Chapter 1 I Blocked Him

Everybody in their social circle knew Eleanor Donovan had it bad for Chris Langford. Like, hopelessly in love.

So when folks saw Chris walk into the VIP room all cozy with some new girl, someone muttered, "Dude, Eleanor is coming tonight. You really couldn't tone it down a bit?"

Chris just shrugged like he couldn't care less. "Why should I? If she can't take it, she can just fuck off."

"Do you even like her?"

Chris scoffed. "If she weren't uncle Tyler's little leverage, you think I'd be dating her? Agreeing to marry her was just a temporary move. That's all she'll get—my last name. Anything else? She can keep dreaming."

"Don't talk like that, all right? What if she hears that and dumps you?"

"You think she has that kind of spine? Please." Chris gave a lazy sneer. "She has been learning massage lately—her hands are not half bad. Maybe I should have her give you all a turn."

"Come on, man." One of them chuckled. "That's crazy."

Another guy laughed. "Nah, you are missing the point. If Chris even hints at breaking up, Eleanor folds like a lawn chair. I wish I had a girl that loyal."

Someone else leaned in, smirking. "Bet you didn't know this—Chris isn't even into Eleanor. Word is, she threw one of her classic tantrums, and his actual girl had to leave town. You ask that girl for a massage, see if Chris doesn't freak out."

"Of course I would," Chris jumped in. "If it weren't for Eleanor messing things up, Serena would already be my wife."Yeah sure, Eleanor has a thing for me, and wants to sacrifice everything for me—but that is her choice. Like I'd ever fall for some self-absorbed snake like her."

Little did they know, Eleanor had been standing outside the door that whole time, hearing every last word. Her heart clenched, pain spreading through her body.

She thought to herself, 'We grew up together. We have been side by side for years. How could he say something like that?'

In Chris' eyes, Eleanor could never compare to Serena Farrell. Serena was kind, thoughtful, and resilient. He once told Eleanor that Serena reminded him of a wildflower growing out of a cliff—delicate but strong. Eleanor, by contrast, was just some hothouse flower who could never survive without constant care.

Eleanor's whole life had revolved around Chris. She had liked roses, but stopped keeping them around just because he once called them "tacky." She had started studying traditional medicine, learned herbal cooking and massage therapy, all for the sake of his health. Eleanor had believed, deep down, that he would eventually fall for her. But turns out, all of that was just a one-woman fantasy.

Inside, the room was full of laughter and good vibes. And then—bam—Eleanor shoved the door open and locked eyes with Chris, who had a girl curled up on his lap. The place went dead silent. Awkward as hell.

Someone tried to break the tension. "Eleanor, hey, you made it. Chris was just playing the game. You know how it is—around here, a guy without a couple girls hovering is kind of a loser."

Chris didn't even blink about whether Eleanor had overheard his earlier comments. "Just some harmless fun. If that is such a problem, then maybe you're not cut out to be my wife."

"You're right. I am not cut out to be your wife," Eleanor said, holding back tears with a calm voice. "Chris, you do hate me, huh?"

Chris looked at her with pure disgust. He thought, 'Here we go again. That pathetic, about-to-cry face. Who is she performing for this time? That fake innocence was exactly how she got Tyler on her side in the first place.'

"Cut the act. You standing there like a kicked puppy isn't cute. It is just gross," Chris said coldly. "What are you waiting for? My guys and I are playing cards. Go peel an orange and put it next to me."

Back in the day, whenever Chris wanted oranges, Eleanor would peel them, cut them into perfect bite-sized pieces, and serve them without a word. He had loved that.

But this time, Eleanor didn't budge. She just said, "Maybe do it yourself."

Chris was stunned. Eleanor had never used that tone with him before.

"Don't be mad, Mr. Chris. I'll do it." Chris' new girl giggled. She peeled an orange segment, held half in her mouth, then leaned in. "Let me feed you."

Chris threw a glance at Eleanor, smirked, and yanked the girl into his arms. He took the orange piece straight from her lips. Someone shoved the girl from behind, sending their lips crashing together.

"Get a room!" someone shouted. But a few people kept glancing at Eleanor, clearly uncomfortable.

Eleanor watched Chris swallow the orange and lock lips with the other woman. Her chest tightened. 'There's no way I can stay in this room one more second,'she thought. And just like that, she turned and walked out.

Someone noticed. "Chris, she's actually pissed this time. Go after her, man."

Chris barely looked at the door. "Give it 15 minutes. She'll come crawling back."

"True that." Someone nodded. "Eleanor is head over heels for you. Lucky bastard."

"Let's bet on it," another guy said. "I give it 30 minutes."

"I say an hour." Another laughed.

Eleanor splashed cold water on her face in the restroom and stared at her reflection. "Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic." After all those years by Chris' side, this was what she got. She felt something shift in her chest. Something final.

Her phone buzzed. It was Vera Monroe, her best friend.

Vera said, "Hey, I just landed! Think you can come pick me up? Wait, did you say you had that event with Chris tonight? Never mind—"

"I'm coming to get you. Stay where you are." Eleanor cut her off.

Outside the arrival gate, Vera waved when she saw Eleanor. "Look at you, showing up for your girl. I figured you had ditched me again for that trash boyfriend."

"Not anymore," Eleanor said quietly.

Vera's smile faded. She studied Eleanor. "What happened? That jerk mess with you again?"

"Anyway, enough about him," Eleanor said. "You hungry? Let's grab something to eat."

They had just sat down in a diner when Chris' name lit up Eleanor's screen. She declined. Then blocked him. No hesitation. A few minutes later, a WhatsApp message popped up. From Chris: [You done throwing a fit? Get back here already.]

Eleanor replied: [We're done.] Then blocked him again.

"Let me guess. That jerk was calling you?" Vera asked. "You are being real chill about it. Usually one call from him and you would run over like he was some VIP royalty."

Eleanor stirred her coffee slowly. "I blocked him."

Chapter 2 Serena Is Back

Vera thought she misheard, but one look at Eleanor's face told her Eleanor wasn't joking. Vera gave her a thumbs up. "Well damn, look at you. Growth."

Compared to how chill Eleanor was, Chris was clearly not. The party was almost over, and she still hadn't shown up. Someone nudged him and said, "Man, just own up and say 'I love you.' That's all girls want to hear."

But even if Chris wanted to pull that stunt, he literally could not. Eleanor had blocked him everywhere—phone, social, everything. Sure, they had fought before, but she had never gone full block mode.

