Chapter 11 #3
His fingers, which had been resting loosely against the arm of the sofa, stilled instantly. Even his breathing seemed to pause for the briefest moment as his head turned sharply toward Elise.
His dark eyes searched her face, disbelief flickering across his usually unreadable features. A faint crease formed between his brows, and his jaw slowly tightened as though he couldn't quite process what he was seeing.
Just days ago, she had looked him in the eyes and said she cared about him because he was going to be her future husband.
Her feelings had been so sincere, so unmistakably genuine, that he had never questioned them.
Then why...
Why wasn't she reacting?
Another woman had taken her place next to him.
She should have been jealous.
Upset.
At the very least, there should have been some change in her expression.
Instead, she remained quietly composed, her gaze calm as though it hadn't affected her in the slightest.
The thought struck him with unexpected force.
‘Is she no longer in love with me?’
His throat tightened.
Almost unconsciously, his eyes swept over her face again, lingering on every tiny expression as though afraid he had missed something. His fingers curled slowly into his palm, the tendons in his hand standing out beneath his skin, while the muscles in his jaw flexed once.
No.
That couldn't be right.
But if she still loved him...
Why did she look so unaffected?
For the first time in a very long while, uncertainty crept into Xavier's expression. It was subtle—so slight that no one else in the room would have noticed—but inside, an unfamiliar unease had already begun to settle heavily in his chest.
"You must be tired after such a long journey."
A warm smile spread across Elise's face as she looked at Astrid. Without the slightest hint of reservation, she stepped closer and gently slipped her hand around Astrid's wrist.
"Come on," she said softly. "The maids are still getting your room ready. I'll take you somewhere you can rest until they're finished."
Astrid instinctively narrowed her eyes, clearly caught off guard by the unexpected familiarity. She glanced down at the hand loosely holding her wrist before lifting her gaze back to Elise's smiling face.
There wasn't a trace of pretense in those clear eyes.
Only kindness.
After a brief pause, Astrid gave a small nod and allowed herself to be led away.
The two women climbed the sweeping staircase together, their footsteps muffled by the thick runner carpeting the marble steps.
As they reached the second floor, Elise guided her down a long corridor lined with oil paintings and antique wall sconces before stopping outside a pair of carved double doors.
She pushed them open.
"This is one of the sitting rooms," she explained over her shoulder with an apologetic smile. "I thought it would be more comfortable than waiting downstairs."
Astrid stepped inside, her eyes quietly sweeping over the room.
It was spacious yet inviting, decorated in warm shades of ivory and deep burgundy.
Crystal chandeliers cast a warm amber glow throughout the sitting room, their light reflecting off the intricate gold detailing that adorned the walls and ceiling.
Elegant floral moldings framed the lofty space, while antique paintings, marble sculptures, and sparkling crystal ornaments gave the room an air of timeless luxury.
In the center sat a polished mahogany coffee table laid out with an elegant afternoon spread.
Tiered trays held delicate pastries, colorful macarons, fresh fruit, chocolates, and finger sandwiches, while a silver tea service rested beside a crystal pitcher filled with chilled juice.
The entire room felt refined, comfortable, and peaceful.
Elise walked over to one of the oversized burgundy armchairs and smoothed the skirt of her dress beneath her before sitting down gracefully. Looking up, she noticed Astrid still standing near the doorway.
"Please don't stand," she said with a gentle laugh, motioning toward the chair opposite her. "Sit down. Make yourself comfortable."
Astrid hesitated only briefly before crossing the room and lowering herself into the matching armchair. She settled back carefully, one leg crossing over the other as she glanced around the elegant sitting room once more.
Elise rested her hands around the warm teacup a maid had quietly placed before her and studied Astrid for another second. The more she looked at her, the more amazed she became.
Finally, she smiled.
"You're really beautiful."
Astrid looked back at her, slightly startled. Her lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
Elise tucked another loose strand of hair behind her ear before continuing.
"Your hair is so beautiful," she said, genuine admiration shining in her eyes. "It's so smooth and silky. I've always wished mine looked like that."
Her gaze drifted to Astrid's eyes.
