Casting a quick look at Erick, Elin quietly took her place in the passenger seat.
She always seemed to yield to him without protest.
Once inside the car, they went all the way in complete silence, not uttering a single word to each other.
Elinâs gaze was fixed intently on the carâs hood.
Years of suffering at the hands of her former partner taught her to stay grounded in reality.
She also understood that a man like Erick, who was far beyond her reach, should not be part of her life.
Erick, in the driverâs seat, came from a distinguished family, in stark contrast to her, who felt like nothing more than a failure.
Elinâs self-esteem had plummeted further following her disastrous marriage, making her feel even lesser in Erickâs presence.
Suddenly, Elin felt a sharp pain in her stomach.
Every encounter with Erick seemed to fill Elin with a mix of nervousness and embarrassment.
As they halted at a red light, Erick reached into the carâs cooler and offered Elin a warm drink.
âAre you feeling okay?â Erick asked, noticing her discomfort.
âThank you for your concern, Dr.
Foster.
Iâm fine,â Elin replied formally and accepted the can.
Her voice carried a tone of detachment.
âDonât call me like that.
Right now, Iâm just a guest lecturer since Iâm focusing on the companyâs affairs,â Erick corrected her.
âUnderstood, Mr.
Foster,â Elin responded, using a different formal title.
This only seemed to irritate Erick further.
âElin, are you deliberately trying to annoy me?â Erick asked sharply, fixing his gaze intently on her.
Elin appeared taken aback by Erickâs words.
She lowered her gaze, looking gentle and submissive.
âOf course not, Mr.
Foster,â she assured him.
âs BunnyBookery Despite her denial, Erick was convinced she was acting deliberately.
Erick remembered a similar situation when he had introduced Dayton to Elin.
She hadnât objected then and had indeed started dating Dayton.
Back then, Dayton lured Erick to the scene and asked if Erick would object to his marrying Elin.
Erick gave a neutral reply and Elin quickly accepted Daytonâs proposal.
They were married within days.
Erick had felt deeply upset at that time, but he felt helpless to change anything.
Reflecting on this, a wave of anger surged within him.
In truth, when Dayton sought Erickâs opinion, Erick responded, âI have no objection, but ultimately, itâs Elinâs decision.
â
Regrettably, neither Dayton nor Elin didnât seem to take his statement to heart.
âCall me whatever you like,â Erick said dismissively.
With those words, Erick restarted the car, and now drove at a noticeably faster pace.
Having eaten little that day, Elinâs face grew pale from motion sickness.
However, she clenched her teeth and bore it silently.