Elaine had not really reacted yet.

Jasper's new flame looked a bit shell-shocked, rapidly blinking as she took in the scene.

The young girl's face was on the verge of tears, oblivious to the fact that she was the other woman. She held the man's hand, her voice trembling as she said, "Mr. Carter, I...I didn't realize you had... I should go."

Elaine had seen her fair share of delicate, helpless girls who played the innocent act, but ones as heartbreakingly pitiful as her? Those were rare.

She stood with her arms folded, watching them, a smirk playing on her lips.

Jasper caught her eye, paused, and calmly said, "No need to worry. Mrs. Carter is quite understanding."

He looked at her for confirmation. "Isn't that right?"

Elaine's reply was laced with sarcasm, "Mr. Carter, since when do I have a say in your matters?"

Jasper's smile was sharp, his tone biting as he said, "Elaine, you're finally getting the picture."

Elaine's role as a wife felt like a cruel joke.

Yet, she could not quite bring herself to laugh.

She still could not fathom how Jasper's feelings had turned so distant, so fast.

Once upon a time, a single tear from her would have Jasper beside himself with concern.

However, Jasper was not about to waste any more time. He turned to the girl and said, "Come on, let's go upstairs."

Before leaving, he threw a parting shot over his shoulder. "Mrs. Carter, enjoy yourself. Have a good time."

Elaine's retort was swift. "Oh, I plan to. I'm here for a room too."

Jasper halted, giving her a long, penetrating look. "Really? Seems like you're in for some good fortune, too."

The conversation took a turn. "You can't just grab the first thing coming your way when starving. You've got to be picky."

Elaine could not read whether Jasper bought her story, but his nonchalant shrug sent a chill through her.

He seemed utterly indifferent.

It might have meant he did not love her anymore.

However, Elaine was not ready to throw in the towel just yet. "Jasper, do you really not care at all?"

He paused, then replied dismissively, "Yeah, whatever makes you happy."

Her heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vice grip. Elaine was gasping for air, feeling the life being crushed out of her.

Jasper wrapped his arm around Lucy Chapman, and they disappeared into the elevator, heading upstairs.

Elaine's fingers were white-knuckled, her eyes burned with unshed tears. Then, her phone broke the silence.

The man's voice was a deep, pleasing baritone, tinged with a cool, magnetic edge.

"Elaine, the room number," he said, all business.

She bit her lip and replied, "5208."

Then, she said, "Come over."

She had not lied to Jasper—she had plans of her own.

She had not been ready before that, but her resolve was ironclad.

Riding the elevator up, Elaine realized the top floor was the 52nd floor. A memory flashed—Lucy's room card, number 5209.

Right next door.

Elaine swiped her card and stepped into her room.

The executive suite was spacious and flooded with light, and the view from the floor-to-ceiling windows was nothing short of stunning.

Elaine tried calling Jasper, but he did not pick up, so she just let the call drop.

Clutching her phone, she felt a wave of numbness wash over her.

Behind her, the door chimed, and footsteps grew louder as they neared.

Suddenly, her phone was plucked from her grasp by the man behind her and tossed aside with an indifferent flick of his wrist.

He gripped her wrist tightly, pinning her against the window.

She looked down, his warm breath on her ear sending shivers down her spine.

"Been waiting long, my dear?" he murmured.

Elaine's blood ran hot through her veins.

The presence that she could not escape made her want to bolt.

She inhaled deeply. As she turned, the man caught her chin and kissed her fiercely and possessively.

Her mind was a whirl of irritation and confusion.

Part of her wanted to pull away.

He seemed to read her thoughts, nipping her lip in a warning. "Having second thoughts?"

However, before Elaine could respond, her eyes brimmed with tears.

The man laughed and locked eyes with her, a smirk playing on his lips. "You weren't scared when you were pushing your card into my hand."

Elaine could not blame anyone but herself; she had had too much to drink that night.

Spurred on by her friend, she boldly gave her card to the most dashing guy there.

Little did she know that he was Jasper's cousin, who was always overseas.

She had figured Stephen Carter would lose interest once he knew who she was.

Yet there he was, showing up for their date.

Elaine's voice tightened, and there was a whisper of urgency as she said, "They're right next door."

Stephen hummed a low note. "What's next?"

He gently turned her face to his, gazing deeply into her eyes. "Is this getting in the way of us?"

Elaine met his dark, penetrating gaze and felt exposed, as if he could see right into her soul.

For the last two years, Jasper's romantic escapades were relentless, his flings and affairs splashed across the tabloids were too many to count.

Stephen said, "Or are you holding out for him, keeping yourself pure?"

The words pierced Elaine's inner turmoil like a needle.

She paused, her heart racing, and then she made her move.

With a boldness that surprised even herself, she cradled his face, rose on her tiptoes, and pressed her lips to his.

Passion did not always need love to ignite into a blazing fire.

