Chapter 1

"I will marry you, Mr. Huntington."

Eloise Sullivan had downed half a bottle of white wine before making the call.

There was silence on the other line, followed by a low, gravelly male voice filled with ire. The owner was likely annoyed that he had been rudely awakened. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Eloise realized she hadn't checked the time. A glance at her phone screen told her it was 2:00 am. "Sorry. I'll call you again tomorrow."

"Deal," the man said.

"Huh?"

"But I'll be away on business for about a month starting tomorrow. We'll get our marriage license after I return."

"Okay," Eloise replied before hanging up dumbfoundedly.

Half a month ago, her aunt, Felicia Crawford, had called from her place in the countryside to announce her plans to set Eloise up with her neighbor's grandson.

According to Felicia, Martha Reeves' grandson had been an honor student since grade school. He also attended university in Norwald. After graduating, he landed a cushy job with plenty of benefits, including insurance, a retirement savings plan, and holiday bonuses.

Eloise had humored Felicia by agreeing to go on a date with the young man, but she reckoned she could make up an excuse to get out of the arrangement.

However, the young man called her that same night and told her he didn't have time for dates. He proposed that they skip the dating part and get married right away.

"Dude's out of his mind," Eloise had thought when she heard his suggestion. But before she could turn down his mad proposition, he told her to sleep on it and hung up.

In the last two weeks, Eloise hadn't once considered or agreed to his proposition. That was until tonight.

She tapped on the latest entertainment news and saw that the internet was abuzz with a new scandal. Sophia Whitmore, a well-known starlet, was reportedly pregnant with the child of a famous actor who was married.

It wasn't long after Sophia's newfound homewrecker status trended across the internet that Jacob Kilbourne, the second scion of the Kilbourne family, released a statement. He announced himself as her boyfriend and that she was pregnant with his child, followed by news of their apparent engagement.

As the netizens grew skeptical over his suspiciously well-timed announcement, Jacob released a video recording of him getting down on one knee to propose to Sophia during her recent birthday party.

And so, the narrative changed in Sophia's favor as netizens and fans congratulated her. No longer was she trending for the wrong reasons, and the latest headline read, "Sophia Whitmore Engaged to Jacob Kilbourne!"

Eloise sneered at the headline. If Sophia was Jacob's girlfriend, then what was she, chopped liver? Had the last eight years she spent with Jacob been an illusion?

She chided herself for being naive and proceeded with damage control.

As for why she decided to marry William Huntington, it boiled down to the moment he said, "I want my wife and I to have an ordinary married life—one where we support and respect each other and grow old together.

William hadn't offered her sweet nonsense or fancy promises when he said that. He offered her exactly what she wanted—a simple, married life that Jacob could not and refused to provide her.

Having straightened out her thoughts and emotions, Eloise began packing. She was living in Jacob's villa, and the sooner she moved out, the better.

She had an early shift and slept only two hours or so before getting up.

Upon coming downstairs, she saw Jacob sprawled on the couch with his hair mussed. His brows were knitted together. By the looks of it, he'd had too much to drink the night before and was likely hungover.

Eloise ignored him and made herself breakfast in the kitchen.

While she was making oatmeal, Jacob walked up to her, reeking of alcohol, and wrapped his arms around her from behind. He rested his chin atop her shoulder as he muttered, "My head hurts. Can you make me hangover tonic?"

Eloise frowned. "Wait by the side."

Jacob's eyes remained shut as he mumbled, "I want to hug you a little longer."

"You stink," she pointed out coolly.

"Do I?' He sniffed himself and admitted, "Fine. I'll take a shower."

Eloise returned to the kitchen and grabbed the box of hangover tonic ingredients from the cabinet overhead.

Jacob had frequent business gatherings that ended with him downing copious amounts of alcohol. It was a wonder his liver hadn't given out over the years. Eloise had sought out an old apothecary to curate a hangover tonic tailored to Jacob's physical needs.

The hangover tonic was no easy recipe. The long cooking time aside, it required constant supervision.

Eloise chuffed in self-deprecation. She had lost count of the times she made Jacob the hangover tonic in the last eight years. Yet, for all the work she did, she could not win his heart.

Forget it, she told herself. This was the last time she would make him the hangover tonic, and she liked to think of it as an epilogue to their eight-year-long story.

When Jacob returned downstairs after his shower, Eloise set the bowl of hangover tonic before him. He rubbed his aching temple with one hand and stirred the tonic with the other, not at all planning to explain last night's incident.

Eloise broke the silence first. "Congratulations."

Jacob glanced up from his tonic, a baffled look coloring his handsome face. "For what?"

"For finally getting Sophia to say yes after the many years you spent proposing to her on her birthday," Eloise drawled.

She knew he had been in love with Sophia since junior high. For the last 15 years, he would propose to Sophia on her birthday. Not even the eight years he and Eloise were dating could stop him from keeping up that tradition.