He thought to himself, 'Oh, she thinks she can play these mind games with me? Cute. Two can play at this game. Let's see how long she can keep this up.'

Then Chris' phone buzzed, cutting that thought short. It was his uncle, Tyler Langford: [Your engagement party with Eleanor's next week. How's prep going? Bring her over for dinner tomorrow.]

Chris frowned, thinking, 'Eleanor really hit the jackpot, huh. Just because she saved Tyler's ass once, now she's got his full support. No way in hell can Tyler find out how I treated her.'

After a moment, he dialed up Linda Donovan, Eleanor's mom. "Mrs. Donovan, I need a favor—"

At the diner, Eleanor watched Vera inhale her food. "You were in Mistral Bay, not the middle of nowhere. Did they starve you or something?"

"I was there for a site check, not a vacation." Vera groaned. "The cafeteria food sucked. The airport food? Also sucked. Honestly, nothing beats home cooking."

Eleanor was about to say something when her phone rang. It was Linda.

"You and Chris fought?" Linda asked. "The engagement party's next week. Invitations already went out to friends and family. You swore you'd only marry Chris, and now you're pulling this? He told me everything. Look, men mess around sometimes. It's not that deep."

Eleanor smirked to herself, thinking, 'She's just freaking out I'll bail on the wedding. God forbid she loses her golden ticket to high society and has to face the neighborhood gossip.'

She replied, "Really? Funny coming from the woman who raised hell when Mr. Donovan slept with his coworker and got her fired. But when it's me, suddenly I'm supposed to be the bigger person?"

"You brat! Is that how you talk to your mother—"

Eleanor hung up before she could finish. She'd had enough.

Chris still hadn't heard back from Eleanor, and it was starting to get on his nerves. His new fling leaned in close again, and he pushed her away without thinking.

'How did I not notice before?' he thought. 'Her perfume is straight-up nasty. It's nothing like Eleanor's scent—light and herbal, actually nice.'

"What's wrong, Mr. Chris?" The girl pouted.

Chris said nothing. He walked out of the VIP room.

"What's up with him?" someone asked.

Another guy scoffed, "What else? Eleanor totally showed him up in public. Women these days, man—they got to learn when to dial it back. Can't be embarrassing a dude like that. No wonder Chris can't stand her."

Back at the villa, Chris felt his stomach twist. Whenever Eleanor came to parties with him, she would pick out the food that was easy on his stomach and stop him from touching anything that might upset it.

But this time, she wasn't there. Out of spite, he'd eaten spicy food and taken a few shots.

"Wendy, bring me that herbal broth. The one that's good for my stomach," said Chris.

Wendy answered, "Sorry, sir. Miss Donovan always made that herself. I wouldn't know where to start."

Chris snapped, "It's just broth. How hard can it be?"

"Well, sir, Miss Donovan said it was made with over a dozen different herbs.

"She had to measure out everything by the ounce, soak it for just the right amount of time, monitor the heat—low, medium, high, depending on the stage. I'm too old to remember all that. I just can't make it the way she does."

Chris frowned. "Then call her. Tell her to come over."

"You might want to call her yourself, sir. I just work here. I don't boss Miss Donovan around."

Eleanor and Wendy were pretty tight. But Chris always thought Eleanor's kindness to Wendy was just another act—trying to win brownie points with him by playing nice with his housekeeper. Watching Wendy now, he was sure Eleanor had told her to say all this.

"Did Eleanor put you up to this? She wants me to believe my life'll go to shit without her, doesn't she?" barked Chris.

Wendy felt bad for Eleanor but knew better than to say anything. "No, sir. She hasn't even stopped by today."

Chris's stomach tightened even more. He waved Wendy off. It had been five hours since Eleanor left. Chris slammed his fist on the table and thought, 'There's no way she's staying mad at me forever. No chance.'

Someone knocked on the door. Chris perked up and went to open it. "I knew you—" The words died in his throat as he took in the woman standing there, travel-worn and weary. "Serena?" he muttered.

Serena looked at him, tears in her eyes. "I heard you're getting engaged. I had to come back. I know I'm not good enough for you. But... before the engagement, maybe we could make some memories?"

Chris softened. "Sure. What do you have in mind?"

"Just walk around with me?"

Eleanor hadn't expected to see Chris at the mall, let alone see him holding another woman like that. He was smiling—a kind of smile she'd never seen before. And the woman? Eleanor recognized her right away. Serena. The Donovans' adopted daughter.

Serena had been raised by her dad after her parents split. Her dad used to be the Donovans' driver. One night, when the Donovans' house caught fire, he saved young Eleanor but didn't make it out himself. Out of guilt, the Donovans took Serena in.

Back then, Eleanor was a spoiled rich kid, and compared to her, Serena was the perfect little angel. Even Linda favored Serena more.

But Eleanor knew better. Serena was anything but innocent. She once saw Serena strangle her kitten to death with her own eyes. Nobody believed her.

And that fire? Eleanor had her suspicions Serena was behind it. When Serena's dad shielded her in his arms during the chaos, she could've sworn she heard him mutter, "God help us. Miss Donovan, please... forgive Serena."

Now that she thought about it, whenever Eleanor was around, Serena always ended up with mysterious injuries. And when questioned, she'd say with those big eyes, "It's nothing, I was just being clumsy. Don't blame Eleanor."

Eleanor had thought moving on would be easy. But seeing them like that, all cuddled up, it stung—bad.

Vera picked up on it right away and followed Eleanor's gaze. "Oh damn. That's Chris, right? And who's that girl he's holding?"

Eleanor clenched her fists. Her voice was tight. "That's the girl my parents took in."

"Oh right! Wasn't it on your twentieth birthday when you caught them kissing? She vanished the next day." Vera paused. "Wait... did Chris hold that against you?"

"Do you know why she disappeared back then?" Eleanor let out a dry chuckle. "Because I saved Tyler Langford's life, and he promised to help me with three things."

Eleanor had found Tyler up on Mount Elowyn. It was late, no one else around. He was passed out on the ground, lips purple, clearly out of oxygen.

Eleanor called 911, did what she could to stabilize him, and gave him her one and only oxygen canister. She nearly blacked out herself, but the rescue team arrived just in time.

Later, Tyler had made her a promise: he owed her three favors. And the first thing she asked was to make Serena leave Chris.

Back then, she truly believed that if Serena disappeared, Chris would come back to her. 'We grew up together,' she had thought. 'When we were kids, he said he'd marry me someday.' But now, she saw how wrong she had been.

