, bending down to follow her lead.

Lips and teeth intertwined, fingers intertwined, and the two of them simultaneously fell back onto the sofa.

"Can you forgive me?" Yvonne whispered softly, her warm breath confusing his rationale.

But in an instant, the image of Yvonne and Ryan holding hands appeared in his mind!

He snapped out of his desire, pushed the woman in his arms away, and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.