Eloise would be lying if she said she wasn't the slightest bit affected by his dedication to Sophia. Yet, she loved him so much that she was willing to sacrifice her dignity.

Jacob's brows furrowed as he asked, "You saw the news, huh?" When Eloise stared at him wordlessly, he nodded and said casually, "It will be a fake marriage, if you must know. Sophia and I will divorce once the scandal blows over."

"A fake marriage?" A humorless laugh escaped Eloise. "Will there be a wedding? Will both your names be on an official marriage license?"

"Of course," Jacob replied as if it were obvious. "Our families wouldn't agree to this arrangement otherwise."

"So, what part of this marriage is fake, exactly?" Eloise questioned.

"The part where I say it is. You don't need to know the details," Jacob retorted as he took a few sips of the hangover tonic. He then rose to go upstairs.

Eloise delivered her ultimatum. "I don't want to stick my nose in your business with Sophia, but I think some things remain to be said, Jacob."

Jacob turned to look at her. "What do you mean?"

She took a deep breath and said, "Let's break up."

Jacob snapped, "Damn it, Eloise, haven't I made myself clear? Sophia and I will be in a fake marriage. It's all an act! We'll divorce after some time. Why are you kicking up a fuss over this now?

"It's not like any of this concerns you, to begin with. Can't you just pretend it never happened instead of making this all about you?"

So, was that what he thought of Eloise? Did he think she could make this about her even if she tried? She lowered her gaze and bit out, "I don't care if you're only marrying Sophia for show. I want to break up with you all the same."

"Eloise!" he growled in warning.

"I'm tired." Eloise closed her eyes. "I've given all I had in the last eight years for you, and I'm done."

"Fine. If it's a break-up you want, so be it! I hope you won't regret this!" Jacob didn't go upstairs. Instead, he grabbed his coat and stormed out of the house.

Eloise felt lighter, somehow. Her eight-year-long relationship with Jacob ended on a much swifter note than she expected.

She was a specialist in the obstetrics and gynecology department at Kingsbury Hospital. When she arrived at work for her morning shift, she was roped into a discussion about Sophia's scandal.

Celia Jones, a nurse at the hospital, was invested in the gossip while tending to a waiting patient. "I wonder who knocked up Sophia Whitmore. One minute, the kid is Shawn Lawson's; the next, Jacob Kilbourne claims he's the father.

"Tsk, tsk. If you ask me, I'd choose Jacob over Shawn any day. He's loaded, not to mention a total hottie.

"Word has it that he's a romantic, too. He's been openly crushing on Sophia for 15 years. Can you imagine that? 15 years! His dedication must have earned him a favor from the universe."

Eloise had no intention of hearing more about Jacob and Sophia, so she told Celia to bring one of the pregnant ladies to the upper levels to run some tests. Just as she thought she could finally have some peace, Jacob called.

"Just a heads-up, Sophia will be dropping by Kingsbury Hospital for a prenatal check tomorrow," was all he said on the other line.

Chapter 2

Eloise felt her blood begin to boil. "Of all the hospitals in Kingsbury, you just had to choose this one? And you just had to pick me to oversee her prenatal check-ups?"

Despite Eloise's protests, Sophia showed up at the hospital the next morning anyway. The paparazzi swarmed her the moment she got out of the car, and she wouldn't have made it into the building had Jacob not escorted her. It helped that the hospital hired a security team in advance for crowd control.

Eloise had delegated the task of overseeing Sophia's prenatal check-up to another doctor, but Sophia claimed she and Eloise were good friends. As such, the hospital director called Eloise personally and had her take over.

They went through the check-up fairly quickly. Eloise could tell from the reports that Sophia was doing just fine.

"You're about 10 weeks and 3 days pregnant. Because this is your first prenatal check-up, we'll need you to register for the maternal health booklet." Eloise looked away from the computer screen to fix her gaze on Jacob. "The procedure is right behind you. Just follow it."

Jacob glanced at the procedure on the wall behind him and thought it was a hassle. "Can't you do it for her? I'll stay here in case Sophia needs me."

Eloise lowered her gaze and drawled, "Sorry, but only the patient or family members of the patient can register for the booklet. As a doctor, it's not within my job description."

Jacob argued, "Eloise, be reasonable. Can't you see that Sophia needs me here?"

"Imagine how busy I'd be if I had to play gopher for every patient and their family members," Eloise countered stoically.

Jacob's brows furrowed. "You're—"

"Next patient, please!"

Jacob was about to snap at Eloise when Sophia stopped him. She interjected, "Eloise, please don't be mad. I won't put Jacob in a difficult position."

Eloise eyed Sophia impassively.

The starlet had strung Jacob along as a friend for 15 years and refused all his advances, only to act all needy when he started to pull away from her. She knew he and Eloise were dating, yet she didn't refuse his affection or sacrifice.

