Chapter 1

"I'm getting married on the 10th of next month. I want you to crash the wedding."

Only then did the man finally lift his head and glance at the woman sitting across from him. A flicker of surprise passed through his sharp, fox-like eyes. He lightly tapped his long fingers on the table, his tone ambiguous.

"Crash the wedding? Do you even realize who you are… and who I am?"

Yet, Eleanor Sutton remained calm and composed, her voice as smooth as ever. "Of course I do. I'm Aaron Ford's fiancée, and you're his sworn enemy. You just need to answer me—are you coming or not?"

The confidence in her voice made Leon Whitman's lips curl into a faint smile. He leaned back in his chair, slipping back into his usual laid-back pose. "I'll come. What's in it for me?"

"I heard Mrs. Whitman Senior hasn't been doing too well and keeps pressuring you to get married. If you crash the wedding, you'll embarrass the Fords and get your family off your back—two birds with one stone."

Eleanor said it so casually, like she was talking about the weather. Her indifference only made Leon more intrigued.

He raised his right hand and stretched it toward her, saying, "Deal."

Their hands met briefly in the air, sealing the agreement. Without hesitation, Eleanor stood and turned to leave. But Leon studied his hand for a few seconds, then called out to her.

"Everyone in our circle knows Aaron's obsessed with you—says you're the love of his life. If you run off with me in the middle of the wedding… won't he go completely nuts?"

Eleanor didn't say a word. She paused for just a beat before walking out without looking back.

As she passed through the city square, a massive screen lit up with a live interview. The moment Aaron appeared on the screen—gold-rimmed glasses, sharp suit—every girl nearby stopped to stare.

Eleanor stopped too, quietly listening to the voice that felt so familiar. The host, Eric Smith, asked, "Mr. Ford, why did you suddenly acquire the brand BloomVine?"

Aaron answered, "I recently proposed to my fiancée. I needed a top-tier floral design team to decorate the wedding venue."

Eric was caught off guard by his reply. He asked, "And Ford Enterprise also just acquired dozens of snack companies. Is that part of your new business strategy?"

Aaron replied without missing a beat, "No. I bought them because they're all her favorite snacks."

Eric was rendered speechless by Aaron's reply. The interview lasted less than ten minutes, but no matter what Eric asked, Aaron kept circling back to one thing—his wedding and his fiancée.

People watching couldn't help but feel amazed. The powerful CEO of Ford Enterprise, a ruthless name in the business world, was clearly just a man hopelessly in love.

Light rain began to fall, and Eleanor listened for a couple more minutes before quietly turning and walking into the nearest store. As soon as she stepped inside, her phone rang. She picked up and heard Aaron's voice, warm and full of tenderness.

"Nora, the housekeeper told me you went out. It's raining now—where are you? I'll come get you."

She gripped her phone a little tighter. She paused before responding, "I thought you had an important meeting today. Don't worry, I'll just call a cab."

There was no hesitation on the other end before his voice came through again. "No way. Nothing matters more than you. Text me the address—I'm coming right now."

Eleanor didn't say no this time. As soon as the call ended, she sent him her location. However, just seconds later, two new messages popped up on her screen.

They were from the private investigator, Noah Arturo, she had hired a few days ago—finally, an update.

"Mr. Ford didn't go to the office today. He spent the morning at the hospital with a woman, attending her prenatal checkup. They just left."

Attached was a high-resolution photo. In the picture, Aaron was holding the door open for a woman. The sign above the door clearly read "OB-GYN".

Not far away, a few girls nearby were still gushing about how lucky anyone would be to marry Aaron, convinced he would spoil his wife like royalty. Eleanor kept listening, her eyes glued to the photo as a bitter, sarcastic smile tugged at her lips.

She had known Aaron since they were kids. They were childhood best friends who had grown up side by side. While other boys had been pulling girls' hair and causing trouble, Aaron had taken it upon himself to be her protector. He wouldn't let any guy so much as look her way.

They had gone from childhood innocence to the spark of teenage love, and he had been there through every moment. Whatever she had wanted, he had given her. He would have plucked the stars from the sky if she had asked for them.

Eleanor had once gotten curious about learning to ride a bike and fell, scraping her knee. Aaron had been so heartbroken by her tiny injury that from then on, he had refused to let her use any kind of ride-share or public transport. Instead, he had insisted on driving her everywhere himself.

