Chapter 3 Elodie

Out of politeness, Kelsey offered a smile to Elodie and replied, "Good morning."

Elodie approached and extended her hand as if to hold Kelsey's. "Kelsey, why haven't you been home lately? Are you still upset with Mom?"

Kelsey subtly evaded her touch, responding, "No, I'm not."

Seeing Kelsey dodge her hand, Elodie wore a crestfallen expression. "Kelsey, do you blame me?"

Kelsey, appearing puzzled, furrowed her brows. "Why would you think that?"

Elodie, with a cautious look, bit her lip and continued in a wounded tone, "I never intended to snatch your parents' love from you. I didn't know Mom would choose to save me first. I thought she would..."

Unable to tolerate the angelic facade any longer, Kelsey interrupted her, "I don't blame you. Your concerns are misplaced. I have other things to attend to. I must go now."

Fearing that Elodie would persist in acting like a loving sister, Kelsey cut the conversation short and began to depart.

Elodie, however, wasn't ready to give up. "Kelsey, you rarely come home. Why don't you stay for lunch before leaving?"

"No, thank you." Kelsey declined as she walked past Elodie, heading downstairs.

Suddenly, a startled scream echoed from behind.

Kelsey swiftly turned around, only to witness Elodie tumbling down the steps.

Concerned, she frowned and asked, "Are you..."

Before she could finish speaking, an indignant scream echoed from downstairs. "Kelsey, what have you done to Elodie?"

Suddenly, a well-dressed woman rushed upstairs and collided with her.

The impact caused a sharp pain in Kelsey's shoulder, making her wince.

Louise, seeing Elodie's swollen ankle, was furious. She scolded Kelsey without restraint, "Do you realize how vital feet are for a dancer? How could you push her? What were you thinking?"

The clear disgust in Louise's eyes sent a pang through Kelsey's heart. She averted her gaze and responded coolly, "I didn't push her."

Elodie quickly interjected, "Mom, it's a misunderstanding. Kelsey didn't push me. I tripped and missed a step. It's not her fault."

Louise, helping Elodie to her feet, paused in shock at her daughter's words.

She glanced at Kelsey, her lips parting as if to speak, but her pride held her back from saying anything.

Elodie seized the moment to apologize for Louise's behavior. "Kelsey, Mom didn't mean to accuse you. She's just really worried about me."

Kelsey looked down, a mysterious glint in her eyes.

"Be careful, the floor is slippery. Maybe avoid wearing high heels at home." After offering this advice, Kelsey turned and walked away.

Elodie watched her go with a sly smile tugging at her lips, yet she feigned concern and turned to blame Louise. "Mom, you were a bit too harsh just now."

With her lips pressed tightly together, Louise responded, "I thought she was acting out of jealousy. I remembered how she was still angry at me for rescuing you first that time."

At the sound of these words, Kelsey abruptly halted.

Elodie feigned sympathy for Kelsey. "She's been troubled about this matter. With your misunderstanding, her sadness must have deepened."

Instead of acknowledging her mistake, Louise shifted the blame onto Kelsey. "Had she not acted so poorly, I wouldn't have had such a misunderstanding."

Expressing her disapproval, Elodie remarked, "True, Kelsey had her issues in her teens. But hasn't she improved significantly?"

Louise, feeling exasperated, replied, "Let's not dredge up the past. I sometimes wonder what I did in a past life to deserve such a peculiar and unreasonable daughter. She was reckless with men and even had an abortion at a young age."

After a moment's pause, Louise sighed again, "If only she could be even half as good as you."

Upon hearing this, a flicker of coldness passed through Kelsey's eyes. She no longer listened to their conversation but instead hastened her steps, leaving the villa behind.

-

Kelsey reached the City Hall just as Julien was arriving.

Today, Julien was dressed in stylish attire, donning a black coat, cargo pants, and a pair of black Dr. Martens.

His hair was parted deeply to the side, revealing his broad forehead.

The hairstyle complemented his strong features, making him appear quite distinguished.

Julien sported a pair of sunglasses perched on his prominent nose.

He wasn't a celebrity, yet he drew more attention than one.

As Kelsey approached, Julien removed his sunglasses and placed them in his coat's chest pocket, then strolled towards her with his hands casually tucked in his pockets.

Always exuding a rebellious and arrogant air, Julien never tried to downplay his presence, even in front of Kelsey, despite their impending marriage. He lifted his chin with a nonchalant air and asked, "Did you bring everything you need?"

Gazing at his striking features, Kelsey gave a slight nod, replying softly, "Yes."

"Let's go then," Julien said, nodding slightly before striding into the City Hall.

"Okay." Kelsey trailed behind him obediently. Despite her not having short legs, she found it challenging to keep pace with him.

Perhaps due to Julien's prior arrangements, they obtained their marriage certificate swiftly.

In about ten minutes, they were officially a married couple, legally recognized.

Thus, Kelsey and Julien were married after a three-month courtship.

Marriage was typically a joyous occasion, but no such joy was evident on Julien's face. Instead, he seemed to be undertaking a necessary task with a sense of duty rather than delight.

Julien glanced at Kelsey and suggested in a neutral tone, "How about I drive you back to school?"

"Alright," Kelsey agreed.

While they were on the road, his phone rang abruptly.

The caller ID displayed "Eileen", promoting Kelsey to glance at Julien instinctively.

Unaware of her gaze, Julien answered the call, equipped with a Bluetooth headset, which made the conversation inaudible to Kelsey.

She only caught Julien's response. "Keep an eye on her. I'll be right there."

After ending the call, he pulled over and said to Kelsey, "You should take a taxi to school. I have another matter to attend to."

"Okay," Kelsey replied, without any inquiries.

She calmly unbuckled her seat belt and stepped out of the car.

The moment the door shut, Julien sped off, leaving a trail of exhaust in his wake, which hit Kelsey's face.

She stood there, momentarily speechless.

Her newlywed husband had just left her roadside to meet another woman, yet Kelsey felt no annoyance.

Today, she had no classes, so there was no rush to return to school.

Instead, she made her way to a cemetery.

At one of the tombstones, there was a photo of a man with the kindest face imaginable. His eyes sparkled like stars, and his lips curved slightly, reminiscent of a gentle summer breeze.

"Ashton, I'm here to see you," she whispered.

Kelsey gazed at the name chiseled on the tombstone, slowly squatting down.

She reached out to touch it, her voice tinged with sorrow. "I got married today. His name is Julien Stanley. He's quite handsome, and he treats me well."

A soft breeze caressed Kelsey's face, as if comforting her.

She closed her eyes, leaning her cheek against the cool surface of the tombstone. "I miss you so much," she murmured.

She recalled a small black mole near Ashton's left eye.