And having done all that to Eloise, she dared to turn around and claim they were good friends.

Eloise asked plainly, "He's your fiancé, isn't he? You're well within your rights to trouble him. What do I have to be angry about?"

Sophia pressed, "Did you two get into a fight because of me?"

"We didn't fight, and we've already broken up," Eloise replied stonily.

"Please, Eloise, you've got it all wrong. He's only doing this to help me," Sophia said.

Eloise raised a hand to stop Sophia from talking. "Don't flatter yourself thinking you had anything to do with our breakup."

Jacob warned, "Don't you dare take that tone with Sophia! Apologize to her right now!"

Eloise had been holding back her anger all this time, and it finally erupted. She snapped, "Get out!"

Furious with her foul attitude, Jacob called the director to file a complaint immediately. No sooner had he and Sophia left did Eloise get summoned to the hospital director, Peter Forbe's, office. "You realize Kingsbury Hospital is under Kilbourne Medical Group, don't you?"

She was aware, of course, though she kept her mouth shut.

"And you do realize that you were tending to Sophia Whitmore, a celebrity, and Jacob Kilbourne, the second scion of the Kilbourne family?" Peter leveled an icy stare at Eloise, hoping she would understand the gravity of her outburst.

"So what?" Eloise retorted, crossing her arms as she returned Peter's stare insolently.

Peter slammed his palm against the desk. "Eloise, just answer me this—do you want to keep working here or not?"

"If I'm getting fired because Mr. Kilbourne is upset that I refused to do him an unreasonable and unprofessional favor, I believe I would like the labor department to arbitrate on my behalf," Eloise pointed out coolly.

"Y-You must be too young and brash to know you are no match for the second scion of the Kilbourne family. You're just a doctor!" Peter warned.

"I have patients to see. If we're done here, Mr. Forbes, I'd like to be excused," Eloise replied.

"How can you be so stubborn?" Peter was incredulous as he shouted for her to stop. "Also, just a heads-up, Ms. Whitmore seems to trust you a lot.

"She won't be able to come by the hospital for her prenatal checks as scheduled, so as her attending doctor, you'll have to make house calls anytime she requires it."

"No," Eloise bit out.

"This isn't a request, Eloise!" Peter growled.

Upon returning to her office, Eloise felt her emotions clamoring within her. She couldn't understand why Jacob was doing this to her when all she had ever done was love him wholeheartedly for the last eight years. Did she deserve to be treated this way just because she was stupid enough to love him?

"Here's the booklet." Eloise hadn't expected Jacob and Eloise to show up again. Neither of them looked ashamed or guilty.

Eloise barked a humorless laugh and dutifully took the booklet. She then keyed in the data into the computer system.

"The booklet has listed things a pregnant woman should look out for, so go through them carefully. I've written down the next prenatal check-up appointment. Be sure to show up on the day," Eloise said as she wrote the date on the booklet.

"Sophia and I are busy people, so we'll need you to remind us of the appointment. I'll bring her over as scheduled," Jacob said.

Eloise stopped writing. "Sorry, but I'm busier than both of you combined, and I hate having to remember other people's business."

"Sophia's business is my business, which makes it yours as well. Is it so hard for you to remind us of the next appointment instead of running your mouth?" Jacob argued.

"Jacob." Eloise fixed him with a steely look, her tempestuous emotions suddenly vanishing and replaced by indifference. "Let me make myself clear—you and I are over, and I have nothing more to say to you than what is necessary.

"You can go ahead and file a complaint against me, but I'm only following standard consultation procedure when tending to my patients. I treat every patient the same, and no one is above the other."

Jacob pursed his lips. At that moment, he thought he could see the grim resolve in Eloise's eyes.

"I'll keep the date in mind," Sophia said, breaking the tense silence as she took Jacob's hand. Much like a martyr, she added meaningfully, "Looks like I'll be in your hands from now on, Eloise."

"If you mean the hands of a doctor who's just trying to do her job, sure."

"We'll leave you to your work, then," Sophia said courteously.

"The door's right there."

Sophia and Jacob were about to leave when several fans hurtled through the door.

Extreme as they were, they held up their phones to the couple's faces and demanded, "Ms. Whitmore, is it true that you and Shawn are just friends? Why were you seen entering and leaving a hotel with him late at night, then?"

"Mr. Kilbourne, did you really propose to Ms. Whitmore, or was it just for show?"

"Are you two really a couple? Ms. Whitmore previously denied any dating rumors and said she was just friends with you."

The fans couldn't care less about the limited space and continued shoving forward, jostling against one another as they hurled their questions at Jacob and Sophia.

Jacob wrapped a protective arm around Sophia, but the fans continued pushing against them anyway. The security guards couldn't get into the room, so Eloise had to leave the safety of her desk and help Jacob shield Sophia from the fans before things got out of hand.