"And your makeup..." she added, leaning forward slightly with obvious curiosity. "Your eyeliner is perfect. It makes your eyes look so elegant and gives them such a pretty cat-eye shape."
She touched the corner of her own eye with an embarrassed smile before shaking her head.
"I've watched so many makeup tutorials trying to learn how to do mine like that, but every single time it ends up uneven." She laughed quietly at herself. "I usually give up halfway through and wipe it all off."
There wasn't the slightest trace of envy in her voice.
Only honest admiration.
Looking at the woman sitting across from her, Elise couldn't help thinking that Astrid looked like someone who belonged on the cover of a fashion magazine rather than sitting across from her in a quiet drawing room.
Astrid didn't smile.
She remained seated with her back perfectly straight, her shoulders squared and her chin slightly raised.
Her hands rested neatly on her lap, but there was nothing relaxed about her posture.
Every muscle in her body seemed poised, as though she were ready to spring to her feet at the slightest sign of trouble.
Her sharp gaze never left Elise.
She watched her with unwavering attention, studying every smile, every blink, every subtle shift in expression, waiting for the warmth on Elise's face to crack and reveal whatever hidden motive she believed lay beneath it.
Seconds ticked by.
Nothing happened.
Elise simply sat there, her smile as gentle as before, completely unaware of the silent battle unfolding across from her.
Silence settled comfortably between them, broken only by the soft hum of the air conditioning and the occasional clink of china as one of the maids quietly adjusted the tea service before slipping back out of the room.
Elise lowered her eyes to the untouched refreshments on the coffee table, then looked back at Astrid with the same gentle smile.
"You haven't eaten anything."
Leaning forward, Elise reached toward one of the small porcelain plates and picked up a piece of candy wrapped in bright orange packaging. She turned it over between her fingers before carefully peeling back the wrapper.
"I bought these when I visited Korea a while ago," she said with a small smile. "They're orange flavored."
She held it up for Astrid to see, her eyes brightening ever so slightly.
"They're my favorite. I always keep some at home because they're so good."
With that, she extended her hand across the coffee table, offering the candy to her.
"Here."
Astrid's eyes immediately dropped to the candy.
Then they slowly lifted to Elise's face.
Her gaze lingered there for a long moment before drifting back to the small sweet resting in Elise's palm.
She didn't move.
The suspicion in her eyes deepened almost imperceptibly. Her brows drew together as though she were trying to understand what Elise was really after.
The room fell silent once again.
Elise continued holding out the candy, blinking in mild confusion when Astrid made no attempt to accept it.
"...You don't like orange?" she asked hesitantly.
Astrid said nothing.
Her eyes remained fixed on the candy with unmistakable caution before returning to Elise once more.
Back.
Forth.
Again.
It was as though she were weighing every possible outcome of accepting such an innocent offer.
Elise looked from the candy in her hand back to Astrid's guarded expression, her lips parting slightly in confusion.
It took her only a second to understand.
Rather than feeling offended, a look of quiet realization crossed her face.
"Oh..."
She lowered her hand without the slightest trace of embarrassment, carefully placing the candy back onto the porcelain plate before turning toward Layla, who had remained standing quietly near the door the entire time.
"Layla," Elise called gently.
"Yes, Miss Foster?"
"Would you mind bringing another plate of snacks?" Elise asked with an understanding smile. "Could you make sure everything is unopened and still in its original packaging?"
The request had barely left her lips before Layla's expression stiffened.
Her eyes flicked toward Astrid, and the displeasure on her face was impossible to miss. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and the corners of her mouth twisted downward as though she wanted nothing more than to argue.
‘Seriously?’
The look she shot Astrid could have bored holes straight through the young woman.
Miss Foster had gone out of her way to welcome her with nothing but kindness, and this was the response she received?
For a brief moment, Layla looked as though she was about to protest.
Then she caught the gentle warning in Elise's eyes.
The words died before they ever left her mouth.
Taking a slow breath, she forced the irritation from her expression, though not very successfully.
"Of course, Miss Foster," she replied, her voice polite despite the obvious reluctance behind it.
With one last dissatisfied glance in Astrid's direction, Layla turned on her heel and walked out of the sitting room, the soft click of the closing door leaving the two women alone once again.