Chapter 14 Albin, moving quickly, handed Elijah his smartphone.
The news was significant, covered extensively by Orkset’s local media.
The reports suggested the explosion had been triggered by aging electrical wiring and worsened by a local
family’s stockpiling of natural gas for their food business, ultimately leading to a catastrophic blast.
Elijah gave a brief, troubled glance at the distressing images of the incident, a flicker of concern flashing across
his face.
But remembering his earlier encounter with Elizabeth—how she was unharmed and even argued with him—he
dismissed the idea of her involvement with a quiet exhale of relief.
Albin paused, eyeing Elijah’s cold expression with uncertainty, before cautiously remarking, “Elijah, | remember
that the old apartment was the last thing her mother left her—a sort of emotional anchor.
It's natural that she would be upset about losing something so meaningful.
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And to reach out to you in her tof need, only to find you unavailable... Plus, with the rumors about you and
Sandra, her reaction makes sense.
You two are still married, after all.
If you're not planning on a divorce, maybe offering an apology would be wise.”
Elijah scoffed dismissively, “That's nonsense! No matter how sentimental, an apartment is just a possession.
How can that compare to real issues? Even knowing all this, my decision to take Sandra to the hospital would still
be my priority.
If she really cared, she wouldn’t make such a fuss over this! An apology? | think she owesone, not the other
way around.”
Struck by Elijah’s harsh response, Albin found himself speechless.
He pressed his lips together and took a long sip of his wine, then, shaking his head slightly, continued drinking as
if the conversation had never happened, slipping back into the evening’s atmosphere.
After a few rounds, Albin noticed Elijah’s restless glances toward his phone.
He clicked his tongue in annoyance before offering, “Look, it’s Elizabeth being stubborn.
I'll give her a call and get her to apologize, okay?”
“Do what you want,” Elijah muttered with a shrug, his tone as indifferent as his gaze.
With a quick movement, Albin reached for Elijah’s phone, found Elizabeth's contact, and pressed the call button.
The room fell into a tense silence, the air thick with anticipation.
The phone rang several times before switching to a busy signal.
Unperturbed, Albin tried again, only to be met with the sabrupt dismissal after just one ring.
He attempted a few more calls, each ending abruptly.
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A hint of embarrassment crept onto Albin’s face as he scratched his head, attempting to mask his growing
frustration.
“Well, you know how it goes.
Sometimes women need a little tto collect themselves.
I'll try one more time.”
He hit the call button again, a spark of hope in his eyes, but was met with the cold, impersonal tone of a
prerecorded message.
“The number you have dialed is currently busy...”
Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Albin gently set the phone down and distanced himself from Elijah.
It becclear then—Elizabeth had blocked Elijah’s number.