Jacob saw Eloise and hurriedly nudged Sophia toward her. "Keep her safe!" With that, he turned to the fans and reporters, roaring, "All of you, get out!"

Alas, they did not listen to him. They were close to getting an inside scoop on the scandal, and they continued shoving forward. One of the reporters managed to get up close to Sophia, only to be pulled away by someone behind him.

As the two got into a fight, they stumbled and nearly crashed into Sophia.

Eloise quickly stepped in front of Sophia, only to be knocked sideways. A sharp pain shot up her waist as she bumped against the corner of her desk, and she hissed.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Jacob came over and pulled Sophia away, only to bump into Eloise again. She hit the corner of the desk a second time in the same spot, and the pain was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

In the heat of the moment, Jacob wrapped an arm around Sophia and dipped his head to kiss her.

Chapter 3

Jacob kissed Sophia tenderly and deeply while the audience, who had piled into the consultation room, watched in awe. The reporters' cameras were rolling, and some of them were on live streams with millions of viewers.

And yet, Eloise was nothing more than a prop in this dramatized love affair.

"You guys caught that, right? Any more questions about me and Sophia?" Jacob asked stonily as he pointed at the swarm of reporters and obsessed fans who had squeezed their way through the door.

He continued, "I'll tell you the whole story of how Sophia and I got together, seeing as you're so eager to know! I've had a crush on Sophia since junior high, and I finally told her how I felt when we were in high school.

"We've been dating for eight years, and she's the only woman I've loved in all that time! I will only ever love her for the rest of my life!

"I'll throw her a grand wedding. Of all the women in this world, only Sophia is worthy of my love! No one else deserves my heart more than she does!"

It was a love declaration for the ages, and the audience—both in real life and on the livestreams—were stunned by it.

Suddenly, a loud and crisp applause filled the air, cutting through the pin-drop silence. Everyone turned toward the sound and saw Eloise standing there in her white coat, her shoulder-length hair accentuating her pretty face.

She had a gentle, composed air about her as she smiled and clapped. The fans, reporters, and busybodies who had gathered in and outside the room followed suit as they applauded the happy couple.

Jacob, to his credit, looked somewhat shamefaced when he met Eloise's gaze.

Eloise mused sarcastically, "Congratulations, Mr. Kilbourne and Ms. Whitmore. What a moving, romantic declaration."

A dark look passed over Jacob's face when he heard this. "Save your well wishes for someone else. We're done here."

With that, he wrapped an arm around Sophia's shoulders and shoveled through the crowd.

When the couple left and the fans and reporters dispersed, an abrupt silence filled the office. Eloise gripped her aching waist as she eased herself into her chair. She breathed out quietly as the sharp pain shot up her side, and she lifted her blouse to see two bruises forming under her rib.

That afternoon, Eloise was about to get off work when her phone chimed with a notification. She checked and saw that someone had requested to follow her on Instagram. He had also sent her a private message, saying, "It's William Huntington."

William Huntington? It took Eloise a moment to recall the name.

She had only spoken to him twice on the phone. In all fairness, they were marrying soon, and it was a matter of course for them to follow each other on Instagram. With that in mind, she approved his request.

She clicked on the conversation page and stared at the blank messaging space for a while. She racked her brain for something to type but couldn't come up with anything witty, so she exited Instagram altogether.

After that, Eloise packed up her things and got ready to leave.

She worked the day shift today, but by the time she finished her rounds at the inpatient ward and left the hospital, the sky had darkened. As she was about to hail a cab, a black Maybach rolled to a stop before her.

The car window rolled down to reveal Xavier Lockwood. He was grinning at her as he waved her over, "Hey, Eloise. Jack's bar's grand opening is today, and he told me I had to pick you up from work so we can join in the party."

He emphasized the word "had" as if it implied something more and chuckled.

Jack Sommers and Xavier were Jacob's childhood friends, and they got along with Eloise just fine, too. She had no plans on souring her friendship with Jack, especially now that he had invited her to the bar's launch party.

Eloise got into the car, and Xavier handed her a bottle of water. He said apologetically, "I was at Sophia's birthday party, too."

Eloise twisted open the bottle cap and took a few sips of water. She had watched the recording from Sophia's birthday party. When Jacob proposed to Sophia, Xavier lifted his arms and cheered, "Say yes! Say yes!"

Xavier explained, "Jacob pulled the same stunt every year on Sophia's birthday, so I thought it was a joke and played along. I doubt Jacob was serious, but believe me, we were shocked when Sophia actually said yes.

"In hindsight, she had ulterior motives for agreeing to his proposal, but that doesn't make this fair for you."

"Thank you for recognizing that," Eloise said bitterly.

Xavier added slowly, "Yeah, but Jacob only wanted to help Sophia."

Eloise asked, "As a friend, if I wanted you to choose between me and Sophia, who would you pick?"

