LOGINThat night, Eleanor didn’t return to her room.She stayed in the living room, lying on the couch and planning what she wanted to do next.Now that she had finally discussed the divorce with Nicholas, she felt much lighter. Though she wasn’t really sure why he had asked for more time before signing the papers. She couldn’t think of a single reason that would make him hesitate.For a moment, the memory of the kiss they had shared at the Beaumont villa flashed through her mind, but she quickly crushed the absurd thought. It was probably nothing. She had clearly tasted alcohol on his breath. Maybe that was why he had lost his usual composure and done something so out of character. Eleanor was pretty sure he would either regret it by the next morning or not even remember it.Not that it mattered anymore.She wasn’t going to let anything change her mind.Not even that stupid kiss. She would get that divorce and start a new life. A life where she didn’t have to constantly feel like she wasn’
He stepped out and scanned the area until his eyes landed on her.She was standing by the pool, her back to him, her head tilted slightly as she looked up at the moon. It wasn’t lost on Nicholas that this was the first time he had seen Eleanor wear something so bold and bright.Usually, she wore dull, simple colors that made her easy to overlook. She always chose modest, plain outfits that blended into the background rather than standing out. But now… dressed in that red gown, with the high slit running down her leg, she looked completely different.But it wasn’t just the change in her appearance that affected him. It was something deeper, something he couldn’t quite put into words.There was a confidence in the way she carried herself that he had never noticed before. She no longer looked like the quiet, obedient wife he had grown used to seeing. Instead, she looked like someone who had finally stopped trying to please everyone else and had decided to be herself. For the first time,
Eleanor could only nod.Her mind was a mess, her emotions all over the place. She didn’t know what to think, what to say, or simply how to feel. She just wanted to get out of there, away from all that, away from everything.They left the mansion in silence, the drive back home just as quiet.Eleanor kept her eyes out the window, watching the city lights blur past, her thoughts scattered almost everywhere.Why did he kiss her? What did it mean? Was he trying to tell her something? Or was it just a spur-of-the-moment decision? She had no idea. And the uncertainty was killing her.When they finally reached home, Eleanor practically ran up the stairs to her room, locking the door behind her. She leaned against the door, closing her eyes as she tried to calm her breathing.She couldn’t think straight. Her mind kept replaying the kiss over and over again, the feel of his lips on hers, the warmth of his touch.And then, she remembered the divorce papers.No. She couldn’t let this kiss distra
Someone in the room coughed.No. Not cough. Eric Beaumont, Nicholas’ younger brother and Emilia’s twin, was choking on his food.Eleanor ignored the way her skin prickled when one by one every gaze in the room landed on her, crawling her from the inside out.She knew Emilia was trying to provoke her, to get a reaction out of her.But Eleanor refused to play the victim anymore. Refused to sit there and let Emilia and the rest of the Beaumonts get a kick out of her misery.She looked up, her eyes locking with Emilia’s, as a small, unbothered smile spread across her lips. “Oh, I know,” she said, her voice calmer for someone being targeted on purpose. “I also know that Jessica turned him down and left the country to marry someone else. But I guess it’s all in the past now, isn’t it?”Eric coughed again, followed by a weird sound let out by Ivan.From the corner of her eye, Eleanor thought she caught Nicholas shooting a sharp glare at the two men.But she could have been wrong. Nicholas ha
Eleanor arrived at the Beaumont mansion right on time.The driver had picked her up from home and driven her to the grand estate, where she was greeted by the butler at the entrance.He led her to the dining room, where Helen and Emilia were already seated at the large mahogany table, sipping their drinks and chatting casually.The moment they saw her, their conversation came to a halt. Helen gave her a once-over, her eyes widening for a second as if she had just seen something unexpected.And she had.Earlier, Eleanor used to dress as modestly and properly as possible. She wore a specific range of colors all the time, despite actually loving vibrant, bold shades. But for the sake of being the ideal daughter-in-law, she had given up her preferences and started dressing the way Helen wanted her to.But today, she was wearing a long, bright red dress that hugged her curves perfectly. Her makeup was bold, her lips painted a deep shade of red, and her hair was styled in beautiful loose wa
Once Helen stepped out of Nicholas and Eleanor’s marital home, she stopped when her phone buzzed with a call from her daughter, Emilia.She answered with a weary sigh. “Yes?”“Mom! How did it go? Did you talk to her?”Helen looked up at the clear blue sky, frustration bubbling up inside her. “I did. But it seems like your brother didn’t say anything to her. She seemed just as unrepentant as ever.”“What? How can he ignore something like this?” Emilia snapped. “I’m telling you, Mom, this is exactly why that bitch had the nerve to treat us that way. She knows Nick is buried in work and won’t bother looking into what actually happened, no matter what she does. She thinks she can disrespect us, kick me out of the house, and get away with it because your precious son is too busy to deal with his own wife. Honestly, she’s gotten way too comfortable in that house.”Helen rolled her eyes. “And isn’t she right? Your brother did nothing, even after I told him everything myself. Sometimes I feel







