Chapter 670
Jarrod stared at the photograph of Elodie, her back turned toward the camera.
One shot even showed her gently resting her hand on her flat stomach, head bowed.
He couldn’t see her expression, but that gesture alone said everything.
A strange current surged through Jarrod’s chest, spreading in aching, tingling waves through his veins.
The feeling was a bittersweet ache that wouldn’t let up.
For a rare moment, his usually steady mind was thrown into disarray. By the time he realized it, he was already on his feet, reaching for his phone to call Elodie.
He didn’t care why Elodie hadn’t told him about this. None of the other questions mattered anymore.
All that mattered was the fact that there was a child—a child that belonged to him and Elodie.
Andrea watched Jarrod charge out of the office and hurried to catch up. “Mr. Silverstein, you still have several important meetings scheduled for today. Should
I reschedule them?”
He’d seen the email too.
Andrea understood exactly what Mr. Silverstein must be feeling.
Jarrod was already dialing Elodie as he strode down the hallway. “Yes, push everything back.”
Right now, nothing was more important.
Andrea immediately caught on.
Still, as he glanced down at the schedule, he hesitated at one item. “At eleven, there’s a networking luncheon at Eastsoar International. Some of the overseas execs are flying in-you’re a key guest.”
“Doesn’t matter.” Jarrod kept calling Elodie.
But Elodie never picked up.
Jarrod finally stopped, pressing his fingers to his brow, trying to compose himself and rein in the storm inside. “Check with Eastsoar International, see if VistaLink Technologies is on the guest list.”
Usually, these events only invited the top Fortune 500s. But VistaLink was in a league of its own now, especially with the Nexus Analytics partnership. They might have made the cut.
Andrea nodded, instantly understanding. “Understood.”
Jarrod took the stairs two at a time, not slowing down.
Even after the tense argument with Elodie yesterday-even though all the things he once cared about still hung unresolved between them-he realized now that, if she’d just once said, “It’s not like that,” he would have let those years of resentment go as nothing more than his own stubbornness.
But Elodie had never given him that comfort. She’d ignored his feelings, never called, never tried to explain.
It was hard not to feel all those old grievances rushing back.
But now…
Now Elodie was pregnant, and they had a chance at something new.
Maybe he really had been too petty—what was there to argue over anymore? What did it matter who was right?
When Elodie and Esmeralda arrived at the main hall of the Eastsoar International event, the place was already buzzing with people.
There were plenty of unfamiliar faces-foreign business leaders, deep in conversation, forging connections that could open doors for international partnerships.
Esmeralda was in her element. As they walked in, she discreetly pointed out the key players to Elodie.
“That’s Jamie, head of European operations at QU. The guy in the gray suit up ahead is Mr. Brown from Berlin-specialty materials. And that woman over there, the one who looks like a supermodel? Gloria-she manages the Asia division for the world’s top drone brand.”
Esmeralda rattled off names and backgrounds with ease.
Her knowledge was flawless-she never missed a detail.
Elodie grinned. “Wow, you really know everyone?”
Esmeralda gave a proud little huff. “What do you think I’m here for? You and Alex handle the tech side. I make sure we can work seamlessly with people like this. That’s how we get things done.”
Elodie chuckled and gave her an encouraging pat on the back.
Esmeralda even had a list of these key players’ personal preferences-who liked what, who
preferred direct introductions-Sant
she could help break the ice and
give
their team a perfect first impression. With contacts like these, every detail mattered.