"You, of course," Xavier answered without hesitation.

She laughed. "Well, I'm relieved, even if I know you're lying."

He shook his head and insisted, "I'm not. I know Sophia and I go way back, but I like having you as a friend more."

"Right, which is why you came to pick me up from work and why I got into your car," Eloise said. "But could you do me a favor and avoid bringing up Jacob the next time we hang out? You know I've broken up with him."

Xavier stuck out his tongue. "People say impulsive things in the heat of the moment, so your break-up doesn't count."

Eloise's brows furrowed. Did Xavier think she was angry and hadn't truly meant to break up with Jacob?

Jack had converted an old house with a courtyard into his new bar. The house was tucked in the far end of an alley, and its walls were decorated with intricate murals. The courtyard also had a pond and antique hanging lamps.

Its ambiance was quiet yet romantic, transporting its patrons to a different time.

Xavier pointed Eloise toward the room in the east wing and hurried off to the restroom.

She stopped before the door, but before she opened it, she heard Jacob's angry voice coming from the other side. "Are you done, Jack? She's the one who broke up with me, not the other way around!"

Jack sighed tiredly. "You were in the wrong, Jacob."

"Was I supposed to let Sophia handle her problems alone?" Jacob demanded.

"But Eloise—"

"Eloise means nothing to me! She can't even begin to compete with Sophia!" Jacob roared.

"You—" Jack broke off, upset and furious. "You'll regret this one day, Jacob!"

"No, Eloise will! She always made a fuss and threatened to break up with me whenever I helped Sophia, but she always came crawling back shamelessly. This time is no different. She just needs to cool off and come to her senses."

Jack hissed, "Fine, then. Go ahead and delude yourself into thinking that Eloise loves you enough to put up with your nonsense, but even her love has limits. I got you a bouquet of roses. You'd better apologize to Eloise and give her the bouquet when she shows up later."

Upon hearing this, Eloise took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

Jack quickly stood up. "Hey, Eloise. I'm so glad you could make it."

She had gotten Jack a gift in anticipation of his bar's grand opening. It was a cat-shaped table ornament. "Congratulations on the opening, Jack. May your business thrive," she said as she handed him the gift.

He took it graciously. "Thanks." He glanced at Jacob over his shoulder as if to signal him before turning to Eloise. "Make yourself comfortable while I greet the other guests outside."

"I won't be staying," Eloise replied as she followed Jack out. "I'll come back some other time."

"Eloise—"

"Thank you for the effort, though," Eloise said meaningfully, casting an apologetic smile at him before turning to leave.

However, she had only just reached the door when Jacob caught up to her. "I've had enough of your nonsense, Eloise!"

She ignored him and continued forward, but her indifference spurred him on. "I've already explained the whole story to you! What more do you want from me?"

He sped up and blocked her way, glowering at her impatiently. She narrowed her eyes at him and scoffed. "I heard what you said back there. I was too stupid and naive to think I was good enough for you, Mr. Kilbourne.

"I made a mistake and spent the last eight years being punished for it. Trust me, I won't let this happen again."

Eloise was about to brush past him when Jacob gripped her wrist. His hateful gaze bore into hers as he growled, "Must you let things end like this?"

"Let me go!" she snapped.

Jacob's fingers tightened painfully around her wrist, his eyes burning with rage. However, a beat later, he dragged her toward his car.

"I am not getting into your car, Jacob!" Eloise protested.

"We're going home!" he barked.

"No, we're not!"

Jacob hissed, "I must not have given you enough attention lately if you could bring yourself to break up with me! How dare you!"

Chapter 4

Eloise tried to break free of Jacob's hold, but he wrapped his arms around her from behind to keep her contained. She lowered her head to bite him, but he cinched her jaw with one firm hand and shoved her into the backseat of his car.

He ordered the driver to step on it.

Lionel Finch was Jacob's driver, and he knew Eloise. One backward glance at her told him something was amiss. Eloise pleaded, "Lionel, he's out of his mind! Let me out of the car now!"

"Mr. Kilbourne, Ms. Sullivan is—" Lionel began hesitantly.

"Whose side are you on anyway? I'm your boss!" Jacob hissed.

Lionel dismissed Jacob and Eloise's altercation as a lovers' spat he should not get involved with. As such, he did as told and sped off.

No longer putting up a fight, Eloise calmed down and tried to reason with Jacob. "I'm in no mood to argue with you or throw a fit, Jacob. We're over, and it's pointless for us to let things get ugly!"

Jacob grimaced. "Over? I never agreed to the break-up!"

"You're marrying Sophia soon. The least you could do is let me go," Eloise countered.

"No!" he snapped.

"You—"

Jacob kept his arms tightly wrapped around Eloise as he hissed menacingly in her ear, "You've always wanted to have my kid, right? Fine! I'll give you what you want tonight and knock you up!"

