Ellison And Joycelyn: A Love Beyond The Rules

Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Joycelyn’s cheeks were burning as she stammered, “It’s clearly you!” She couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence and quickly fell silent.

Ellison’s voice was low and calm. “What about me?”

Joycelyn wanted to say it was because he was too domineering, too demanding. But those words, she only dared to think in her head, never to speak aloud.

“It’s fine. I’ll just drink it,” Joycelyn said, her face flushed. She tried to sound nonchalant, though she desperately wished the could bury her face in the soup bowl and gulp it down like water.

“I’m done.” Joycelyn said, wiping her lips with a tissue. “Now, shall we get to the work report?”

“Sure,” Ellison replied.

Joycelyn immediately stood up to get the report. Ellison ate his lunch at a leisurely pace, while she sat across from him, earnestly going over the details of her work.

As she spoke, Ellison listened intently, occasionally asking a question or two. By the time he finished his meal, she had wrapped up her report.

That’s everything. If there’s nothing else, may I go rest now?” Joycelyn held her folder tightly, her desire to leave written all over her face.

“Go ahead,” Ellison said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. His eyes lingered on her hand, where the ring sparkled on her slender finger.

Joycelyn stood up and was about to leave when something seemed to occur to her. She turned back around, her face serious and looked at Ellison.

“Mr. Grant, I heard this ring costs tens of thousands of dollars. It feels too flashy for me. I was thinking of swapping it for a similar, more affordable one. Is that alright?”

A ring worth over 20 thousand dollars seemed completely out of place on her hand, especially for someone like her, from an ordinary background.

“Is 20 thousand dollars really that much?” Ellison asked, his tone casual, almost indifferent, leaving Joycelyn momentarily speechless.

A brief shadow passed over her gentle, thoughtful eyes, but she quickly explained. “To you, it might be nothing. But for me, it’s a lot–it’s almost a whole year’s salary, I can’t afford it, and I certainly can’t pay it back.”

“I never asked you to pay it back,” Ellison replied, his eyes narrowing slightly, his gaze settling on her with quiet intensity,

In that brief moment when his cold, steady eyes met hers, Joycelyn felt a sudden sense of urgency rise in her chest.

His silent, commanding presence made her feel a little breathless. He looked so composed, yet when his aura shifted, there was a sharpness to him–like a hawk’s piercing gaze–that almost felt suffocating.

“I know you don’t care about these things,” Joycelyn hurried to explain. Her voice grew softer, and a slight tremor crept into her tone. “It’s just… I don’t feel right accepting it. And… I don’t want to get used to relying on things I haven’t earned.”

She spoke gently and patiently, her words almost a plea. “I just want us to live according to our own means. Is that okay?”

Chapter 39

Ellison didn’t respond right away. He simply watched her in silence, his expression unreadable, his dark eyes calm and steady. The bright midday sun streamed through the windows, casting a soft glow on his chiseled features that offered no hint of what he might be thinking.

Joycelyn swallowed, a wave of anxiety flooding over her. She wasn’t sure if her words had upset him. After all, Ellison was like a prince, and probably very few people dared to speak to him the way she had

As Joycelyn thought about it, she couldn’t help but feel a little regretful. Just as she was starting to feel uneasy, Ellison spoke up. “Got it.”

“What?” Joycelyn froze for a second, her clear eyes flickering with uncertainty. “Thank you for understanding, Mr. Grant.”

Clutching her folder, she couldn’t stop herself from giving him a quick bow.

* was left speechless. Before he could say anything else, Joycelyn quickly grabbed her folder and hurried out of the

roon

briskly as if something was chasing her, only letting out a relieved sigh once she was safely in the elevator. She thought,

tried to calm her racing heart. Her legs felt weak, like they might

as well as his cool, aloof demeanor. But this–his silent pressure was something new. She had almost been scared into running

exited the elevator, she put

Is Mr. Grant satisfied?” As soon as she sat down, Aurelia came up from downstairs, looking at her with a mix of curiosity

either, were all watching her closely. After all, this was a direct report to Ellison–something most people would never

she picked up her water cup and took a sip. Her nervousness didn’t go unnoticed, and it made the others tense

Mr. Grant give you a hard time?” Selene lowered

closely, clearly

strict, and there are a few small things I need to work on,” Joycelyn

scared,” Selene said, furrowing her brow

she was usually calm and composed, so

first time reporting directly to the CEO. Who wouldn’t be nervous?” Joycelyn took another deep breath, her eyelashes fluttering. She didn’t dare look up at the concerned faces of her coworkers, feeling

chest.

asked, walking over to glance at the report. She

1708 Kie, FILED

Chapter 39

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the type of person who… well, he’s like a celestial being. His presence is

time we had lunch, the tension almost scared the hell out of me,” Selene said, recalling the meal with a rueful laugh as she patted her chest in self–comfort.

laugh at that. “Yes, that was the first time I’ve ever seen you so quiet. You barely said a

I was terrified. By the way, do

Chapter 39

Chapter 39

clearly you!” She couldn’t bring herself to finish

and calm. “What

But those words, she

though she desperately wished the could bury her face in the soup bowl and

her lips with a tissue. “Now, shall we get

“Sure,” Ellison replied.

his lunch at a leisurely pace, while she sat across from him, earnestly going over

intently, occasionally asking a question or two. By the time he finished

held her folder tightly, her desire

Ellison said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. His eyes lingered on her hand, where the ring sparkled on her slender

about to leave when something seemed to occur to her. She turned

Grant, I heard this ring costs tens of thousands of dollars. It feels too flashy for me. I was thinking of swapping

of place on her hand, especially for

dollars really that much?” Ellison asked, his tone casual,

for me, it’s a lot–it’s almost a whole year’s salary, I can’t afford it, and I certainly

replied, his eyes narrowing slightly, his gaze settling on her with quiet intensity,

cold, steady eyes met hers, Joycelyn felt a sudden

yet when his

tremor crept into her tone. “It’s just… I don’t feel right accepting it. And… I don’t want to get

patiently, her words almost a plea. “I just want us to live according to our own means. Is

Chapter 39

sun streamed through the windows, casting a soft glow on his chiseled features that

had upset him. After all, Ellison was like a prince, and probably very few people

a little regretful. Just as she was starting to

second, her clear eyes flickering with uncertainty. “Thank

she couldn’t stop herself from

Joycelyn quickly grabbed her folder