Eleanor had always believed she would be the only one in his heart. Yet, everything changed because of one unexpected invitation.

She had to cancel a pre-planned date with Aaron for an overseas performance that was important for her career. She had thought he would understand. A week later, she had come back home—only to find that everything had fallen apart.

The night Eleanor had left, Aaron had been planning to propose. He had arranged a grand, romantic setup, but when she hadn't shown up, he had drowned his disappointment in alcohol.

Drunk and heartbroken, he had gone to a hotel and accidentally entered the wrong room. That night, he had slept with one of his employees, Alina Spencer. Two months later, the news broke—she was pregnant.

Aaron's grandmother, Margaret Habel, had found out and caused an uproar. She had been so furious and heartbroken that she had threatened to end her own life if Aaron didn't take responsibility for the baby.

Margaret had also blamed Eleanor, claiming she was too obsessed with her dance career and would probably be unwilling to have children. Margaret had begged Aaron to at least leave behind one heir for the Fords.

Aaron, being the devoted grandson, didn't want to hurt her, so he had signed an agreement with Alina. He had given her a huge sum of money in exchange for a promise—she would carry the baby to term and then leave quietly.

Once Eleanor had returned from abroad, Aaron had wasted no time proposing to her again. He had thought that if he cleaned up the mess behind the scenes, everything could go back to how it had been. He had believed he had hidden everything well enough that she would never find out.

But what he didn't know was that Eleanor—his one and only—had already learned the whole truth. She could not forgive the betrayal nor could she live with the stain.

Thus, she had made up her mind to end this decade-long love once and for all. And now, she was planning to walk away from their relationship and leave him for good right at the altar.

Chapter 2

"Nora, you've been out for a while. Are you hungry? I brought snacks and fruit tea. Want to have a bite before dinner?"

The sudden voice at the window snapped Eleanor out of her thoughts. She shook her head and walked over to the man without a word.

Aaron reached out and gently took her hand, but she instinctively looked down and noticed a faint stain on the hem of her trench coat.

His eyes followed hers, and just as she slipped off her coat, he took off his jacket too, wanting to put it over her shoulders. However, she stepped away.

He paused for a second, then tried to take her coat from her hands. "Let me take it. I know how much you love this coat. I'll have it professionally cleaned."

Eleanor shook her head and tossed the coat straight into the trash can on the curb. Her tone was flat as she said, "Just get rid of it. You know me—I don't keep things that are stained. I'm kind of a clean freak, remember?"

Aaron's smile faltered the second he heard her words. He knew she wasn't just talking about the coat. She was talking about everything—about them.

That night had haunted him ever since. He had been terrified that she would leave him, that she would call off the engagement, that there would be no going back. So, he had chosen to hide it.

Aaron told himself that if he could just keep it a secret, wait until the baby was born, and have Margaret raise the child, everything would go back to normal. He couldn't even bring himself to imagine how Eleanor would react if she found out.

He could lose anyone else in the world—just not her.

Aaron's mind was spinning, but Eleanor didn't spare him another glance. She simply stared out the window in silence. She remembered how it felt when she had first learned the truth. She remembered the years of love, how devoted he had been, how it had once felt like she was his entire world.

Eleanor had tried—she really had—to bury the pain and pretend like nothing had happened, but she couldn't do it. She couldn't live with a love that had been tainted.

After two long months of battling with herself, she had finally decided to let go.

Eleanor knew that if she tried to break off the engagement directly, Aaron would never agree. After all, she had tried once before, years ago, when she had wanted to pursue her dance career abroad. Back then, he had chased her for a full month, begging her to come back.

She had no intention of repeating that all over again. Hence, she planned the crash-the-wedding scheme.

If there was one person in their world who could pull her out from Aaron's grasp, it was his archrival—Leon. That was also why she had approached him today. Thankfully, he said yes.

During the drive, Aaron kept trying to make Eleanor laugh like he used to. He jumped from topic to topic, desperately searching for something that would cheer her up.

Yet, she couldn't even fake a smile anymore. She leaned her head against the window and drifted off to sleep. When she woke up, she found herself tucked into bed in the upstairs bedroom.

A housekeeper entered quietly with a mug of hot ginger tea and said, "Ms. Sutton, Mr. Ford just finished making this himself. He said he didn't want you catching a cold and asked me to give it to you as soon as you woke up. He's outside in the garden picking fresh flowers—would you like me to go get him?"

