Chapter 3

That night, Eleanor's forehead felt like it was on fire, and even the air she exhaled seemed to burn. She figured she had a fever, so she threw on a coat and got out of bed to search for a thermometer.

The hallway lights were still off. Leonard must not have made it home yet. As she walked past the guest room, she heard the muffled sound of voices drifting from inside.

"Leo, do you think she'll be upset that you're letting me stay?"

It was a voice she knew all too well.

Eleanor stopped dead in her tracks. That voice had been a steady presence in her life, one she'd overheard countless times on Leonard's phone.

It was Rachel.

Eleanor couldn't believe he'd actually brought Rachel here. This place held all their most cherished memories.

She could still recall the day the wind howled and thick snowflakes danced through the air, Leonard pulling her close as he pointed out the villa. Not a single snowflake had touched her coat, though, because he'd kept her sheltered in his arms.

"This is my gift to you, Ellie. A place that's just for us," he'd said.

And now, Rachel had stepped into that same sanctuary.

Eleanor couldn't catch Leonard's words through the door, but the soft, intimate murmurs drifting out were clear enough.

A bitter ache twisted her chest. Three years with him, and it still felt like it paled in comparison to the one month he'd shared with Rachel.

Eleanor couldn't bear it anymore. She turned and hurried back to her room. The fever burned through her, but underneath it, an icy cold sank deep into her bones.

By midnight, she was slipping into a haze of delirium, her thoughts tangled and wandering. In her foggy state, she felt herself sinking into a fragrant embrace.

"Ellie, didn't you realize you're running a fever?"

Leonard's voice was as gentle as ever, though a subtle coldness lingered beneath it.

Eleanor's eyes fluttered open at the sound, her gaze locking onto Leonard's captivating eyes. For a moment, she was lost in a daze, her breath catching on the faint hint of jasmine that clung to him.

It was the same scent that always followed Rachel.

Eleanor's voice came out hoarse as she asked, "Where were you?"

Leonard brushed a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, his touch effortless and familiar. "I was working late at the office. How else am I supposed to keep us afloat?"

Even now, he couldn't bring himself to tell the truth. The heaviness in Eleanor's chest deepened, leaving her completely worn out.

She turned her face away. "I get it. I just need to rest."

"Okay," Leonard said softly, offering a smile.

Maybe it was the fever, but Leonard couldn't shake the feeling that Eleanor seemed unusually subdued today. Her skin, usually pale, carried a subtle rosy hue, though her expression stayed cool and distant.

Leonard smiled, his striking features standing out in the soft light. He leaned in to kiss her forehead, but she turned her face away. His lips grazed her cheek instead.

"You should be careful, or you might catch it, too." Eleanor sounded distant.

Leonard chuckled, his eyes gleaming with charm. He gently tapped her forehead.

"I'd gladly take whatever comes, as long as I'm with you," he said.

Eleanor offered a faint smile, lowering her gaze to hide the icy chill in her eyes.

There was a time when his sweet words would have melted her heart. Now, they only left a bitter sting. The memory of him and Rachel together replayed in her mind on a loop, twisting her stomach into a sour knot.

"I should get some rest," Eleanor said, brushing him off.

The door clicked shut. She lay there, with her eyes fixed on the ceiling, until sleep finally dragged her under.

…

When Eleanor woke, it was already morning. She reached for the calendar and slashed a bold red X through the date. In 28 days, she'd be heading home to marry someone who wasn't Leonard.

A gnawing hunger twisted in her stomach. She headed downstairs but stopped cold at the sight of two figures sitting at the dining table. Her grip tightened on the stair rail, torn between the urge to turn back or keep going.

It was Rachel and Leonard. The sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped them in a soft glow, making them look like the couple who belonged together. They were eating breakfast, but the air between them was heavy with something unspoken and tangled.

Rachel spotted her first and stood, greeting her with effortless ease. "I made breakfast. Eleanor, care to join us?"

She sounded so at home as if Eleanor were the one out of place.

Eleanor didn't answer. She dropped her gaze, her lashes fluttering slightly.

When she first moved in, she'd made breakfast a few times, eager for Leonard to wake up and join her. But back then, he'd politely brushed her off.

"Sorry, Ellie. I'm not really a breakfast person."

Now, Eleanor's eyes landed on the plate in front of him. The scrambled eggs were halfway finished.

She forced a bitter smile. So, it wasn't that he wasn't fond of breakfast. He simply didn't want it from her.

That was when Leonard finally noticed her on the stairs, a flicker of unease crossing his face.

Frowning, he got to his feet and said softly, "Eleanor, please don't be upset. Rachel had a falling-out with her family and didn't have anywhere else to go, so I…"

Leonard stepped between them, almost as if to shield Rachel behind him. His protective gesture drew a dry, humorless smile from Eleanor.

Was that how he saw her, as someone who'd make a scene? Anyway, it no longer mattered. She wouldn't cause another scene.

"When did she arrive?" Eleanor asked, slowly lowering herself into the chair.

"She came earlier this morning," Leonard replied gently.

Eleanor gave a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes and remained silent, her fingers absently tracing the cool, pale porcelain buttons on her blouse.

He was still lying to her.

Noticing Eleanor's silence, Rachel wiped away a tear. "Eleanor, if you want me to go, I'll go. I never meant for your dog to die. And back then, I didn't get why those kids at school treated you the way they did. I was young and clueless…"

She was talking about their school days, years ago. Back then, Rachel had taken advantage of the Slater family's guilt toward her, using it to push her friends to bully Eleanor over and over.

The dog, Eleanor's faithful companion for nearly six years, had also met a terrible end because of Rachel and her friends.

As Eleanor watched Rachel, the one who had started it all but was now playing the victim, she was exhausted.

Her eyes moved to Leonard. His expression was blank, but he seemed cautious around her. She wasn't surprised, though there was a slight, lingering ache that wouldn't go away.

She remembered that Leonard had given her the dog as a gift.

He'd said, "It'll keep you company when I can't be around."

When the dog passed, Eleanor had cried, insisting it had been killed on purpose. But Leonard had only patted her head and stayed quiet.

It turned out he'd known from the start that Rachel was the one to blame. That was why he'd chosen to let it slide.

Eleanor watched them, wanting to argue, but she felt completely drained. She figured it was better to just leave it alone. In 28 days, she'd be done with Leonard for good.

In the end, he had chipped away at the last bit of their bond.

Eleanor managed a faint, distant smile. "I get it. It's all in the past. You're welcome to move in."

With that, she turned and walked away.

Rachel was close to tears when she suddenly froze.

As Leonard watched Eleanor walk away, his face grew tense. There was something about her indifference that bothered him.

He frowned, an overwhelming urge to follow her tugging at him, but Rachel clutched his hand tightly. "Leonard, please stay with me."