From Neglected Wife to CEO’s Obsession novel Chapter 182

He really was sensitive to those things. Guilt twisted in my stomach—maybe I’d pushed it too far.

He was the boss, after all. Respect was supposed to come first.

I was about to wave over one of the servers in those loud floral vests, hoping she could bring something for him to spit the food into.

But before I could, he squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to swallow, barely managing to get it down.

When he opened his eyes, there was a shimmer in his gaze, like he’d been holding his breath underwater.

“Sorry, I must have completely lost my mind,” I said, smacking my forehead, annoyed with myself.

Elliot lifted a brow, looking a little strained. He grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth, trying to play it cool. “It’s fine. First time trying it like that. Honestly, it wasn’t as bad as I thought.”

Ryan’s eyes went huge, and he clearly wanted to say something, but Blake was faster, shoving a chunk of meat into his mouth before any words could escape.

“What the heck, Blake? I don’t even like fatty pork,” Ryan grumbled, chewing a couple times before swallowing. His eyes stayed glued to Elliot, as if he was trying to catch any sign of a breakdown.

Blake shot a look at both me and Elliot, probably afraid Ryan would say something dumb. He quickly put a leaner piece in Ryan’s bowl. “Here, this one’s better. Eat it and keep your mouth busy.”

Message received. Now was not the time for commentary.

With Ryan and Mr. Garcia’s little comedy routine, my bad mood finally started to lift. I picked up my bowl and finished eating.

It wasn’t that I was heartless—I just couldn’t skip food. With my blood sugar issues, missing a meal could literally knock me out.

By the time we stepped outside, it was completely dark.

The sky was scattered with stars, and a cold wind cut right through me.

As our car pulled out of the old farmhouse driveway, we passed a black Maybach heading in the opposite direction.

I recognized the license plate immediately, and just like that, my good mood vanished.

Remy would never come to a place like this unless he had an agenda. He was too proud for that.

“Boss, is Remy going to be at the banquet tomorrow?”

My phone battery was down to two bars, so I put it away and closed my eyes, trying to rest.

Next thing I knew, I’d actually fallen asleep.

When I woke up, the sky was just starting to lighten, and our car was parked outside the hotel.

Somehow, Ryan and Blake had disappeared without me even noticing.

I checked my watch. 4:15 a.m.

We’d made good time—gotten there by three at the latest.

Which meant, after we arrived, Elliot—my boss—had sat in the car with me for at least seventy-five minutes while I slept.

Seriously, body? I’d slept like I was dead.

Elliot was still beside me. After a whole night on the road, he still looked put together, sitting tall and steady. The early morning light caught the sharp lines of his face, making him look almost unreal, like he’d stepped out of another world. There was something about him, this quiet strength, that made me want to reach out, just to check if he was actually real.