Watching them walk hand-in-hand into a diamond store, Vera lost it. "Girl, how are you not throwing something right now?"

Eleanor took a deep breath and steadied her voice. "You can't force love. Sure, my family and the Langfords had an arrangement, but they never said exactly who was supposed to marry who."

Vera thought for a moment before saying, "So technically, if you marry Tyler, it'll still fulfill the arrangement, right? Since he still owes you two more favors, why not make him put a ring on it? Imagine becoming Chris' aunt—now that's a plot twist."

Eleanor shook her head, remembering Tyler's icy face. "Stop. Don't even joke like that."

Eleanor managed to dodge those two cheating assholes at the mall, but damn if life didn't have a twisted sense of humor—there they were, right in her own living room.

Chapter 3 Chris Slapped Her

"Serena, now that you're back, why don't you just stay? Your room's been waiting for you this whole time." Linda was all smiles as they reunited. "You left without a word back then. Why didn't you say anything?"

Serena clasped her hands and looked down. Her voice was shaky. "Mrs. Donovan, please don't blame Eleanor. It had nothing to do with her. She just cared too much about Chris. I don't hold it against her for going to Mr. Tyler Langford about me."

Linda's smile faded. "So Eleanor was the one who drove you away?"

"Well..." Serena shook her head. "It was my fault for getting too close to Chris. I made her think the wrong thing."

Seeing her tear-streaked face, Linda felt a pang in her chest. "You poor thing. Always putting yourself last."

"Gee, 'always putting yourself last'? That's funny." Eleanor walked into the living room. "Did you forget what you did? You knew I liked Chris since we were kids.

"And you kissed him on my birthday. If I hadn't walked in when I did, were you two about to have sex?"

"I'm sorry." Tears rolled down Serena's face.

"It was just a kiss. We were drunk," Chris muttered, tugging at his collar, clearly annoyed. "We didn't even sleep together. Why can't you let it go? But you—kicking a broke girl out to some random city? That's cold, Eleanor. Real cold."

Hearing that, Eleanor thought, 'A broke girl? Word is, Serena's been living just fine these past few years. Someone's definitely been bankrolling her—either Chris or Mom. But I've got no proof.'

She sneered, "Will you look at her? She's perfectly healthy—what's stopping her from earning a living? Even if all else fails, she could always panhandle. Not cut out for the high life but still wants to live like a princess? Please.

"Or hey, she could always strip—seems like she's got no problem throwing herself at men."

"Eleanor, what is wrong with you today?" Chris snapped, then slapped Eleanor hard across the face.

Eleanor's cheek stung, but it was her heart that really hurt. She looked at Chris, almost like she was seeing a stranger. This wasn't the boy who used to stick up for her. That version of him was long gone.

She felt... numb. The kind of numbness that came after years of disappointment. Maybe it was finally time to let go.

Chris froze after the slap, thinking, 'Shit. Hitting my fiancee right in front of her mother? That's some trailer park drama waiting to happen.'

Nervously, he glanced at Linda. To his surprise, she didn't look mad at all. That took a little weight off his chest.

Linda was floored by what Eleanor had spilled. In her mind, Serena had always been the quiet type—never caused trouble, easy to overlook. Sure, her grades had never been anything special, unlike Eleanor's, but she was sweet, polite, never talked back... just easy to like.

"It's all in the past. Everybody makes mistakes when they're young and in love. Besides, Chris was drunk." Linda waved it off, not wanting anything to ruin the upcoming engagement party.

She added, "Eleanor, maybe you should ask yourself if you've done enough. Maybe that's why Chris started looking elsewhere."

Eleanor stared at her in disbelief, thinking, 'Did my own mother really just say that? I'm supposed to reflect on why my fiance isn't loyal? I'm the one who got hurt—how is this my fault?'

"I'm sorry, Eleanor. I really am." Serena sniffled. "I was just jealous of what you two had—growing up together, being so close. I always felt like an outsider, just a foster kid trying to fit in.

"That night... we were drunk, but nothing really happened. And you're still the one he's marrying. Look, this is the ring he picked out just for you."

Eleanor glanced at the ring Serena handed over. She then shot Chris a mocking look, thinking to herself, 'Oh, I remember this guy preaching about diamonds being a total scam.

'Had the nerve to gaslight me too—said even though the Langfords could afford it, I should be the understanding one.'

Chris could feel her stare and looked away, a little guilty. "After our fight earlier, I couldn't reach you. So I asked Serena to come with me to pick it out."

Eleanor let out a dry laugh and slipped the ring onto her left ring finger. "Oops, too big." Then, without warning, she grabbed Serena's hand and slid the ring onto the same finger—it fit like a glove.

"Looks like this ring wasn't for me after all." Eleanor yanked it off and hurled it to the ground. It clinked against the floor and rolled under the coffee table.

Chris' face darkened. "You're way out of line, Eleanor!"

"Yep, so what?" Eleanor shot back. "You didn't like my temper, so I toned it down for you. Even when we fought, I never made a scene. But that's over now, Chris. From this moment on, we're done."

"Eleanor, what the hell are you doing!" Linda jumped in before Chris could speak. "The invitations are already out. How are we supposed to explain this? You call off the engagement now, no man's ever going to want you again!"

"Why not?" Eleanor asked, feigning innocence. "Anyone who really loves me should accept me as I am. And as for the engagement—hey, you've still got her."

Serena flinched as Eleanor walked toward her. "W-What are you doing?"

"Relax. Don't fall over again and blame me for pushing you." Eleanor took her hand, her voice calm but sharp. "I'm genuinely worried about you.

"Tell you what—I'll step aside and let you have Chris. That way you can stop lusting after him like some pathetic creep."

"No!" "Absolutely not!" Two voices rang out in unison.

Linda stepped in. "She's adopted, after all. The engagement has to be you, Eleanor. And Serena, don't be upset. I'll find you a more suitable match."

Chris said, "Eleanor, I know what you're up to. You're trying to drag Tyler into this again, aren't you? Well, he invited us to dinner tomorrow night. If you're serious about breaking off the engagement, go tell him yourself."

"Think I won't?" Eleanor let out a cold laugh. She'd been bending over backward this whole time, and it only made Chris think she was weak and easy to manipulate. Clearly, when she said she wanted to break up, he never took her seriously.

Eleanor looked at Serena, pale as a ghost. "See that? No matter how hard you suck up to my mom or my fiancé, when it really counts, they still won't choose you. You're just... not one of us."