Eleanor shook her head and walked to the window. Looking down, she saw him standing in the garden, carefully arranging a bouquet of roses with full concentration.

Half an hour later, Aaron came upstairs holding the freshly arranged flowers. He handed them to her with hopeful eyes and asked, "Do you like them?"

She responded with a soft, quiet hum, and instantly, his whole face lit up with a smile.

...

That night, Eleanor lay awake, staring at the ceiling for what felt like forever.

At 11:00 pm, she heard two light knocks at the door. In came Aaron, carrying a pillow and claiming he had insomnia. He asked if he could sleep next to her.

Eleanor didn't say no. She slid over, leaving half the bed open, and let him wrap an arm around her shoulder like nothing had changed. About 30 minutes later, she heard the sound of his even breathing—he had fallen asleep.

She slowly reached under her pillow, pulled out his phone, and unlocked it with the password she had long since memorized. After that, she opened his messages and scrolled to his conversation with Alina.

From March to April, there had been messages every single day, reporting about the baby. Each text was filled with restraint, humility, and quiet desperation.

Even so, Aaron hadn't replied to a single message.

Finally, on April 17th, a green bubble popped up on the screen—his first response. "Stop texting me. Don't you understand what this child means to me? Everyone's excited for him to be born... except me!"

Alina only responded with one word—"Sorry."

After that, they hadn't exchanged a single message for over a month. However, by mid-May, Alina started sending updates again—on the dot, every day.

As Eleanor scrolled further, she noticed Aaron's green messages slowly began to increase. The texts grew longer, and his tone softened too.

Aaron: "I saw you after work today—you've lost weight. You should eat more; the baby needs nutrients too."

Aaron: "I heard some people at the office were gossiping and giving you a hard time. Are you dumb? Why are you letting people bully you every day? If something happens, come to me directly."

Aaron: "There's a storm coming in a few days. Stay home and don't go out. I'll have my assistant drop off some supplies."

If Eleanor remembered correctly, she had spent the entire month of May abroad, rehearsing for her new dance production. According to Noah, that was when Margaret had brought Alina to stay at the Ford residence, trying to make the two of them bond.

Eleanor wondered if that was when Aaron started caring about Alina. Her lashes trembled slightly as her thumb kept scrolling. She stopped at the latest message. It had been sent just earlier that day.

Aaron: "What time's the appointment? Text me the address."

Alina: "Mr. Ford, aren't you supposed to be with Ms. Sutton today?"

Aaron: "Not your concern. Just send the address."

His tone wasn't exactly gentle, but Eleanor knew him too well—if he truly didn't care, he never would have reached out in the first place. Moreover, he had used a fake meeting as an excuse to cancel their plans, then spent the day with Alina at her prenatal check-up.

Eleanor knew she wasn't Aaron's number one anymore, not the way she used to be. Glancing at the man sleeping beside her, she let out a quiet, bitter laugh.

Then, she opened Alina's social media profile. She scrolled through three months' worth of updates—over 20 posts and nearly 100 photos, each documenting the pregnancy in detail.

In the most recent ones, Aaron's face had started to appear. Photos of him focusing behind the wheel, studying the ultrasound results with a furrowed brow, looking conflicted while picking out baby clothes in a store.

The more she looked, the harder it became to breathe. If that night had been a drunken mistake, something he had never meant, everything he was doing now said otherwise.

Eleanor quietly set the phone back under his pillow. Right then, still asleep, Aaron instinctively pulled her into his arms again.

The same arms she had once found comfort in now felt suffocating. She took a slow, deep breath and gently pushed him away.

She thought, "Aaron, just one more month. One more month, and I'll finally be free of you—for good."

Chapter 3

The next morning, after breakfast, Aaron made no move to get up. Eleanor casually asked him what was wrong, and he pulled her into his arms, nuzzling against the curve of her neck.

"Nora, I don't want to go to work. I just want to cling to you all day. Since you're off this week, come with me to the office, will you? That way, I can see you whenever I want—and maybe I'll actually get some work done."

Off to the side, the housekeeper quickly covered her face with both hands, clearly flustered by the over-the-top affection. In her head, she muttered that Aaron was absolutely hopeless—a total lovesick fool.