Elaine had not touched a drop of alcohol that night, yet she felt utterly drunk at the moment.

Lost in the intensity, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her short nails carving fervent trails across his skin.

As the night wore on, Elaine's mind wandered.

Thoughts of Jasper invaded her senses, unbidden and persistent.

Through her haze, the shrill ring of her phone pierced the silence.

Jasper, who had ended their call just two hours before, was on the other end.

Elaine picked up the phone and heard his voice—low, husky, and lazy. "Why are you calling me?"

"It's nothing," she replied, a sense of finality in her voice.

With a soft grunt, she said, "It's done."

A wave of vindictive satisfaction washed over her, a silent victory over Jasper.

Without another word, she ended the call.

Stephen noticed the redness at the corner of her eyes and gently wiped it away, murmuring, "My dear."

Elaine bristled at how he addressed her, as a mix of discomfort and embarrassment washed over her. "Please don't call me that."

Traditionally, she was supposed to refer to him as her husband's cousin.

Stephen's eyebrows knitted in a frown. "Aren't you two in the middle of a divorce?"

Elaine was taken aback, not expecting Stephen to know her personal affairs.

She was the one who had asked for the divorce.

Jasper had agreed without hesitation.

He had even swiftly set up a lawyer and drafted the paperwork.

Of course, he expected her to walk away empty-handed despite lacking a prenup or any division of assets.

However, Jasper had the means to leave her penniless after the divorce if he chose to.

The old Elaine could never have imagined Jasper turning his company's formidable legal force on her.

It was a harsh, icy slap of reality. There was not even a trace of their past affection.

Elaine took a refreshing bath and slipped into clean pajamas, but her respite was short-lived. Stephen's arms ensnared her once more, his kisses reigniting with an intense heat.

It was a long while before their fervor subsided.

Feeling drained and sticky with sweat, Elaine was too weary and drowsy to consider another shower.

She sat in a daze, her feet still not touching the floor.

Suddenly, someone caught her wrist. A deep, chilling voice cut through the silence. "Where do you think you're going?"

With a raspy voice, Elaine replied, "To take a bath."

"Got any energy left?" Stephen's voice was gentle.

Elaine was too spent to answer. Before she knew it, Stephen had swept her up and carried her to the bathroom.

They ended up sharing another bath, the steam or maybe the closeness turning her cheeks a rosy red. It was a detail she would keep to herself, too shy to share.

Jasper, her husband, had grown distant. His touch had become a memory. His visits home were rare, and those nights together? Even rarer.

The first six months were the hardest. She would confide in her friends, her voice tinged with shame as she said, "It's like he doesn't even want to touch me anymore. Am I that undesirable?"

He had lost interest in her.

However, no one could comfort her, just empty reassurances that Jasper must be blind.

It took her over half a year to start feeling a little better.

Then, all she wanted was to sleep, but Stephen's words cut through her haze. "You're not in the best shape, are you?"

She flushed with embarrassment but quickly brushed it off. There was no future with Stephen, Jasper's cousin, so why dwell on it?

The bed was empty when she woke up, but a note lay on the nightstand.

[Text me when you wake up. Found you a lawyer.]

Elaine stared at the elegant script, her mind a whirl. Was Stephen offering to help her divorce Jasper?

Elaine stopped herself from spiraling into a whirlwind of thoughts and resisted the urge to text Stephen.

The events of last night were a blur. It was a chapter she wished she could erase.

There was never supposed to be anything more between her and him.

She shredded the note and watched it swirl away in the toilet bowl. Stepping into the bathroom, she caught sight of her reflection—a face flushed with a healthy glow, as if it had been revitalized.

Her complexion had noticeably improved, and the usual sadness in her eyes seemed to have faded.

After getting herself together, Elaine grabbed her room key and headed out, ready to check out and leave it all behind.

However, fate had other plans. As she closed her door, another door clicked open.

Jasper emerged, locking eyes with her. His brows knitted, his gaze icy, and he watched her in silence, making her feel as though she might sweat under his scrutiny.

She was not without morals—guilt and regret gnawed at her.

Jasper's expression was unmistakable—pure disdain. It was as if his patience had evaporated. "Elaine, are you trying to get on my nerves?" he asked, his voice sharp as ice.

His words were few, but they hit her like a wave of rejection.

It was as if she was the one who could not take a hint, the unwanted shadow that would not leave his side.

Elaine inhaled deeply, trying to calm the tightness in her chest. "I told you last night—I had my own room," she said, her voice steady.

Jasper had doubted her then, and his disbelief was even stronger, certain she was desperate for his attention.

He studied her, and after a few seconds, a mocking smile crossed his lips. "Did you have fun eavesdropping on us all night?"

Jasper was angry, and his words cut deeper than just being mean. Then, he calmly said, "Mrs. Carter, if you'd told me about this little hobby of yours, I could've just brought a woman home next time.

"That way, you wouldn't have to go through all this trouble. It must be exhausting."