Under His Rule ✔

Chapter 15 POV Elsie

When I push open the door of the drama crew's hotel, Bryan is standing inside.

"You..." He reaches out, brushing the snow off my head. "Why are you back?"

I raise my hand and hand the cake to him. "You want some?"

Bryan throws a towel at me. "Dry your hair first; don't catch a cold."

I nod and quickly rub my head a few times.

Bryan looks at my face for a while, then carefully asks, "Is it over?"

"No."

"Then how..." Bryan glances at the table. "You didn't even give him the cake or the gift and just came back?"

I shake my head, not wanting to speak.

Before Bryan can say more, Lucy suddenly enters.

"The snow outside is heavy..." She sees me, halting the smile on her face. "Elsie? You're back?"

Bryan says, " Lucy, she needs a bath, prepare some hot water."

Lucy immediately nods.

"Sure, I'll go. I'll also fetch some medicine to prevent a cold."

"No need, Lucy." I stand up.

"You two can eat this cake if you like it. If not, just throw it away."

"Isn't this the one you made yesterday?" Lucy recognizes it.

"...Elsie made it herself?" Bryan is shocked.

"Yes, Elsie worked continuously for fourteen hours yesterday, almost falling asleep in the RV, and then insisted on making a cake..."

I close the bathroom door, and their conversation gradually fades away. I toss myself into the bathtub, and the hot water finally brings some warmth to me.

Actually, I have speculated about the outcome between Vincent and me.

The image of the woman who cried backstage at the awards ceremony often comes to my mind.

So, I have been working hard and cautiously in our relationship, hoping to extend our time together, just a bit longer.

But I never thought that I would be a substitute for another woman. Vincent likes seeing me because through me, he can see another woman.

At twelve, I get out of the bathtub, and my fingers are wrinkled from soaking too long.

Finally, I turn on my phone, and there's a missed call from Vincent.

I bite my lip and make the call, "Mr. Vincent."

"Elsie?" he says.

I thought I had consoled myself well enough. However, the moment I hear Vincent's voice, I immediately surrender, feeling a sourness in my nose, and tears threatening to fall.

"Are you there?" Vincent asks.

I lie on the bed, looking at the snow outside the window, uttering a clumsy lie, "Sorry, my phone ran out of battery, so it was turned off."

"Where are you now?"

"At the crew's hotel."

I bite my lip and get to the point, "The woman is Charlotte, right?"

There is a few seconds of silence on the other end.

"Correct," Vincent replies.

I pause and ask, "Is she your ex?"

This time, the silence on the phone is prolonged.

"I just have a secret crush on her," Vincent finally speaks.

"...Does she like you too?" I grip the phone tightly.

Another silence.

But I don't let myself hang up the call.

After a long time, "She's getting married, and today she came to give me the wedding invitation," Vincent says.

I nod.

"So, for these three months, have you been with me because I look like her?"

"Elsie." He pauses, not saying anything more.

"I got it, Mr. Vincent."

My eyes are sore, and my throat hurts.

But I suppress my choking, "Thank you for the extraordinary work opportunities you've given me in the past three months."

"Elsie." He calls my name again, his voice as gentle as usual. "What do you want to say?"

I used to think that this man would always be so gentle.

Now I know, it's because he doesn't care, that he is gentle.

"We can stop seeing each other," I say.