"You bastard!" Eloise spat. She raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face. A resounding crack filled the car, followed by a deathly silence.

Jacob gaped at her incredulously. "H-How dare you hit me?"

Hot tears sprang to Eloise's eyes, but she bit her lower lip to keep herself from crying. She couldn't believe that the man she had loved for the last eight years would say something so cruel to her. It was as if he didn't even respect her in the slightest!

"What am I to you, Jacob? A free nanny, or perhaps a lowly whore?" she ground out.

Outraged by the slap, Jacob snapped, "You seem to know your worth, at least. Be it a nanny or a whore, you signed up for this on your own! It's not my fault you're such a desperate slut!"

Eloise stared at him for a long moment before barking a self-deprecatory laugh. "You're right. I was desperate, and now I'm paying for my foolishness."

"You wanted to marry me so badly, but did you ever stop to evaluate if you were good enough?" Jacob taunted.

"No, I'm not good enough," Eloise said.

"You… You were jealous of Sophia, but what made you think you were in the same league as her?"

"Indeed, the competition is pointless," Eloise replied.

"You… You…" The calmer Eloise was, the more it threw Jacob off his curve. "Do you think any man would want you after you let me fuck you for free for the last eight years?"

"I take it that you think I'm ruined?" Eloise ventured a sarcastic guess.

Jacob pressed his lips into a thin line. "Yes. You're ruined! You're nothing more than secondhand goods!"

Eloise nodded. Her mind had never been clearer, and she had never been more relieved than when Jacob revealed his true colors. While eight years was a long time, she was thankful she had many more to come.

She loosed a laugh at that thought.

"What's so funny?" Jacob demanded through gritted teeth.

Eloise fixed her steely gaze on him and smiled. "Let this be the moment I stop loving you, Jacob."

Upon hearing this, Jacob fell silent. Although Eloise had threatened to break up with him countless times before, she had never claimed to stop loving him.

"Lionel, please pull over," Eloise said to Lionel.

Lionel had been quiet until he heard this. He hesitated before saying, "Ms. Sullivan, we're on the expressway right now. Would you still like me to pull over?"

Eloise wouldn't cut off her nose to spite her face by having Lionel drop her off on an expressway. As such, she relented and said, "Very well. I'll get off when we exit the expressway, then."

Just then, Jacob's phone rang. His furious look vanished and was replaced by tenderness when he saw Sophia's name flash on the screen.

Sophia said the paparazzi had surrounded the set where she had been shooting a movie. She needed Jacob to pick her up now.

"I'm on my way," he said with some urgency. After hanging up, he told Lionel to take the exit to Norwald.

Eloise frowned. Her villa was in Southburg, the opposite direction of Norwald. "Lionel, kindly exit the expressway first and let me off."

"Pull over so she can get out of the car!" Jacob barked.

Lionel froze. "But we're on the expressway—"

"Do as I say!" Jacob half-yelled.

Lionel had no choice but to pull over at the emergency lane.

Jacob practically shoved Eloise out of the car. When she regained her footing, she realized her purse was in the car. However, upon glancing over her shoulder, she noticed that Jacob's car had sped off into the distance.

It was peak hour on the expressway. Cars zipped past Eloise as she kept to the roadside and made her way toward the next exit. Drivers honked at her every once in a while. Some grumpy ones even rolled down the window to shout at her, "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Eloise endured such peril for an hour before finally getting off the expressway. Unfortunately, she did not have her phone or money, so she had to walk home.

She drew her coat closer to herself, bracing against the cold night breeze.

The number of cars on the expressway was dwindling. When she turned a corner, she ran into a drunkard who tried to grab her. She gritted her teeth and ran for her life.

Eloise tripped as she ran. Pain bolted through her knees when she fell, but she dared not stop running. She limped as she tried to shake off the drunkard.

Her villa was in a suburban area of Southburg, and it was already morning when she finally arrived home. She noted the soft light coming from within the villa and froze. Dumfounded, she knocked on the door.

Sophia opened the door. Her hair cascaded past her shoulders, drawing attention to her strappy nightgown with a low, scooping neckline. She hummed in surprise when she saw Eloise standing on the doorstep. "Did you just get back?"

Eloise's brows furrowed. What the hell was Sophia doing in her house?

"Why are you here?" she demanded.

Sophia blinked. "Jacob brought me here."

Eloise brushed past her and headed into the house, only to see Jacob leaving the kitchen with a bowl of steaming chicken noodle soup. She had no idea he knew how to cook.

She recalled the time she was down with a fever that had her breaking out in cold sweat. Jacob had returned home from work that day and grumbled about being hungry, then demanded that she make him dinner.

She had grown irritated and said, "If you hate takeout so much, you ought to learn how to cook. Surely you don't plan on starving yourself if I'm not around to make you dinner."

He had held her and countered shamelessly, "As if I'd ever learn how to cook. I want you to cook for me for the rest of our lives."