However, Eleanor's expression didn't change. She simply nodded and replied, "Sure."

After all, she had been meaning to meet Alina in person.

...

When they arrived at the office, Aaron didn't take the executive elevator to his office. Instead, he swiped his employee badge and hit the button for the 17th floor.

"There's a project pitch this morning with the marketing team. Gotta check in on that first," he said casually.

Eleanor stayed quiet. She didn't work in corporate, but even she knew that any major collaboration would be handled in the executive boardroom upstairs, not on a lower floor.

Then, she remembered a selfie she had seen last night on Alina's social media, in which she wore a marketing team badge around her neck. Suddenly, everything clicked—this detour had nothing to do with business.

The moment they stepped off the elevator, loud, sharp yelling echoed from one of the rooms.

"I asked for an iced Americano! What is wrong with you? You can't even get a coffee order right! You look like a country bumpkin from some dusty town, and apparently, your brain stayed there too! How does a company like this even hire people like you? Couldn't they send someone better-looking and smarter to deal with clients?"

Hearing the client's outburst, Aaron instinctively frowned. When they walked through the door and saw Alina standing there, head bowed, silently taking the abuse, something cold flickered in his eyes. He let go of Eleanor's hand and quickly stepped forward.

"Mr. Powell, I assume you're here to discuss a deal—not to humiliate one of my employees. If this is how you conduct yourself, then maybe there's no future between the Fords and the Powells after all."

His words, sharp and ice-cold, hit Kenny Powell like a slap to the face.

Kenny's face flushed with embarrassment, unable to believe Aaron would risk a partnership to defend what he assumed was just a regular employee. Caught off guard and with nowhere to turn, he looked like he wanted to disappear.

The office buzzed with whispers as people turned to each other in surprise. Meanwhile, Eleanor remained by the door, her gaze fixed on Aaron while chatter filled the air around her.

He acted as though none of it existed. He simply walked Alina back to her desk, his face still tight with irritation. Then, he glanced down and saw the sticky notes scattered across her workspace. His expression darkened further.

"Meeting prep at 10:00 am, copies at 2:00 pm? Does the marketing team not have an assistant? You all dumped these tasks on Alina? Find out who wrote these notes. Anyone not doing their job—fire them."

His words hit hard, and a wave of panic swept through the room as half the employees turned pale. On the other hand, Alina looked up at him with grateful eyes, overflowing with affection.

However, the second she turned and saw Eleanor still standing at the doorway, she froze. The tenderness vanished in an instant, like smoke in the wind.

Eleanor watched the shift in Alina's expression. Then, she calmly turned away and walked out of the room.

It took Aaron nearly an hour to track her down, and he finally found her on the rooftop of the building. Seeing her distant expression, he guessed she might have misunderstood the scene earlier with Alina.

Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her and tried to explain. "Nora, don't take it the wrong way. I just can't stand watching employees get bullied..."

Eleanor gave him a faint, bitter smile. For a split second, she felt the overwhelming urge to tear off the mask he wore and expose everything. But in the end, she swallowed it down.

Her voice came out soft and even as she replied, "I didn't misunderstand. I just wanted to get some fresh air. You stood up for someone at work—that's the right thing to do."

Only then did Aaron finally breathe a little easier and bring her downstairs with him.

...

During lunch, he carefully picked out the bones from her fish while listening to his assistant, Matthew Woods, report on the schedule.

Matthew asked, "Mr. Ford, will you be attending the charity auction tonight?"

"Yes. Have them send over three invitations."

"Three?"

Matthew glanced toward Eleanor, unsure if he heard that right. Aaron followed his gaze and caught the calm look in her eyes. Then, he quickly offered an explanation.

"Alina got called a country bumpkin this morning. She looked like she was about to cry. It's just a dinner event, so I figured I'd bring her along to lift her spirits and let her see something new."

He added, "Nora, I've got meetings all afternoon. If you're free, would you mind taking her out shopping? Help her find a dress or something—it'll kill some time."

Unprompted kindness, a shaky excuse, and eyes that couldn't meet hers—everything about Aaron's behavior screamed dishonesty.

Eleanor said nothing. She simply looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "Sure."

So, for the entire afternoon, Alina followed behind her. They picked out a few gowns, browsed for jewelry, and ended up at a salon where Alina got a fresh haircut. They barely exchanged a single word the entire time.

