Without waiting for a response, she set her phone aside and limped toward the bathroom, each step a testament to her newfound determination and independence. Thirty minutes later, Elizabeth finally forced herself from the bathtub, her limbs heavy and unresponsive.
As she looked up, her reflection stopped her; her skin appeared flawless, like polished porcelain, radiating an unmarked glow. Her eyes, deep pools of allure, glimmered with a soft, inviting warmth, captivating anyone who met her gaze. Though nearing twenty-five, she relished the fact that time had yet to mark her immaculate complexion. Surely, a woman with such a face had no room for self-doubt.
Lost in thought, she carelessly stretched her injured leg onto the cold floor, forgetting its recent injury. Wrapped tightly in cling film to protect it from moisture, the suffocating layer had cut off circulation, leaving her leg numb. As her foot hit the ground, it slipped unexpectedly.
“Ah!” Elizabeth gasped, her arms flailing, searching for support. Just as she teetered, the bathroom door swung open. Elijah stood there, impeccably suited, a striking figure. Their eyes met; he hesitated, momentarily stunned, then swiftly closed the distance.
Elizabeth’s breath hitched as he scooped her into a smooth bridal hold, his unexpected pressure around her waist. Taken aback by his sudden appearance, she realized, with a shock, that she was completely naked. Humiliation washed over her as she instinctively covered herself. This was their first moment of such intimacy since their wedding, and the discomfort made her toes curl, her skin flushing pink.
Elijah looked down with a playful grin. “Let’s be honest, there’s nothing to see,” he teased softly.
Feeling mortified and irritated, Elizabeth retorted, “Oh, Mr. James, after all you’ve witnessed, I suppose nothing can surprise you anymore.”
She carried her C-cup curves with understated elegance, a touch of allure that surpassed Sandra's painfully flat, rigid frame. Yet Elizabeth understood that without love, even the most flawless body paled in comparison to the charm of someone truly cherished.
Indifferently, Elijah grabbed a bathrobe and draped it over her. His frown deepened at her remark. “What are you talking about, Elizabeth?” A thought struck him, and his expression shifted to impatience. “Tell me, did you send those divorce papers in the dead of night just to bring me back here—to catch you completely naked?” His voice held disbelief and frustration. “I told you I was buried in work. Was this dramatic display really necessary?”
Elizabeth’s temper flared at his accusatory tone, reigniting the tension between them. He was always so quick to lose patience. She wasn't one to use words like divorce or breakup lightly; this was the first time she'd ever mentioned divorce in their two-year marriage, yet he seemed unconcerned with her distress, dismissing her emotions as trivial.