Serena let out a scream. A piece of paper fluttered from her purse. Chris snatched it up. "Serena, you're... depressed?"

"Just let me die!" Serena sobbed as she ran out the door.

"Serena!" Chris shot Eleanor a death glare. "If something happens to her, I swear you'll pay!"

As he rushed after Serena, Eleanor smiled—but the smile looked tired. She pulled out her phone. "Tyler, where are you? I need to talk to you about something."

Guessing what she was about to do, Linda's face turned to stone. "Eleanor, don't pull this nonsense. Go apologize to Chris. You're marrying into the Langfords whether you like it or not."

Eleanor snorted and walked out without a word.

At a private lounge in Nocturne, Eleanor found Tyler.

The lighting was dim, casting a warm amber glow over his sharp features. Even with the shadows, it was impossible to miss how good-looking he was—tall, young, and way too composed for someone his age.

Tyler basically ran half the Harborview economy. He didn't even need to say much—just sitting there, he gave off this intimidating, icy energy.

He was supposed to meet someone else tonight, but after Eleanor called, Tyler dropped everything and came here instead.

Tyler set his whiskey aside and ordered Eleanor a glass of juice. His tone was calm, almost indifferent. "It's late. What's going on?"

His gaze locked onto Eleanor with those piercing, ice-cold eyes. The moment he noticed the marks on her cheek, his stare turned even frostier. "What happened to your cheek? Did Chris slap you?"

Eleanor touched her cheek. It was already swollen on one side. "Tyler, remember you once promised you'd help me with three things? I need the second one now. I want to break up with Chris. Please cancel next week's engagement party."

Chapter 4 The Second One

A flicker of surprise crossed Tyler's eyes. He studied Eleanor's face for a beat. "You sure about that? An engagement's not something you play around with."

She figured Tyler might be annoyed with her constantly going back and forth. "I've made up my mind. I know it looks flaky, but this time, I'm sure. Please, Tyler. I really need your help."

Tyler seemed a bit amused. His lips curved up a little, but he kept a serious tone. "I promised you three favors. Already wasted two on this deadbeat. You've got one left—better hold onto it."

Eleanor nodded. "So you'll do it? And I wouldn't say the first two were totally wasted. At least now I know one thing: falling head over heels for a guy is a terrible idea. Lesson learned.

"I'm not going to let myself catch feelings so easily again. Guys... not worth it."

Tyler let out this drawn-out "huh" sound.

Eleanor realized she might've just lumped him in with all the "not worth it" guys. Panic hit her—she couldn't afford to offend someone of Tyler's stature. "Wait, Tyler, I didn't mean you're not worth it."

But the second it came out, she felt like she'd made it even worse. And the way he stared at her with those cold eyes made her all the more uneasy.

"So," Tyler said, picking up the glass and taking a sip, "what happened today?" He fixed his gaze back on Eleanor, waiting for her to spill the tea.

Eleanor stared at the glass in his hand, hesitated for a second, then spoke softly, "Tyler, that glass you're holding... it's mine. Maybe I should grab you a different one." She'd already used it.

Tyler was a total germaphobe, especially when it came to physical contact with women. Eleanor had heard this wild story about some socialite trying to flirt with him—barely touched his arm—and he straight-up pushed her away.

No "excuse me" or anything. He just took off his jacket right there, handed it to his assistant, and told him to toss it out because it was "contaminated."

Eleanor thought to herself, 'If he couldn't stand someone brushing his sleeve, what's he going to do when he finds out we drank from the same glass?'

Tyler didn't seem to hear her. "If you really don't want to talk about it, fine. But the fact that Chris laid a hand on you? Real impressive."

Eleanor noticed he didn't care about the shared glass, so she finally said, "She's back."

She looked down and didn't catch the calculating glint that passed through Tyler's eyes. Eleanor continued, "I've made up my mind. Better to rip the Band-Aid off than drag it out. You've got pull with the Langfords, so—"

"I get it." Tyler cut her off. "There's a family dinner at the Langford house tomorrow. Come. Bring Chris."

Eleanor blinked. "Wait... Tyler, I don't think you heard me. Chris is not coming with me."

"Even better," Tyler said, tapping his finger against the table. He sounded like he was already putting together a plan. "He's the one who messed up. He's in the wrong. But because of him, you're ready to write off every guy out there? That's not it."

Eleanor bit her lip. "Yeah... I misspoke. Next time I fall for someone, it'll be someone like you—someone steady."

Tyler's eyes settled on her, a playful edge in his voice. "Someone like me, huh?"

Eleanor cringed internally, 'Maybe it was Tyler's whole aura messing with my head... or maybe I was already in a crap mood... Either way, I couldn't stop saying dumb stuff today.'

"If you're seriously thinking about someone like me," Tyler said, half-joking, "I wouldn't say no. Wouldn't be a bad deal for you, either. And you've still got one wish left. If you use it, I can't exactly say no."

Eleanor's cheeks flushed. She stole a glance at him, noticed he didn't look mad, and finally relaxed a little. "Tyler, quit messing with me. I'm your nephew's fiancee.

"If I turn around and marry you right after the breakup, imagine what people would say. I can't let you take that hit. Anyway, I should head back."

"Hold on," Tyler said, voice low. "How'd you get here?"

"Took a cab," Eleanor replied. "Didn't feel like driving."

He nodded and called his assistant, Keith, to come in and take her home.

"It's late. Not safe for you to be out alone," Tyler said, glancing her way. "I'll feel better if someone takes you back."

Turning that down would've just made her look ungrateful, so Eleanor thanked him and accepted the ride.

Keith drove Eleanor back to the Donovan mansion. Just before she got out of the car, he said, "Honestly, I think Mr. Langford's a good guy."

"Huh?" Eleanor looked at him.

Keith's expression stayed serious. "If you really want to get back at Chris, best way to do it is to marry a guy who can put him in his place.

"Since you saved Mr. Langford, Chris and his parents already have it out for you. If you did end up with Chris, things wouldn't be easy.

"But Sir Langford's into you, and Mr. Langford's the responsible type. With those two backing you, even if the rest of the Langfords don't, they'd have to suck it up."

Eleanor was surprised at first, but it didn't take long to figure it out. 'If Tyler were out of the picture, Chris' dad would be the one calling the shots.

'Me saving Tyler messed that up for them. No wonder Chris' mom has always looked at me like I was dirt under her shoe.'

Keith kept going. "So... maybe give Mr. Langford a shot?"