A bitter laugh escaped her as the memory played through her mind. As it turned out, she was only ever a maid to him, while Sophia was his princess. She should have known; after all, what man in his right mind would cook for his maid?

Jacob cast her an icy, sidelong glance before leading Sophia into the living room. He set the bowl of noodles on the coffee table and put a throw pillow behind Sophia, who said with a pout, "I'm not hungry."

"You have to eat something. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," Jacob chided gently as he picked up the bowl and began to feed her.

Sophia took a mouthful of the chicken noodle soup and shook her head. "You put too much salt in this. I don't like it."

"Really?" Jacob took a bite. "You're right. I'll make you another bowl."

He didn't seem to mind slaving over the stove for Sophia as he bounded into the kitchen.

Eloise was too tired to care. She only wanted to lie in bed and get some sleep.

She dragged herself to the bedroom, only to find her bed unmade and the pillows scattered across the floor. It seemed Sophia had taken over her closet, and her clothes had been thrown in a heap on the chair at the side.

Swallowing the rage building up in her, she marched downstairs and asked, "Who was in my bedroom last night?"

Jacob gave her a cursory glance and said, "Sophia will be living here from now on."

"This is my house! Did I give her permission to move in?" Eloise demanded shrewdly.

He frowned at her. "No, this is my house; my permission is the only one she'll need."

Eloise went still. He was right. This was his house. After graduation, she had rented a place of her own, but he told her the space was too small for his liking and asked that she move in with him instead.

She might not have paid him rent, but she had paid for the upkeep of the house. She did not owe Jacob anything, not even a penny.

Sophia tipped her head to the side and smiled at Eloise. "Jacob and I plan on renovating the house. We could save you a room if you like."

"No, thanks," Eloise bit out as she stormed upstairs to take her suitcase out of the closet. She packed her things and returned downstairs, getting ready to leave.

"Eloise, I don't have the patience to put up with your nonsense. If you leave with that suitcase right now, we're over. We will never get back together, do you understand?" Jacob growled, his jaw clenching.

Eloise had reached the threshold when she heard this. She turned around and leveled an icy stare at Jacob as she set the keys on the shoe cabinet. "Goodbye, Jacob. I wish you well."

Chapter 5

Eloise stepped out of the villa, pulling her suitcase with her. She fell into a daze as she watched the traffic pile up on the main road.

She had lived here and called this place home for the last eight years. She was the one who had broken up with Jacob and moved out, but she didn't have time to look for a new place to rent. She had nowhere to go.

Eloise was pulled out of her thoughts when her phone chimed. She fished her phone out of her purse and checked the notifications, only to see two texts from William.

"I'm in Solmere now. The weather today is decent, but I've got a lot on my plate. I had toast for breakfast this morning, but I found it dry and hard to swallow. Maybe my palate is used to food back home.

"I was too busy to grab lunch at noon, and I have a business gathering tonight. I have a feeling they won't let me go until I'm piss-drunk. I'm not a fan of such gatherings…"

His voice note was long-winded and chock-full of menial details. It reminded Eloise of an elaborate work report. Just as she was wondering where William was leading with this, she caught something useful to her.

"Oh, by the way, I live in Villa No. 8 in Cloudmere Residence. You can move in anytime. It'll be our home from now on. If it's not to your liking, we can always move elsewhere."

Cloudmere Residence. Eloise couldn't believe that he was living in the same area as her or that his villa was within walking distance!

She headed over to the villa and stopped before the front door. She keyed in the passcode William had given her and unlocked the door. As she opened it, she was greeted by a crisp and refreshing scent.

William's villa had the same layout as Jacob's, but the decoration was the extreme opposite. Her previous abode had been appointed in warm, earthy tones and filled with furniture, but this one was done in black and white with hardly any furniture. He didn't even own a couch.

She had no idea how this place was even meant to host a human.

As the question rang out in her mind, she headed upstairs and found that it was also minimally furnished. There were three bedrooms. The master bedroom was the only one with a bed, and there were no cabinets in sight.

Eloise reckoned William didn't live here, and if he did, he must not usually stay for long. That explained the simple furnishings and lack of homey stuff.

After her hectic morning, Eloise set her suitcase somewhere and went to work on an empty stomach.

Celia was kind enough to share a sandwich and half a cup of coffee with her, though not without gloating about her husband. "My hubby stayed up making bread last night. When he woke up early this morning, he fixed me a BLT!"

Eloise feigned envy. "Keep a leash on your husband, Celia, or I'll steal him away from you."

Celia's grin widened at this. "Hmph! You're not stealing him away. He loves me and only me!"

Eloise was in a good mood that day. She felt lighter, too. She had spent the last eight years loving Jacob and giving him everything she had. The burden had weighed her down and worn her out.

Having let him go, she was finally liberated, and she never knew how easy life could be until now.

