Chapter 1

"Philip, I'm coming home to get married."

It was late at night, and the moon hung in the sky, its surface shimmering like it had been dusted with frost. Eleanor looked down, pulling her coat closer around her.

Philip Slater's voice immediately came through the phone, "I'm glad you've changed your mind. It's been three years since you left for Atherton, chasing your dreams after graduation.

"Mom and Dad were starting to think you'd fallen for some guy who'd taken you for good. But I'm relieved to hear you're finally coming home."

His voice carried a deep sense of relief.

It had been three years.

Eleanor's fingers skimmed the wooden bracelet on her wrist. She had kept it in perfect condition, and even after three years, it still looked as though it were brand new.

A dull ache settled in her chest as she remembered the bold, reckless determination that had driven her to follow Leonard to Atherton all those years ago.

She simply went along with Philip's words. "I was naive back then, and I'm sorry for worrying everyone. I'll leave the wedding planning to you, Mom, and Dad."

"Don't worry about it. The guy Mom and Dad chose for you is perfect in every way—good looks, money, and personality. I'm sure you're going to like him," Philip's reassuring voice came through the phone, though he didn't offer any details about the groom.

Instead, he quickly changed the subject. "Oh, and Eleanor, don't forget to invite Leonard. He's still in Atherton. You used to follow him around, calling him 'Leo' all the time. Now that you're getting married, you need to make sure he's there.

"I've been trying to reach him these past few days, but his line is always busy."

A trace of bitterness spread across Eleanor's tongue. It made sense that Leonard's line was busy.

Rachel Winslow had returned a month ago. Since then, he'd been too caught up in his endless conversations with her.

After a long pause, Eleanor said quietly, "He might not make it to the wedding..."

Before her words could fully sink in, a deep voice broke through, "What wedding?"

The door swung open just then, and Eleanor quickly ended the call. She looked up to find Leonard setting his suit down.

He stood tall, his strikingly handsome face framed by a subtle raise of his brow and a cool, faint smile. He carried himself with a refined grace.

Leonard approached her, pulled her into his arms, and asked, "Who's getting married?"

He rested one hand on her waist and buried his face in the curve of her neck, inhaling her scent as if it calmed him.

"No one," Eleanor murmured.

She believed her wedding didn't need him there to offer his blessing.

Leonard didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary about her. He casually loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt, moving with a relaxed ease that was strangely captivating.

He held her waist and flashed a teasing smile. "I thought it was you who wanted to get married."

Eleanor met his gaze and responded, almost out of nowhere, "What if I want to get married?"

"Where's this coming from?" Leonard asked.

He paused, then tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his gaze unwavering as he added, "You're still young. There's no reason to rush into something like this."

Was she rushing things, or had he never meant to marry her? A painful knot formed in her chest.

"Do you even want to marry me?" Eleanor murmured.

Leonard was ready to answer, but a flash of uncertainty crossed his eyes.

After a pause, he reassured her softly, his voice wrapping around her like a comforting hug. "Of course, Ellie. You came all the way to Atherton with me. I'd never let you down. I'll marry you when the time's right…"

His words trailed off as his lips brushed against hers, moving from the corner of her mouth to her neck. The touch sent a subtle shiver through her.

Eleanor closed her eyes and didn't push Leonard away. She knew he wouldn't cross the line.

Over the years, there had been countless moments when the two of them had been on the verge of crossing that line, but he had always held back, never ready to take that last step.

At first, Eleanor couldn't quite understand why. She bit her lip shyly, letting him know she was ready.

But Leonard had only responded by softly running his fingers through her hair, his gaze tender as he said, "You're still young. Let's wait until we're married."

Back then, she saw it as his way of showing how much he cared. She'd blush and hide her face against his chest.

It wasn't until Rachel returned that things began to shift.

One day, Leonard was out with his closest friends for a get-together. Eleanor arrived late, and just as she was about to open the door, she overheard one of Leonard's friends teasing him. "So, Leonard, now that Rachel's back, when are you finally going to dump Eleanor, your little filler?"

Another voice quickly jumped in, "Honestly, if it weren't for Eleanor, Rachel wouldn't have had to go through all that. You know how much Rachel can't stand her."

The Slater family had once adopted Rachel, the daughter of their housekeeper.

Years ago, due to the housekeeper's scheming, the Slaters had mistaken Rachel for Eleanor and raised her as their own, only uncovering the truth 15 years later.

When the truth came to light, they brought Eleanor into their home and sent Rachel back to the Winslow family, along with a ten-million-dollar compensation.

Soon after, Rachel left for overseas and lost touch with the Slaters. To Leonard's childhood friends, it seemed she had been mistreated because of Eleanor.

But the reality was Eleanor had lived a tough life during those 15 years with her adoptive mother. Even after returning to the Slater family, her relationship with her parents remained distant.

Others might not have known the whole story, but Leonard understood everything between Rachel and Eleanor.

Yet, when his friend made those remarks, he cut them off with little regard.

"Knock it off," he said, offering no further explanation.

At that moment, Eleanor realized that Leonard had never loved her.

His refusal to cross that line with her was a testament to his loyalty to Rachel. From the very beginning, Eleanor had always been a substitute for Rachel.

It was all just as she had expected.

Even as she felt Leonard's body tense, he pulled back and let go of her in the next breath. She glanced at her empty hand, a deep, unexplainable sadness weighing heavy in her chest.

Eleanor and Leonard had been something like childhood sweethearts.

When she first returned to the Slater residence, she'd been quiet. Rachel's closest friends were determined to make her life miserable, even going so far as to send a group of thugs to corner her in an alley.

It was Leonard who stepped in, taking the knife for her. The thugs scattered, but the blade found its mark in his heart. His blood quickly soaked through. Yet, his eyes still held that same warmth.

Leonard's voice was gentle as he reassured her, "I'm fine, Ellie. Don't be afraid."

From then on, Eleanor was lost to him, heart and soul. So, after graduating from college, she followed him to Atherton and took on the role of his secretary.

She went from being a naive, inexperienced person to a skilled professional who could handle whatever came her way.

To help Leonard land projects, the most she'd ever pushed herself was when she worked three days in a row on only four hours of sleep. Even then, she still managed to make him soup, worried he might end up with an upset stomach.

But after three years, his heart was still set on someone else.

Seeing that Eleanor was distracted, Leonard raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "What's with the daydreaming? It was just a kiss. Why do you still look so out of it?"

She shook her head, a bitterness creeping into her chest.

As always, after their fleeting, deliberate moment of intimacy, she and Leonard would sleep in separate beds.

Eleanor was about to speak and head to her room when Leonard's phone rang. Without thinking, he hit the speakerphone button right before her, making no effort to keep the call private.

The voice on the other end belonged to one of Leonard's closest friends. "It's been way too long, Leonard. Are you free today? Swing by Fallsview Clubhouse. Let's catch up."

"Can't make it," Leonard answered, glancing at Eleanor with a small smile. "I'm with the future Mrs. Bateman today. I'm not going anywhere unless she's up for it."

The second the words slipped out, a wave of playful banter erupted on the other end of the line.

"Future Mrs. Bateman, why don't you tag along with Leonard?"

"Come on, future Mrs. Bateman! It's not every day we get a chance like this. Let's grab a drink and hang out."

Beside her, Leonard's grin widened, his eyes twinkling with mischief and affection as he watched her. He wasn't holding anything back, and his friends couldn't help jumping in on the fun.

Eleanor felt a pang in her chest, reminded of how Leonard's childhood friends had teased Rachel in much the same way not long ago.