Eleanor gave him a little smile. "Thanks, Keith. Tyler should really give you a Cupid award."

Keith watched Eleanor head inside before turning around and driving back to pick up Tyler at the clubhouse. "Mr. Langford, I said everything you told me to. But... Miss Donovan treated it like a joke. Didn't seem to take it seriously."

Tyler was holding the same glass from earlier, gently rubbing the rim with his thumb, right where Eleanor's lipstick had left a faint smudge. "No big deal," he said. "One spark won't start a fire, but keep striking that flint."

"But sir..." Keith hesitated. "Do you really not care what people might say?"

"Me? I couldn't care less," Tyler said. "But Eleanor's the sensitive type—all that small-town chatter would eat her alive. I need a solid plan to keep the backlash off her."

As he spoke, he sent Eleanor a text: [You home? Don't go out alone at night. It's not safe.]

Eleanor saw the message and felt a sudden warmth spread through her chest. Ever since her grandma passed, it had been a long time since anyone had cared about her like that.

Eleanor's grandma, Jennifer Donovan, had never liked Serena, saying she gave off a trashy vibe even as a kid. Eventually, she just moved to the countryside to avoid the drama.

Whenever things got rough at home, Eleanor would go stay with her for a while. Her grandma was the only one she could really talk to.

"Your happiness comes first," Jennifer always said. "That whole engagement thing? Your grandpa blurted it out drunk one night. Don't treat it like a ball and chain. If you meet someone you really like, just forget the arrangement."

"You finally came home! I told you to apologize to Chris—did you do it or not?" Linda's voice came sharp from across the room.

Eleanor looked at Linda, face twisted in frustration. But whatever she wanted to say, she swallowed it. "There's a family dinner at the Langfords' tomorrow. I'll be there."

She paused, then added quietly, "Mom, I'm your daughter. Why is it always Serena who gets your love?"

Chapter 5 I Won't Regret This

"Oh, don't you dare bring that up again," Linda snapped. "We've been nice to her to clean up your mess. If you hadn't been messing around with matches and burned the house down, Serena's father wouldn't have died trying to save you.

"And look at you—ungrateful as ever, always picking on Serena. Just like your grandmother. Birds of a feather, huh?"

Eleanor let out a dry laugh. "Wow, Mrs. Donovan, guess I should be thanking you. Thank you for never having my back, for believing some outsider over your own kid.

"And thanks for showing me exactly how you treated your mother-in-law—what a great example you set. You couldn't stand her when she was alive, and now she's in the ground and you still won't let her rest."

Linda frowned. "What's wrong with you? Everything I've done is for your own good!"

"For my good?" Eleanor shot back, her tone ice cold. "Or just to save your own pride? You know damn well I'd never be happy in that marriage, but you still pushed me toward it like it was some kind of prize."

"Every woman has to go through this kind of thing. You're just being dramatic," Linda huffed. "Love doesn't matter. What matters is that he can bring something to the table.

"Who cares what he does behind your back, as long as he doesn't rock the boat? A man like Chris? A couple women on the side is normal."

"Oh yeah?" Eleanor gave a bitter smile. "Then how come Tyler doesn't have anyone hanging around him? Men like Chris are just using that as an excuse for being trash."

"That's different," Linda said. "People say Tyler's basically a monk. Almost forty and still single. There's got to be something wrong with him."

Eleanor had no energy left for this conversation. "I'm tired. I'm going to bed."

"Hey, wait! You never told me—did you apologize to Chris or not? And tomorrow, when you go to the Langfords', watch your mouth."

Eleanor ignored her and headed straight to her room. Her dad, Richard Donovan, was away on a business trip, but his call came right on cue. Clearly, Linda had already filled him in.

Unlike Linda, Richard kept his tone soft, calmly laying out all the supposed benefits of marrying Chris. He ended by telling her not to be so immature.

Eleanor clenched her jaw, thinking 'Here we go again. I'm always the one who has to be mature. They keep saying it's for my own good, but nobody ever asks me if I'm even happy.'

"Got it. If Chris is so amazing, then you all can keep him. I'm tired." She tossed her phone aside, frustrated.

Eleanor thought, 'No matter what, this engagement has to end.'

The next day, Tyler called. "Where are you? I'll come pick you up for the Langford dinner."

"I'm home. You don't have to go out of your way—I can get there myself," Eleanor said.

"There's something we need to talk about on the way," Tyler replied. His tone left no room for argument.

A moment later, Eleanor got his text: [I'm outside.]

Eleanor didn't want to keep him waiting. She threw on some quick makeup and rushed out the door.

A black Range Rover was parked out front. Eleanor recognized it as Tyler's car and hurried over, pulling open the back door. "Ty-Tyler..." she stammered.

Tyler usually sat in the front passenger seat, but today, he was in the back. Eleanor hesitated, unsure if she should get in, until Tyler said, "What are you standing there for? Get in."

"Okay."

Tyler had always given off this intimidating energy—it was impossible not to feel the pressure around him.

"Why are you sitting in the back today?" Eleanor asked softly.

"Easier to talk to you back here," Tyler said flatly. "I spoke to Chris. He's at the hospital taking care of someone. Said he couldn't make it. Did he tell you?"

"I blocked him," Eleanor said. "You're going to help me today, right?"

Tyler smirked. "You're not curious who he's taking care of?"

Eleanor turned to look out the window, biting her lip. "Whoever it is, it's none of my business."

Tyler studied her. She looked like she was trying hard not to care, but he could tell—she was hurt. Really hurt this time.

"Perfect," he said. "Let's go with the flow, and hand them a 'fairytale ending.' But you—you sure you won't regret it?"

"No regrets." Eleanor's answer came quick, with no hesitation. Her eyes held steady. "I spent seven years chasing Chris. If that didn't warm his heart, nothing will. I'm done."

"Good," Tyler said in his low voice. "You deserve better. I'll loop the media in, stir things up. Once the story spreads, there's no turning back."

Eleanor lowered her eyes, digging her nails into her palms. She understood exactly what he meant. "My family kept telling me to just deal with Chris cheating, while everyone else watched me make a fool of myself.

"I used to love him so much I could put up with all of it. But not anymore. He means nothing to me now. It still hurts, yeah—but dragging this out would hurt way worse. So no, I won't regret this."

Tyler looked at her for a long moment. "Alright. When we get there, just follow my lead."

Eleanor nodded. "Thanks."