Alina was like a doll—quiet, obedient, and unopinionated. She let Eleanor style her however she liked without saying a thing. By the time Aaron showed up after his meeting, Alina had just finished her makeup and was getting to her feet.

There was a flicker of admiration in his eyes when he saw her, but he didn't stop. Instead, he walked right over to Eleanor and took her hand.

He said, "The dress you picked is stunning, and the jewelry goes perfectly with your skin tone. Nora, you look so beautiful tonight... I almost don't want to take you out. What if someone else tries to steal you from me?"

Eleanor stayed silent and didn't respond. She turned slightly, catching the way Alina's face fell as she lowered her head, gripping the edge of her gown tightly.

A moment later, Aaron's voice lowered as he turned toward her. "Alina, you look... good too."

Joy lit up her face like someone had flipped a switch. "R-Really? Thank you, Mr. Ford."

She clearly liked Aaron a lot. After all, from just that one sentence, she spent the entire night glowing like someone had handed her the stars.

That was, until the auction began.

To prepare for the evening, Eleanor personally donated three pairs of rare pearl earrings. They were valued at three million dollars, but Aaron bought all three pairs back himself for ten million.

The room filled with gasps and excited murmurs as the bidding went wild.

Alina, growing increasingly nervous, tugged at Eleanor's sleeve. Her voice was soft and unsure as she asked, "Ms. Sutton, are all the items at charity auctions this expensive? I... I didn't know."

Eleanor was just about to explain when the auctioneer raised the next item and spoke into the mic. "Item 32—donated by Ms. Alina Spencer. Handcrafted wishing stars. Starting bid: one dollar. And before we begin bidding, may we ask Ms. Spencer to stand and take a bow?"

Chapter 4

Just like the other donors did for every other item at the auction, Alina had to stand and acknowledge the crowd before her donation was introduced. But as curious glances landed on her ashamed expression, those looks quickly turned into loud, mocking laughter.

Someone teased, "One dollar? Is that for real? Who brings that kind of junk to an event like this?"

"Everyone here is either wealthy or important. What's Cinderella doing here—did someone sneak her in? Can we throw her out already?"

Alina's face flushed red and purple from the humiliation. She lowered her head and did not dare look up. The crowd erupted with whispers and snickers, the atmosphere growing more and more cruel by the second.

Aaron's face went cold in an instant. Without saying a word, he nodded to Matthew, who immediately raised the paddle.

"Lot 17. Mr. Ford bids ten million."

The room fell silent, and everyone turned in shock to look at Aaron. The ridicule stopped immediately, replaced by stunned speculation. People started whispering, wondering if the stars had some hidden value they had missed.

A few cautiously raised their paddles to bid, but Aaron stayed aggressive, countering every single offer without hesitation. In the end, he won the item at an outrageous price of 300 million.

The room collectively gasped, and someone exclaimed, "300 million? For a box of paper stars? Has Mr. Ford lost his mind?

Another chimed in, "Even if they were made of gold, it wouldn't be worth that much."

While the guests whispered behind their hands, Alina suddenly broke down. Her eyes filled with tears as she stood up and ran from the room, visibly overwhelmed.

Aaron's brow tightened as he watched her go. He said, "Nora, take your time. If there's anything you like, just raise your paddle—I have to step out for a moment."

He didn't wait for Eleanor to respond before rushing off in Alina's direction.

Eleanor stayed seated for a beat longer. She could feel the eyes watching her, people wondering what the fiancée would do now. Finally, she stood and walked out of the ballroom.

The hallway was quiet. Despite the distance, she could clearly hear Alina's tearful voice.

"Mr. Ford, please don't be so kind to me. The more you care, the more scared I get because I know that at the end of the day, I have to give you back to Ms. Sutton. Just thinking about that day breaks me. But I can't fight for you… because you were never mine to begin with."

Aaron's brows drew tightly together.

"Mr. Ford, let's just end things here, okay?"

As Alina kept speaking, her words filled with finality, Aaron suddenly snapped. All the fury and emotion he had kept buried surged up at once, and he grabbed her and kissed her, hard.

A wave of coldness surged up Eleanor's spine and wrapped around her chest like a vice. She stood frozen at the end of the hallway, staring at the two of them lost in that embrace. Her fingertips trembled uncontrollably.

It was a long time before Aaron finally let go of Alina. He wiped the tears from her cheeks with shaky hands, his breathing uneven.

