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Chapter 10
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Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 11
Eleanor looked up and met Leonard's eyes, which were cold and distant. Her fists tightened instinctively.Leonard wasn't one to lose his temper easily. In all the years they'd known each other, the only time he had ever gotten angry was when she ignored his warning.She'd stayed out in the snow until she came down with a high fever the day after that. That was the first time he'd ever treated her so coldly.But ever since Rachel returned, Leonard had seemed angry all the time. Maybe he felt like Eleanor was just a nuisance now. Still, it didn't matter. After all, she was going to leave soon anyway.Eleanor forced a faint smile.Just then, Leonard's voice reached her. It was quiet but sharp with disapproval."Eleanor, apologize to Rachel. She's never been in the best health, and tonight, she drank more than she should have for the company. You shouldn't have caused such a scene."Eleanor listened, her expression unreadable.She remembered when they'd first arrived in Atherton th
Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 12
Leonard chuckled, arching an eyebrow as he ran his fingers through her hair."It's because I want you to have a chance to spread your wings, Ellie. This is all about preparing you to take on the company with me when we're married," he said.Taking on the company with him?Eleanor gazed into his warm, smiling eyes, their tenderness almost disarming. There was a time when she would have trusted him without a second thought. But she wasn't that naive, trusting person anymore.This had to be about Rachel, didn't it?"And what else?"Eleanor's voice remained steady, her eyes sharp and unwavering.Leonard's expression shifted briefly before settling into a slight smile. "And Rachel. She's not doing well health-wise and has taken over your role."Ellie, you have what it takes to stand on your own. Why not take this chance to lead the branch office for a while? It'll give you some room to breathe."He reached for her cheek, but Eleanor pulled back.She lowered her gaze before answeri
Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 13
Eleanor dropped her gaze, feeling thrown off by Leonard's question, especially since he already knew the answer."I'm not staying here anymore," she said.Leonard frowned and pressed down on her suitcase.He ran his fingers through her hair and asked, "Are you mad at me? I know sending you to the branch office wasn't exactly fair. But you're the most considerate person I know, Ellie. Can you cut me some slack here?"Eleanor gave a dry smile. "Got it."Leonard pulled a set of keys from his pocket. "It's okay if you're thinking about moving out, especially with Rachel here. I've got a small apartment. You can stay there for a bit if you want."Eleanor paused.He had a way of softening the truth, always pretending everything was fine. He masked his true intentions behind a veneer of concern for her.It was obvious it was all for someone else, but he still tried to make it seem like he was doing something nice for her. She almost felt pity for him and Rachel, putting so much effort
Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 14
A sharp knock came at the door, pulling Leonard's attention immediately.Rachel sauntered in. When she reached him, she let herself sink into his arms. "Leo, I twisted my waist. It hurts so much..."Without hesitation, Leonard's hand went to her waist. His voice was heavy with concern. "Is it bad?" he asked.Rachel's gaze drifted over his shoulder, landing on the desk. Two items were placed there. The words "Resignation Letter" stood out, bold and clear."It's really bad. I think I need to go to the hospital," Rachel said, deliberately softening her voice to sound weaker."Okay. I'll take you," Leonard said.A small smile flickered across Rachel's face. She didn't take her eyes off the envelope until they had left.She'd known for a while that Eleanor was gone. If everything had played out as expected, that letter was meant to be the one Eleanor had left for Leonard.…Meanwhile, Eleanor had already made it to the apartment Ronald had told her about—Symphony Heights.It was
Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 15
So, Eleanor was renting Caleb's house?"Wait. I'm renting your place?" she asked.Caleb gave a noncommittal hum in reply. He didn't elaborate, instead steering the conversation elsewhere."Eating too much mac and cheese isn't great for you, especially considering your current situation. You should probably stay away from it," he said.Before Eleanor could say anything, Caleb opened the door to his house. By the time she gathered her thoughts, he was already inside.It was late fall, and the sky darkened earlier than usual.Eleanor headed into her house, planning to make some mac and cheese, but Caleb's words kept replaying in her mind. In the end, she set the box in the cupboard.She wasn't that hungry, anyway. Whether she ate tonight or not didn't really matter.Half an hour later, she was about to grab her clothes and head to the bathroom when a knock sounded at the door."Can I help you?" Eleanor asked.A man's voice came through from the other side, warm and straightforwa
Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 16
Eleanor's fingers tightened around her phone.After a moment's hesitation, she answered quietly, "No, it's fine. We'll see each other once we're back in Javensburg. No need to rush."After that, she didn't get a single call, not even from Leonard.…On the third day, Leonard received a call from the branch office."Ms. Slater hasn't shown up for work today, Mr. Bateman. Is she planning to come in at all?"It was the HR manager from the branch on the line.Eleanor had moved out a few days ago. Leonard assumed she must have been upset, given how she'd been absent from the office for days.Her unexplained absence was getting under his skin. But lately, he'd been swamped with work.A major player in the industry was putting pressure on him, and he'd been scrambling to keep things under control, jumping from one meeting to the next, trying every approach to resolve the issue. He simply didn't have the energy to deal with her right now.Just then, a knock echoed at the door. Moment
Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 17
"Eleanor, I bumped into Philip the other day, and he mentioned you're getting married in Javensburg in about three weeks. Is that true?" Lily's voice came through the phone."Yes," Eleanor replied. Her lips twisted into a bitter smile."Three years, and you've finally figured out who he really is," Lily said. "Did he do something to hurt you? Is that what's making you so sure about this?""Rachel's in Atherton now. They're living together, and they made me leave," Eleanor replied. The bitterness in her smile deepened."Wait! What?" Lily's voice spiked, heavy with disbelief. "He actually made you leave?"Eleanor told Lily everything, laying out every detail of what had happened. Leonard and Eleanor had been together for three years, and Lily knew the ins and outs of their relationship."It's always easier to get a clear picture when you're not caught up in it," Lily said, sighing on the other end of the line. "I never had a good feeling about the two of you from the start. Now tha
Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 18
"You. You're the best." Leonard gave a simple yet straightforward response without the slightest hint of hesitation. Meanwhile, Eleanor stood beside a tree and watched him support Rachel as they walked away.At that moment, she felt like she had let go of everything. It was right for her to withdraw from that relationship. With her leaving, not only was Eleanor setting herself free, but she was also giving the pair the opportunity to finally be together.That night, Eleanor received a call from one of her colleagues saying that they had heard about the news of her transfer to their branch office. So, they wanted to ask her out for a meetup.Eleanor paused briefly. She had a puzzled look in her eyes.She had explained very clearly in the letter about her decision to resign. Eleanor surmised Leonard probably wanted to avoid causing a stir. In the end, she agreed to meet them.She had worked alongside these people for three years. Moreover, she had personally trained most of them.
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Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 30
On Sunday, Eleanor changed her clothes before noon. Then, she stood outside Caleb's apartment and knocked on the door."Mr. Firth, we can leave whenever you're ready."Soon enough, the door opened. Caleb stood by the door. He narrowed his eyes as he scrutinized Eleanor's appearance. He seemed somewhat intrigued."Are you feeling so sad that you've decided to start dressing up like a college student to reminisce about those youthful days?"Eleanor felt a bit embarrassed. Caleb was being very polite as she commented on her attire.Considering that she would be meeting Harry in the evening, Eleanor had put on a white shirt and a pair of jeans. She did not even apply any makeup. Overall, she looked dull and unremarkable."Does it not suit me?" she asked.Caleb looked refined and sophisticated wearing a suit. The two of them were clearly from different worlds, especially with Eleanor's current appearance.After hearing her question, Caleb lifted his gaze and scanned Eleanor from top
Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 29
Eleanor clutched the file in her hands tightly. Her voice was cold and distant. "I'm not asking for your opinion, Mr. Bateman. I'm simply informing you that I'll only handle the negotiations for this project."Silence fell over the room. The others were all staring at Eleanor in bewilderment.Eleanor had always followed and carried out Leonard's instructions dutifully. Yet, she was clearly talking back to him just now. Her colleagues felt as though they had just seen the sun rise from the west.Eleanor ignored those curious gazes and asked for all the documents related to the project. After gathering everything she needed, she turned around and walked off. She did not want to spend another second in that place.Leonard burned with rage as he watched her walk away determinedly. A cold light glinted in his eyes. He knitted his brows and chuckled."Ellie, it's about time you stop throwing your tantrums, right?" he thought.Leonard had endured it when he saw Eleanor chatting happily
Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 28
Eleanor had not just liaised with those from Sullivan Group before. She had almost gone to the authorities at one point while working with them.She calmed herself down and asked, "Is their person in charge Harry Sullivan?""Yes," Leonard answered after a brief pause.Eleanor had a grim look in her eyes upon hearing his reply.Harry Sullivan, who was born into a wealthy family, was a notorious man in Atherton. Words like vile, lustful, and violent were all used to describe him. Leonard could not possibly not know what kind of man Harry was. Still, he had called Eleanor regardless."Eleanor, we all know how frisky Harry can get and how he likes to harass girls. We shouldn't have dragged you into this. However… he specifically requested to see you. You wouldn't let everybody's efforts go to waste, right?" Rachel had an innocent look on her face as she wiped her tears away.One of their colleagues chimed in, "She's right, Eleanor. You're a nice person. Also, everyone's worked on t
Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 27