That afternoon, she got a text from Jacob that read, "You left your books here. Do you still want them, or shall I toss them into the trash?"

Eloise scanned the message and did not reply to it. Instead, she unfollowed him on Instagram and blocked his number.

The books weren't the only things she had left behind; she couldn't possibly clear everything from his place after living there for the last eight years. However, those books didn't mean much to her.

When Eloise got off work in the late afternoon, she saw that William had replied to her text. She had sent him a message that morning that read, "I've moved in."

She stared at his reply.

"Welcome."

It was only one word, but it warmed her heart nonetheless. She sent him another text, "Can I sleep in your bed?"

She gathered he wouldn't respond so quickly, so she hurried to the subway station after sending the text. It wasn't until she got on the subway that she realized how odd her question must have sounded.

Eloise was about to tell William she could always get another bed for herself when she saw that he had responded. Again, it was a simple, one-word reply. "Yes."

For some reason, her face warmed at the message. Given the time difference, she figured it must be nearly three in the morning over at Solmere. Why was William still awake?

After getting off the subway, she planned to stop at the supermarket. William's villa desperately needed supplies.

No sooner had Eloise reached the supermarket than Xavier called her. She picked up the call, only to hear a frantic shout on the other end. "Eloise! Help!"

She froze. "What happened?"

"I've been attacked!"

"What?"

Jack's new bar had been turned upside down by the time Eloise showed up. She stared at the mess in the courtyard and watched as the employees straightened up the place.

When they saw her, one of the employees pointed her in the direction of the lounge inside.

She stopped before the lounge and took in the chaos. The furniture had been smashed up, with tables missing a leg or two, and the chairs turned over like a tornado had swooped in. Shards of glass, presumably from wine bottles, littered the floor.

Jacob was sprawled on the couch in the back of the room, his face grim and his head still bleeding. Eloise gave him a cursory glance before turning to leave.

"Eloise, you're here! Thank goodness! Help!" Xavier darted out of the lounge to grab her arm. "I was attacked! Someone cut me!"

He gestured at the bloody gash on his arm. He had, indeed, been brutalized.

At that moment, Jack came over and shoved Xavier aside. He handed the first aid kit to Eloise and said gravely, "Mr. Tough Guy over there refuses to go to the hospital or let anyone tend to him. We had no choice but to call you for help."

"He and I are broken up," Eloise replied with mild exasperation. "I couldn't care less if he lived or died."

"I'm on your side," Jack said. "But surely you and Jacob can still be friends after the break-up, right?"

"We could never be friends," Eloise countered stoically.

"Please, Eloise. Do this for me, okay?" Jack pleaded.

Eloise was silent for a moment. In the end, she relented and took the first aid kit from Jack.

She was about to go inside the lounge when he tugged on her arm and explained, "Sophia's pregnant with Shawn's kid, but he refused to take responsibility and demanded she have an abortion. Jacob asked to meet him here to get an apology out of Shawn.

"They barely spoke two words before they brawled. Shawn didn't stand a chance against Jacob at first, but Sophia showed up and started shielding him from Jacob's punches. When Jacob stood down, Shawn smashed a bottle of wine on his head."

Eloise cocked a brow. "And where's Sophia now?"

Jack answered, "She went after Shawn."

"Interesting," Eloise drawled.

Jack sighed in resignation. "So, do me a favor and avoid bringing up Shawn and Sophia later, okay? The last thing I want is for Jacob to go berserk."

Eloise made no such promise as she entered the lounge with the first aid kit in hand.

Laborious pants escaped Jacob as he sprawled on the couch, still seething over the incident. When he heard footsteps approaching, he looked up and met Eloise's indifferent gaze. He flew into a rage once more.

"Who the fuck called you over?" he growled.

Eloise ignored him and took a Q-tip from the first aid kit. She dabbed some iodine on it to clean Jacob's wounds.

"I'd rather bleed out than have you fucking touch me!" Jacob barked.

She was well aware of his temper. At times like this, he could be brash and unreasonable, not to mention stubborn. She did not bristle at his tone, quickly cleaning and bandaging his wounds.

"Those are pretty deep gashes. You'll have to get him to the hospital to get stitched up," Eloise said, addressing Jack and Xavier.

She was about to leave when Jacob gripped her arm. "Did you block my number?"

Pulling her arm free, she said stonily, "I'm a fan of clean breaks. You wouldn't have to worry about me bothering you if I blocked you."

"I order you to unblock my number right now!" he roared.

Eloise snorted. "Looks like you got hit in the head pretty hard. Better get that checked out at the hospital." With that, she spun on her heels to leave.

"Sophia changed her mind about marrying me," Jacob bit out. "I may as well marry you."

When she heard this, Eloise stopped in her tracks and glanced at Jacob. He looked at her like he was doing her charity. She sneered, "Save your generosity. I've already decided to marry someone else."