Chapter 196

Milton could only shoot Elaine a "good luck, you're on your own" kind of look before slipping away. Watching Marcus walk slowly toward her, Elaine froze—retreating felt wrong, walking up felt worse. A hundred different thoughts zipped through her head in a flash. But the second he was just a step away, her brain made a decision on pure instinct. "Oh my god... I've been so wronged!" she wailed, plopping straight to the floor, tilting her head back and bursting into loud sobs. Marcus didn't know what hit him—it wasn't just him, even Milton and Oliver were totally taken aback. This was Elaine's ultimate go-to move, something she never pulled unless it was absolutely necessary. And well, this moment definitely qualified. Marcus had come ready to chew her out, a whole storm building inside him, but now? Standing there watching her full-on meltdown, he found himself completely thrown off. Elaine sobbed dramatically, going all in: "Ethan asked me to be a judge, but then that Nathan guy straig