After exiting the art exhibition's venue, Caleb drove Eleanor back to the apartment. He glanced at Eleanor through the rearview mirror. "Are you alright, Ms. Slater?"Eleanor lowered her head. Instead of answering the question, she steered away from that topic. "Mr. Firth, thank you for the painting."The painting held profound meaning to her. Therefore, she cherished it a lot.Caleb's mood lifted as he watched her lightly caress the canvas. "If you truly want to thank me, come with me to a place this Sunday.""Sure," Eleanor agreed to it right away. It was only right for her to return the favor after what Caleb did for her.After returning to her apartment, Eleanor carefully hung the painting on the wall. Her heart was filled with bliss as she took in the rose that was born amid ruins and darkness.She would take the painting with her when it was time for her to leave Atherton. The painting was like a warning to Eleanor. It would act as a constant reminder of all the sacrifices
Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 26
"I don't think that'll be necessary." Eleanor chuckled softly and dropped her gaze.She had already made up her mind when she decided to head back to Javensburg.Eleanor gave Leonard and Rachel a slight nod. Then, she was about to leave with Caleb.Hair tucked behind her ears, Eleanor had a calm look in her eyes. She gave off a chilly air. Even though she maintained a neutral expression, she suddenly seemed much more distant and unapproachable.Leonard's heart sank. He felt like something was slowly slipping away from him.Rachel asked pitifully, "Eleanor, are you feeling upset?"Before Eleanor could say anything, she continued, "Leo hadn't accompanied you to art exhibitions previously because he was too busy. He only came here with me today because we had some free time after a recent project ended. "You shouldn't be mingling with the wrong crowd just to make Leo angry, alright?"Rachel kept up with the pitiful act and pretended to be very understanding. Still, Eleanor could
Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 25
Eleanor paused briefly. She did not expect to receive an invitation from Caleb to visit the art exhibition together.She did not particularly dislike Caleb. In fact, her impression of him so far had been quite favorable. Anyway, Eleanor had already made up her mind to go. Having a companion did not sound like a bad idea to her.After a moment's consideration, she typed out her reply and sent it to Caleb."Sure."…It was a weekday the next day. Still, there were a lot of people who came to see the art exhibition.Caleb and Eleanor walked along the corridors and saw many artworks. A particular artwork caught Eleanor's eye at some point.The painting was not exactly aesthetically pleasing. It was dull and somber. Some might even say it was ugly.Yet, in that seemingly hopeless, run-down environment, a tiny rose bloomed. The brushstrokes seemed free yet controlled at the same time. Eleanor was someone who had considerable knowledge about art and paintings. She had taken art cour
Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 24
Leonard fixed Caleb with a stony gaze. Eleanor knew how much he despised Caleb. Naturally, he surmised she had gotten close to Caleb just to upset him.Eleanor had an impassive look on her face. "My private life is none of your business. We'll be leaving first if that is all."Leonard's eyes burned with rage.Meanwhile, Caleb's lips had curled into a mocking grin since earlier. Just then, Rachel strode forward and stood between Leonard and Eleanor. She appeared as though she wanted to help pacify the two of them."Eleanor, Leo is saying these things for your own good. You shouldn't say such hurtful words that'll only end up hurting your relationship."There was a look of disdain in Eleanor's eyes as she shot Rachel a sidelong glance.Hurting their relationship? They already broke up. How was that a concern when she and Leonard were no longer in a relationship?Eleanor said frigidly, "You, of all people, have no right to meddle in my personal affairs."Rachel's face was draine
Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 23
Eleanor kept her head lowered and stood there, unmoving. It was only when Leonard's gaze drifted toward the ground that he noticed Eleanor had injured her ankle.He furrowed his brows and took a step forward. "When did you injure your ankle? Why didn't you tell me about it?"Eleanor instinctively took a few steps backward when she saw him move closer. Everyone else could sense her resistance.Leonard halted in his tracks. His voice hardened. "You should stop throwing tantrums now that you're hurt. Eleanor, come home with me."Eleanor did not budge. She directed her gaze at Leonard. His face became rather animated because of how worried and agitated he was.If it were during her first or second year here, Eleanor would definitely think that Leonard actually cared about her. Sadly, things had changed over time.Leonard had a stony look in his eyes. He stepped forward and tried to grab onto Eleanor's hand. However, someone stuck out their arm and blocked his path.It was Caleb.Hi
Too Late for Tears, Too Late for Love Chapter 22
Eleanor lifted her head and met Caleb's gaze.She paused briefly before replying teasingly, "Why are you so curious about my personal affairs, Mr. Firth? Those who didn't know better might think that you were trying to steal someone else's girlfriend."Caleb, who was about to move away, sat down beside the hospital bed again. There was an unreadable look in his eyes. "What if that is what I intend to do?"Eleanor was struck speechless. She and Caleb were staring into each other's eyes. There was a particular emotion in those orbs that she could not quite discern.She lowered her gaze and chuckled. "I'll probably have to let you down, Mr. Firth. I'm just an ordinary person. I couldn't really move on from my previous relationship so quickly. Besides…"Besides, Eleanor had decided to go back to her hometown for the arranged marriage.Caleb paused for a moment. His eyes narrowed. Then, he lightly grasped her wrist. "Are you… scared?"Eleanor froze. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly.