Chris' grandfather, Arthur Langford, had basically watched Eleanor grow up. He'd always had a soft spot for her. When he saw her walk in with Tyler, his face lit up. "There you are! Where's Chris? Didn't he come with you two?"

Eleanor glanced over at Tyler. He gave a slight shake of his head—the universal "don't say anything" signal.

Chris's mom, Kara Langford, chimed in out of nowhere, "We're all family here, sure. But since Eleanor's about to be engaged to Chris, maybe the two of you should be a bit more mindful. Tyler, why are you arriving with Eleanor?"

"She needed to talk to me, so we came together," Tyler replied. "Kara, you made a good point—once people are engaged, they should definitely be careful with their boundaries. As for where Chris is... you should probably check today's headlines."

Chapter 6 Call Off The Engagement

Kara gave Tyler a puzzled look, then grabbed her phone. The top headline read: [Chris Langford Spotted With Alleged Lover.]

She tapped it open and saw photos of Chris hugging Serena, kissing her, and sitting by her bedside, all tender and affectionate while Serena wore a hospital gown.

Kara's face shifted through a whole range of expressions. She pressed her hand to her lips, cleared her throat, then said, "Men fool around sometimes, and the media always blows things out of proportion. Eleanor, you shouldn't take this to heart."

Tyler snorted. "So by that logic, Caden gets a free pass to mess around too, huh? I looked into it—this girl in the photos is Serena, the Donovan family's adopted daughter."

"That's her," Eleanor said softly. "Chris has had feelings for her since he was young. He was never fully into me anyway. Now that she's back... it's time for me and Chris to end things."

Kara frowned slightly, something clicking in her mind. She turned to Arthur. "Dad, something feels off. Chris and Eleanor were doing fine, and the engagement was just around the corner.

"Now this? Sounds to me like someone's trying to stir the pot. Some people just can't stand to see us doing well."

Arthur was already seething from the photos. Kara's comment only fanned the flames. "You know exactly what kind of man your son is. Quit pretending. Call him. I want him back here—right now."

"I'll do it." Tyler pulled out his phone, hit dial, and put it on speaker.

A few rings later, Chris's voice came through. "Tyler, I told you, I'm not coming back. Serena needs me right now, and I'm not leaving her. If you want me home so bad, tell Eleanor to come here and apologize."

Tyler hung up and let out a sharp laugh. "That's your son talking, Kara. So tell me again, what exactly is wrong with Eleanor coming to me for help?"

Kara was at a loss for words. After a long pause, she finally said, "Of course there's something wrong with that. I'm her future mother-in-law. If there's a problem, I should be the one fixing it."

"Fixing it?" Tyler raised an eyebrow. "That's exactly why she didn't come to you. Eleanor needs someone on her side. She wants to call off the engagement."

"That's ridiculous," Kara snapped. "They're about to get engaged. What, are we just going to let people laugh at us now?"

Truth was, Kara never liked Eleanor much. And after learning Eleanor had once saved Tyler's life, she liked her even less.

But that didn't mean Eleanor wasn't useful. As far as Kara was concerned, Eleanor could be a handy little chess piece against Tyler. No way she was letting her walk away so easily.

"Dad," Kara said, switching tactics, "didn't you always say you wanted Eleanor as your granddaughter-in-law? Talk to her, will you?"

Eleanor took a deep breath, her nose stinging, eyes welling up with tears. She looked at Arthur and said, "Arthur, I know you've always treated me kindly.

"But Chris hit me... over another woman. Look—my face is still swollen. And five years ago, on my birthday, I saw them kissing. You've always cared about me. Can you really stand by and watch me get hurt like this?"

"Five years ago?" Arthur looked stunned. Then his gaze landed squarely on Kara.

"Don't look at me like that, Dad. I didn't know," Kara said quickly. "And anyway, dating and marriage are two different things. Chris is a guy—he'll be fine.

"But Eleanor, you're a girl. Getting dumped like this could ruin your chances at finding someone else. Have your parents even said anything? Are they okay with this?"

"Kara, I really did want to be your daughter-in-law," Eleanor said softly. "But that woman... she's not just anybody. She's my adoptive sister. Her father died saving me. How could I possibly take away the person she loves? They deserve their chance."

"I've thought about this," Tyler chimed in. "If Serena's part of the Donovan family, and she and Chris really do love each other, then maybe it's time we just let them be."

"Marriage isn't something you just throw away," Kara said, clearly losing her cool. "Eleanor, what do your parents think?"

"They don't want Serena getting hurt," Eleanor answered. "But they feel awkward about facing you all, so I had to come alone.

"Don't worry—Serena's always been the golden child, way savvier than I ever was. The only hiccup is she's not blood-related, but honestly? That's barely even a thing these days.

Kara frowned and turned to Arthur, hoping he'd step in and settle things.

Arthur, after that initial wave of anger, had started to calm down. He watched Eleanor closely. Her pain was real. But in her eyes... there was no trace of hesitation, no lingering attachment.

He remembered how she used to talk about Chris—with that sparkle in her eyes, like he was her whole world. But now? Arthur let out a long sigh, thinking to himself, 'Guess there's no chance Eleanor will be part of this family anymore.'

He said, "Eleanor, how's that massage training going? My shoulders have been killing me lately. Come on, let's get some sun and do a little treatment in the yard."

"Okay." Eleanor nodded.

She followed Arthur out to the yard. About half an hour later, Eleanor helped him back inside. There was a quiet sense of relief on her face.

"Dad," Kara started to speak, but Arthur just waved her off.

"This meal? Forget it. Tyler, take Eleanor home." Then after a pause, he added, "The invitations have already gone out. No point taking them back now. Tyler, when you have time, go check on the hospital."

"Yeah," Kara jumped in. "As parents, we really can't say too much to Chris. The more we talk, the more he'll push back. You're his uncle—and the head of our family. It's best if you handle this."

"Got it." Tyler turned to Eleanor. "You sure you don't want to stay and eat first?"

"No," Eleanor said. "After everything that's happened, staying here would just feel awkward. Arthur, thank you for understanding. I'll be going now."

Once they stepped outside, Tyler asked, "What did you say to my dad?"

"Nothing important," Eleanor said quietly. "I just cried the whole time. Toward the end, he said, 'Kids will live their own lives. Do what you feel is right.'"

"If Chris and Serena don't end up together," Tyler said, "you'll still be forced into marrying him. So fine, I'll be the bad guy if that's what it takes to help you out."

