Chapter 17

Elise didn't bother responding. No matter what she said, Samuel would insist she was just throwing a tantrum and playing hard to get. Samuel had always been like that—headstrong, domineering, and convinced of his own assumptions. He'd been hostile toward her when she'd pushed for the marriage, and he'd always carried an underlying sense of disdain. She set down her teacup and turned away silently. As she did, her eyes met Henry's. "I'll come find you later," he said. Elise nodded and opened the door. Just as she was about to step out, she heard Zara's surprised voice behind her. "I just realized that Mr. Grayson was the one who came out of that room with El last time. Besides, El is serving tea in his lab. They must be pretty close." Elise had no intention of responding, but Zara had a way of slyly getting under her skin. She'd thought that with Zara abroad, their lives would never clash. Pleasing Samuel had already been exhausting, so she'd turned a blind eye to his intere