Chapter 65
Ellison didn’t say a word, but the look in his eyes spoke volumes–sharp, accusing, and impossible to ignore. Joycelyn felt the weight of his silent judgment settle heavily on her chest.
“Let’s eat,” Joycelyn quickly turned off the faucet, eager to escape.
But Ellison leaned over the sink, bracing his hands on the edge, blocking her path.
“Let’s eat. Don’t keep Isolde waiting,” Joycelyn said.
“Fine, we’ll settle this later at home,” Ellison said, his gaze still locked on her, intense and unwavering.
Joycelyn just smiled and said, “Mr. Grant, you’re so magnanimous, please spare me.”
“Not a chance,” Ellison replied, pulling back and standing straight, his tone proud and aloof.
Joycelyn couldn’t help but laugh even more. “Are you jealous?”
“No.” Ellison drawled lazily, straightforward.
He wasn’t really jealous, just a little irritated.
A deep sense of possessiveness stirred inside him. For this impulsive little woman, his usually indifferent feelings were easily stirred.
Joycelyn, however, didn’t believe for a second that Ellison would be jealous over her. Once freed, she walked toward the balcony’s outdoor dining area.
“Isolde, this place has such a great view of the stars,” Joycelyn said as she sat down next to her.
“Joycelyn, why is your face so red? Did Ellison bully you?” Isolde’s sharp eyes caught the blush, and she leaned closer with a teasing smile, clearly enjoying the sight of the young couple.
“No, he… doesn’t bully me. He’s really good to me.” Joycelyn defended Ellison, especially in front of Isolde. She was doing her best to play the role of the gentle, virtuous wife, hoping to make Isolde happy.
“Isolde, let’s eat,” Ellison said, sitting opposite Joycelyn, wiping his hands with a napkin.
He was a far cry from the domineering person he had been just moments ago.
Now, he appeared poised and elegant, radiating an air of quiet sophistication.
Dinner was extravagant and formal.
The table was filled with a variety of dishes, totaling over thirty different specialties.
Joycelyn didn’t have to serve herself–Isolde insisted on helping her, making sure she was well taken care of.
After the meal, Joycelyn sat with Isolde on the couch, listening to traditional opera.
While flipping through channels, they kept landing on news reports about the collaboration between Miss Wilson and Mr. Grant on the development of the “Core Intelligence” project.
The reports seemed to get more and more ridiculous with each channel change.
Some praised Ruby’s beauty and intelligence, calling her a tech-savvy beauty CPO. Others spoke of the groundbreaking chip they had created together, hinting at “good things to come…”
Joycelyn nearly pressed the remote too hard, frustrated at not being able to find the channel with the opera.
“Isolde, is it not the right time yet? They keep airing the news,” Joycelyn asked sweetly, glancing at Isolde.
“You brat! What is going on? You’re married, yet they’re spreading these absurd rumors. Since when did news anchors become PR tools? What’s with this nonsense?” Isolde’s sharp tone shifted to a more fiery one as she scolded Ellison.
“Grandma, it’s all nonsense. Don’t believe it,” Joycelyn said, trying to calm the upset Isolde by switching off the TV.
“I’m not angry, I just feel bad for you. Marrying such a handsome man, yet you’re dealing with all this nonsense. You’d better tell me what’s going on, young man,” Isolde said, holding Joycelyn’s hand and turning to Ellison, demanding answers.
“I’ll handle it,” Ellison said calmly, not the least bit irritated with his grandmother, always obedient to her.
He took out his phone and immediately dialed Leon.
“Ten minutes. If I hear more rumors about me and Ruby on any news channel, especially from The Davey family media, I’ll shut it down tomorrow,”
His cold, authoritative voice carried weight, leaving Joycelyn with the eerie feeling of being in a corporate office being questioned by the CEO.
Her palms unexpectedly became sweaty.
“Can your friend fix it?” she asked cautiously.
“Yes. The Davey family is heavily invested in the entertainment media. This kid’s made a fortune, but tomorrow I’ll make him pay it all back. He’s bringing all this trouble to me.” Ellison wasn’t pleased with the fabricated stories.
“Well, if you keep your marriage a secret, of course, people will start making assumptions. If they know you’re married, no one would dare to chase after you.” Isolde took a sip of the calming coffee Aniay handed her, her tone layered with meaning.
“That’s up to her. If you don’t mind, I can announce that I’m married. Will you be fine with that?” Ellison turned to look at the quiet, well-behaved Joycelyn, his gaze searching.
“Ah? Won’t they start investigating and following you around?” Joycelyn asked, her heart tightening.
She felt more anxious about the idea of the announcement than not. She felt exposed and vulnerable.
“It’s fine. It’s just a marriage announcement. We’ll protect you. If you don’t want to make a public splash, then we won’t. Being too noticeable is not always a good thing,” Isolde reassured her.
Joycelyn nodded, albeit reluctantly.
She knew Isolde was supporting her, but after thinking it over, she bit her lip and said quietly, “Maybe… we shouldn’t announce it yet. I know you don’t like being in the spotlight either.”
Isolde didn’t press her further after hearing this, simply nodding.
“Alright, we won’t announce it, but we’ll make sure there’s no confusion. No more rumors or gossip that might make you worried.”
“I understand, Grandma,” Ellison replied seriously.
Later, as they left the hospital, Joycelyn sat in the passenger seat, removed her mask, and took a deep breath.
Ellison was driving, and once they were both settled in the car, he suddenly said, “Last time when I bought the ring, I forgot one for men. I’ll wear it next time we visit Grandma.”
“Sounds good,” Joycelyn replied casually.
At that moment, she thought he meant he would wear the matching wedding ring for their next visit to Isolde. But she didn’t expect him to wear it to the office the very next day.
During the morning rush, Ellison, along with several senior executives and employees, took the elevator together.
It was a typical workday, but when Ellison wore his wedding ring, the entire Grant Group went into an uproar.
In the group chat, Joycelyn saw a photo someone had taken. Her mind went blank when she saw it.
She hadn’t noticed it earlier that morning when he left, but now, in the elevator, he was wearing it. It was the same matching set as hers.
It was impossible to deny now. They were definitely linked.
“Mr. Grant has a partner? The wedding ring he’s wearing is the same as Joycelyn’s,” Selene zoomed in on the photo, her voice full of curiosity.
After seeing it, she couldn’t help but comment on it.
Joycelyn, wanting to avoid the situation, tried to slip away, but Selene’s question immediately drew the attention of the whole office.
“Joycelyn, are you dating Mr. Grant?” Selene asked, her excitement evident.