Eleanor had a feeling Tyler actually seemed kind of happy when he said that. But when she looked at him closely, his face was as cold as ever. 'Maybe I was just imagining it,' she thought.

"I actually have a way out of this, Tyler," Eleanor said.

Chapter 7 Things Got Messy

Tyler glanced over at Eleanor. "If your plan's one of those where you hurt yourself just to take someone else down, it's not worth it."

"I'm not that dumb," Eleanor replied. "I didn't see Martha today. Tyler, could you let her know? Even if I don't end up as her granddaughter-in-law, it won't change the way I treat her."

Tyler just gave a short "Mm" and said nothing else.

"I'm not going home yet. I'm heading to the hospital," Eleanor added after a quick pause.

Tyler thought about it for a second, then asked, "Do you want me to come with you?"

Eleanor bit her lip. "I might need you to show up at just the right time."

In the ward, Serena watched Chris pour her a glass of water. She spoke softly, "Mr. Langford called you just now, right? Today must be important. You don't have to stay here. Go take care of your stuff."

Chris helped her sit up and handed her the glass. "No way. I'm not leaving you here. You passed out all of a sudden, scared the hell out of me."

Serena shook her head. "Back then, I didn't want to leave. I had my reasons. And you shouldn't be mad at Eleanor just because she hurt me."

"If Tyler hadn't stopped me, I would've had Eleanor thrown in jail that day!" Chris looked at her with a mix of guilt and regret. "You silly, why didn't you press charges?

"Your depression... did it start because of that? Christ, had I known, nothing would've kept me from your side."

"It's not too late now," said a voice as Eleanor kicked the door open.

Chris frowned as Eleanor stormed in like she owned the place. "Why are you here? What, need me to come play the dutiful boyfriend? Too late for regrets."

"Regrets?" Eleanor clenched her fists, a twisted smile on her face. "My only regret is being dumb enough to waste years by your side. Chris, I'm done with you. I'm calling off our engagement."

When Eleanor looked at Serena, Chris panicked and stood up to shield Serena. "Don't do anything stupid. I know you hate her, but she's still your sister. And you left her with trauma she'll carry for life."

"She brought that on herself," Eleanor shot back.

A few years ago, Eleanor had planned a trip to Himvar with some classmates. Serena had secretly followed them, messed with their car in the middle of nowhere, and tried to get Eleanor kidnapped.

Luckily, right before anything went down, some locals invited Eleanor and her friends to stay with them.

Later, the locals said a girl had shown up at the scene with a few thugs, looking for someone. Things escalated and she got knocked out and taken away.

When Serena was finally found, she was bruised and beaten. She insisted Eleanor had sent those men after her—but she just smiled and said, "It's fine. I don't blame her. Let's not blow this out of proportion."

After that, Eleanor got labeled as selfish and arrogant. What she hadn't known until now was that Chris had actually considered sending her to prison. She thought, 'Unbelievable. I must've been completely out of my mind to fall for a guy like this.'

Her eyes landed on the nightstand, where someone had peeled and sliced an orange. 'So Chris does know how to take care of people. He just picks and chooses who deserves it,' thought Eleanor. That familiar ache returned to her chest.

"Eleanor, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come back," Serena said through tears as she clung to Chris's arm. "I was just a foster kid living in your house. I never expected anything.

"You can do whatever you want to me, I won't complain. I just wanted to spend a little time with him before you two got engaged. Is that really so wrong?"

"That's rich, playing the victim while stealing someone's man," came a voice dripping with sarcasm from outside the room. The sound of heels clicking on the floor echoed in, and in walked Vera, followed by a whole crew with cameras.

"Vera? What are you doing here?" Eleanor looked surprised.

"I got an anonymous tip—and some cash," Vera said in a low voice. "I figured it was from you. They told me to make sure this couple's little secret blew up fast.

"So I thought, livestream it. Quick and easy. Let the world see Chris shacking up with another woman days before his engagement."

Eleanor frowned, thinking 'When did I ever ask Vera for help? Though... Tyler did ask me about her before. Is this his doing?'

"Well, no need for outsiders to say anything. Let your own tears do the talking. Three, two, one—go," Vera whispered, then stepped to the side.

"Eleanor, what the hell is wrong with you?!" Chris roared. "Our engagement was all set. I gave up the one I loved for you. I didn't care that you were cruel. I—"

"Are you done?" Eleanor cut him off, her tone laced with disdain. "I found this in your study."

She held up a contract and waved it in front of him. "It says here that just by dating me, you'd get 1% of the Langford Corporation. Marry me, and you get another 1%."

Chris' face went pale. He stared at the document in her hand. "Where did you find that?"

"I already told you. In your study," Eleanor said with a cold smile. "I was packing my things and it just happened to be sitting there."

"Enough! Stop with this nonsense!" Chris pulled Serena into his arms, shielding her from the cameras. "You're just scared I'll back out of the engagement. I'm a Langford—what's wrong with me getting my share of the family stake?

"If Serena hadn't stopped me from calling the cops, you'd already be in jail for kidnapping. After everything you've done to her, how do you sleep at night?"

"Never too late to call the cops now." Eleanor sneered. "I can even hook you up with an eyewitness. Let's see who's really pulling the strings here—whether she staged the whole thing or I framed her.

"Chris, spare me the righteous act. If not for that deal, I might've been dead by your hands."

Chris clenched his fists, seething. He thought, 'Can't lie to myself. I let Serena walk away back then because it suited me.'

Eleanor kept going. "We're getting engaged. And you kissed her. When I found out and kicked her out, that made me the villain?

"We dated for seven years. You had neck problems from sitting too long—I learned chiropractic care and massage therapy for you. You had stomach issues—I studied traditional medicine, learned to identify herbs, made you custom remedies.

"And the whole time, your heart was stuck on a woman you couldn't have. You never really cared about me. But you sure enjoyed all the perks."

Chris felt ashamed, but Eleanor didn't give him a chance to respond. "We were supposed to get engaged next week. But clearly, there's no point now.

"I don't care what deal you signed, or what you might lose if I walk away. I'm telling you right here and now—I would rather stay single for the rest of my life than marry you."

Vera clapped. "That's my girl. Eleanor, no man is worth ruining your whole damn life."

Meanwhile, the whole drama had blown up online. Every platform, every feed—it was everywhere.

Pretty soon, the whole country knew the story: Chris had cheated on Eleanor, his childhood sweetheart, right before their engagement—with his "one true love" no less. After years of quietly putting up with his crap, Eleanor finally snapped.