"Alina, I don't even know what's happening to me. The way you always keep your head down and never speak up—I can't help it. I just want to protect you. So, you must take care of yourself and not let yourself be bullied again!"

He added, "There's only a few months left. Once you've had the baby, we'll go our separate ways and never see each other again."

Every word he spoke was firm and deliberate, as though he was unsure whether he was trying to comfort Alina or convince himself.

Eleanor wanted to laugh but couldn't find the strength to do so. She felt numb. She lifted her hand to her cheek, and her fingers came away wet and cold.

She couldn't help but wonder why the scene before her hurt, especially since she had already decided to walk away.

Why did it still feel like her heart was being ripped apart?

Eleanor wiped her tears away, slowly and carefully. Then, without a sound, she turned and walked away. She silently swore to herself that this would be the last time she shed tears for Aaron.

...

On the ride back, Eleanor quietly slipped into the backseat. Aaron hesitated for a moment, guilt flickering in his eyes.

He said, "Matthew took Alina home. She was really upset and cried a lot, so I stayed to comfort her for a bit. Nora, please don't be mad, okay?"

Eleanor didn't want to hear another word. "I'm not mad. I'm just tired."

She closed her eyes, and Aaron, sensing her mood, finally shut his mouth. The rest of the night passed in silence.

...

The next morning, Aaron drove her to the dance company like usual. However, just as they reached the front doors, a woman in her early 30s came charging at Eleanor with a knife, her face twisted with hatred.

"Eleanor! You couldn't even leave me my final performance? I worked so hard to get that lead role, and you're taking it from me again!"

The blade flashed toward her in a violent arc, and without thinking, Aaron stepped in front of her. He exclaimed, "Nora!"

Security, who had been alerted, rushed over and tackled the woman, restraining her. But by then, Aaron had already collapsed in Eleanor's arms. Pain radiated from his chest like wildfire, stealing the strength from every muscle in his body.

His mind went blank, and the last thing he saw before darkness took him was Eleanor's stunned, terrified eyes. With what little energy he had left, he raised a trembling hand and covered her eyes.

Aaron's voice was hoarse, and his final words were not a cry of pain. Instead, he mumbled, "Nora, it's fine. Don't be scared."

The ambulance arrived quickly and rushed him to the hospital. Two hours later, the light outside the operating room finally flicked off.

The doctor came out and found Eleanor sitting motionless in the hallway, her body tight with tension. His voice carried a hint of quiet relief.

"The surgery was a success. Mr. Ford's going to be okay. But if that blade had pierced even a few inches deeper, we wouldn't have been able to save him. Ms. Sutton, Mr. Ford threw himself in front of a knife without hesitation… He truly loves you—deeply."

Eleanor's body finally relaxed. She couldn't find the words to speak. Her eyes dropped to her bloodstained clothes, and she stared at them in a daze.

Ten minutes later, her phone rang. She answered, and Leon's slightly anxious voice came through the speaker. "The news said there was an attack. Are you okay? Were you hurt?"

"No," she replied softly. "Aaron shielded me."

The line went quiet for a few long seconds before Leon let out a dry, bitter laugh. "He loves you that much, huh? So, are you moved? Thinking about calling off our plan?"

Even Leon didn't realize how tense his voice had become.

Meanwhile, Eleanor didn't answer right away. Her mind was a storm of memories. She remembered Aaron getting into fights as a teenager to defend her, losing his early admission to a top college because of it.

She remembered how, after graduation, she had chased her dance career all over the world, and he had followed her without complaint. No matter when or where, if she said she needed him, he would show up—every time.

Aaron's love for her was undeniable. But even though he loved her, he still ended up loving someone else too.

Meanwhile, Eleanor had only ever wanted one thing—exclusivity. She was not the kind of woman who would bend her principles for love. Just like she never gave up her dreams for a proposal, she would not forgive betrayal, no matter how much love was wrapped around it.

Some lines, once crossed, could never be uncrossed. No apologies. No exceptions.

The silence stretched so long that Leon thought she might have hung up. He started to lower his phone when her voice came through, clear and steady.

She said, "There's no need to cancel it. We proceed as planned."

Chapter 5

After the Fords arrived, Eleanor left the hospital and headed straight to the police station. By the time she finished giving her statement, it was already 4:00 pm. She flagged down a cab, and just as she got in, her phone rang—it was Matthew.

"Ms. Sutton, Mr. Ford's awake now. I've already arranged for someone to handle that woman from this morning, but Mr. Ford still isn't at ease. He insists on going to the company to investigate everything himself, saying he's worried something else might happen to you.

"But the doctor said his injuries are serious—he needs to stay in bed, or he'll risk reopening his wound. Can you come over and talk him out of it?"

Eleanor agreed and gave the driver the hospital's address. Just as she reached the door of Aaron's hospital room, a familiar voice made her stop in her tracks.

"You're seriously injured. Can't you just rest? That attacker has already been caught. Can't you wait until you're better to deal with the rest?"

It was Alina.

"I know how to take care of myself. I don't need you worrying about me," Aaron replied. His tone wasn't exactly warm, but it still counted as a reluctant agreement.

Nonetheless, no one knew him better than Eleanor—especially his habit of saying the opposite of what he meant.

As the conversation went on, the atmosphere between them slowly improved. Eleanor listened for a few moments before pushing the door open. The first thing she saw was Alina feeding Aaron a bowl of nourishing soup.

Aaron was sitting there quietly, sipping from the spoon like a well-behaved patient. The two of them looked just like an old married couple—they were even perfectly in sync when they turned around at the sound of the door opening.

Eleanor stood there silently, watching them. She hadn't said a word yet, but both were already flustered and rushing to explain.

"She just happened to be here for a prenatal checkup—"

"Ms. Sutton, please don't get the wrong idea. Mr. Ford helped me a while ago, and I'm really grateful. I heard he got hurt, so I came to check on him. He said he was hungry, and I didn't want him straining his stitches, so I offered to feed him."

Eleanor thought, "So, they aren't that in sync after all." She stood there, processing, without responding.

Seeing her silence, and realizing their stories did not quite match, the two panicked even more.

Alina, looking incredibly anxious, stood up abruptly and started heading toward the door. "Since you're here, Ms. Sutton, I'll leave you two alone."

The soft click of the door closing blended seamlessly with the sudden downpour outside. Aaron instinctively wanted to follow Alina, but after glancing at Eleanor, he stopped himself.

He said, "She was just on her way to a checkup when she heard I got hurt and dropped by. Nora, don't read too much into it."

Eleanor didn't need to. The truth was right in front of her, clear for all to see.

She didn't argue. Instead, she sat beside his bed, picking up the medical chart nearby.

Aaron kept talking, already shifting the topic back to what happened that morning. "When that woman charged at you, I swear, my heart almost stopped. Nora, I'm just glad you're okay. You should just focus on recovering at home for now. I'll take care of everything at the dance company."

Eleanor quietly listened as he talked. Her eyes were on the chart, but from the corner of her eye, she noticed how he glanced out the window after every sentence.

She turned her head to look outside and saw the rain pouring hard. She finally realized why he was so on edge.

After a few more words, Aaron called Matthew and asked him to send a car over so Eleanor could head home and rest early. She didn't argue and got up to leave.

Once she was downstairs, the driver asked for the address, but she just shook her head and handed him a thick wad of bills.

"Wait here," she said.

Three minutes later, Aaron walked out of the hospital, one hand over his wound, and got into Matthew's car. That was Eleanor's cue. She told her driver to follow them.

The car in front moved slowly, like it was scanning the sidewalk for someone. After about a quarter mile of crawling along, it finally stopped.

Then, Aaron got out, holding an umbrella, and made a beeline for someone standing under a store's awning. It was Alina, completely soaked.

"Get in the car!" he barked.

"No, Mr. Ford, I don't want to trouble you anymore!" she protested.

Her refusal only made him angrier. He pressed his lips into a hard line and snapped, "You're carrying my child. Say no one more time, and I'll kiss you right here on the street."

The rain kept falling, but their heated voices cut right through it, clear as day to Eleanor sitting in the car behind them. She watched as Aaron pulled Alina under his umbrella and walked her back to the car, his arm around her shoulders protectively.

The umbrella was tilted, with most of it shielding Alina. His chest, wrapped in gauze, was completely soaked. Before long, a hint of red was already seeping through the fabric.

Raindrops tapped against the car window, landing on Eleanor's face like silent tears. She reached out and closed the window.

It took her a long time before she finally spoke. "Let's go."