Some people did wonder about that kidnapping case Chris mentioned, but the topic got buried fast.

Most people were too busy dragging Chris in the comments. Stuff like: [Marrying her just for shares? What a snake.] And: [She gave him everything, and he still cheated? Classic trash behavior.]

A few users chimed in with their own sightings—like one mom who brought her baby in for infant massage therapy and spotted Eleanor, super put-together, learning chiropractic care from the director.

The caption read: [Total sweetheart. Girl needs to run from that dumpster fire of a man.]

Of course, the Donovans heard about it too. Linda rushed into the ward and slapped Eleanor across the face. "Enough with the drama!"

Chapter 8 Out Of Your Mind

Eleanor touched her cheek. Her eyes welled up, but she held the tears in. "Huh, one on each side now. That's nice and symmetrical."

Linda instantly regretted slapping Eleanor across the face. But Eleanor had pushed too far. Back when Serena got kidnapped, they had done everything to bury the story.

It didn't matter whether Eleanor actually did it or not—it was already a stain on the family name. And let's be honest, everyone pretty much assumed she was behind it.

"Eleanor, you might not care about your reputation, but think about this family for once." Linda felt a little guilty. But compared to the Donovan family's dignity, that slap was nothing.

"Do you really want the whole world thinking we raised some shameless daughter with no morals? If you and Chris break it off, tell me—what man would ever marry you after this?" said Linda.

"Mom, I told you back then—Serena got herself into that mess. If I hadn't gotten lucky, I could've been the one taken," Eleanor said. "My classmates backed me up, but you all said we were in on it.

"I said I'd ask the locals, and you shot that down too, said they could be bribed. Then you told me not to make it a big deal, said it'd ruin Serena's image. So what, I'm just supposed to carry that blame forever?"

Linda glared at her. "You're still talking trash about Serena? Chris was ready to press charges, and she talked him down.

"She said her reputation didn't matter—that she wouldn't let you take the fall. That's the kind of person she is. No wonder Chris fell for her."

'They never believed me. That's what this all comes down to,' Eleanor thought.

She let out a dry laugh. "I told you—I didn't do it, and I'm not going to confess to something I didn't do. You just chose not to believe me. Well, guess what—now it's not her pressing charges. It's me."

"Please, don't," Serena pleaded, looking pitiful as ever. "I was wrong. I never should've come back. I never should've fallen for Chris. Please... I can't go through that nightmare again."

Eleanor looked around the room, spotted a chair, and picked it up as she walked toward her.

"What are you doing?!" Chris stepped in to stop her.

"I'm trying to help her," Eleanor said, grinning. "Best way to make someone forget the past? Smack them hard enough to give them a concussion. Move, unless you want a matching one."

Chris seriously didn't think she would do it. He tried to stand his ground—real knight-in-shining-armor energy.

But the next second, he screamed in pain. Eleanor actually hit him on the head with the chair. Lucky for him, she held back just enough not to crack his skull open.

"Eleanor, are you out of your damn mind?" Chris shouted.

"That's right, I am," Eleanor snapped, shoving him out of the way. "So what if Serena has depression on her record? I can fake some paperwork too, say I've got a mental disorder. If I ever killed someone, I wouldn't even get the death penalty."

"You're insane! You're totally insane!" Chris yelled, holding his head, panicking now.

"When I was sane, you didn't take me seriously. Now that I'm not, guess I'm finally making an impression," Eleanor said with a twisted smile.

Chris took a few steps back, clearly spooked, trying to put some distance between them.

"Nice people get walked all over," Eleanor said, tilting her head at him. "Maybe today's a good day to show everyone how to deal with a cheating jerk and his side chick."

Before Chris could react, Eleanor smacked him across the face. Then she kicked him square in the groin. His face contorted in pain—he just stood there frozen, too stunned to even block her next move.

"Eleanor! Stop this nonsense!" Linda shouted.

But it was too late. Eleanor had already yanked Serena out of bed and slapped her, twice—one for each cheek. "You stole the man I once loved," Eleanor said calmly. "That makes us even."

Serena looked like a deer in headlights. The tears were flowing nonstop. Linda rushed forward, grabbed Eleanor, and raised her hand again—

"Go on," Eleanor said, eyes locked on Linda's. "You just smacked this side—go ahead and slap the other one too."

"You—" Linda's hand hovered in the air, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. With a long sigh, she lowered it. "How did I end up with a daughter like you..."

When Tyler walked into the ward, things were already a mess. One look at Eleanor's red cheek, and his face turned darker than ever. He stared at her, clearly asking with his eyes, "This is your so-called plan?"

Eleanor gave him a confused look. 'What? It worked, didn't it?' she thought. 'There's no winning when one's stuck defending oneself. One has to flip the whole situation on its head.

'I stirred the pot, made it chaotic, and dumped all the mess on those two clowns. Honestly, I did great. The messier this gets, the more control I have.'

Chris lowered his head the moment he saw Tyler. Guilt written all over his face. He couldn't even look Tyler in the eye.

"What the hell is going on here?" Tyler snapped. "Chris, you really outdid yourself this time. The entire country knows what you pulled."

"It wasn't my fault—it was hers!" Chris pointed at Eleanor.

"Why do you think I did this, Chris?" Eleanor pointed to her chest. "Every word of yours left another wound. So I'm walking away while I still can. You made this mess. You don't get to pin it on me."

Tyler said Eleanor's name gently.

Eleanor stumbled toward him. "Tyler... I'm sorry." And then she collapsed. Luckily, Tyler caught her just in time. He looked down and noticed her eyelids twitch a little. He shook his head.

"Chris," Tyler said coolly, "since the breakup was Eleanor's decision, I won't hold you to the engagement agreement. You can keep the shares. And as for that woman, marry her if you want.

"Mrs. Donovan, you can't always trust what you see and hear. Think hard—when exactly did things start going downhill between Eleanor and you?"

With that, Tyler carried Eleanor out of the room. "Enough. We're out."

Eleanor blinked, then slowly opened her eyes. "Wow, Tyler, your timing was unreal. Now can you put me down?"

"Nope. You 'fainted.' If anyone sees you walking around fine, this whole thing falls apart," Tyler said calmly. "Why are you so tense? I don't actually have fangs and claws last I checked."

"Well," Eleanor replied. "I just figured—aren't you super OCD? Don't like being near women and all that? I'd hate for you to have to toss this coat because of me. Shame, really."

Tyler looked at her and said, "Who told you I don't like being near women?"