Chapter 4

Leonard paused, his gaze drifting toward Eleanor as she walked away. Her posture was upright, her steps firm, and she was out of sight in no time. That was typical of her—distant and resolute.

A low rumble of thunder broke the stillness outside. Leonard frowned and was about to go after her.

But then, Rachel's voice, full of vulnerability, reached him. "It's going to rain. I don't want to be alone..."

In the end, Leonard stayed where he was. He knew Eleanor wouldn't go far. In Atherton, she had no one else but him.

Where could she even go? She'd be back before long.

As expected, Eleanor had nowhere to go. The moment she stepped outside, the sky opened up, and rain poured down in torrents.

She had left in such a hurry that she hadn't even grabbed her phone, leaving her no choice but to take shelter under the awning of a nearby convenience store, her appearance a mess.

Watching the rain fall, its curtain blurred by the mist, Eleanor felt a pang of bitterness. When she first arrived in Atherton three years ago, it had been the peak of the rainy season.

One day, she and Leonard got caught in a sudden downpour with no umbrella. They were only a few steps away from the car, but he quickly shrugged off his tailored suit jacket and draped it over her, shielding her from the rain.

Once inside the car, Eleanor couldn't help but worry about the ruined jacket, knowing it would never be the same after being soaked.

But Leonard just smiled and said, "It's just a suit. You're what matters most to me."

His captivating eyes seemed to shine with tenderness in the soft glow of the car's interior.

Now, though, he wouldn't even bother to offer her an umbrella. She let out a bitter laugh.

Suddenly, the glass door of the convenience store beside her slid open, letting out a rush of warm air. As the shop assistant called out, "Have a great day!", a man with a broad, V-shaped build walked out.

"Here, Eleanor. Take this umbrella." His voice was deep and cool, almost chilling.

Eleanor turned, her eyes locking with his—narrow and piercing, like they held a frost that never thawed. His looks were as striking as Leonard's. She was thrown for a split second but didn't take long to recognize him.

"Caleb?"

Caleb Firth and Leonard had always been rivals in the business world. Still, Caleb had collaborated with the Slater family on occasion.

Because of that, Eleanor had run into him a handful of times, though she'd never once given him anything resembling a friendly glance—not out of loyalty to Leonard.

A mix of emotions surged through her as she accepted the umbrella.

Eleanor hesitated for a moment before asking, "Could you… lend me some money, too?"

The awkwardness hit her hard, and she could feel the heat of embarrassment creeping up to the tips of her ears.

Caleb shot her a quick, uninterested glance. "Did you and Leonard have a falling-out?"

Eleanor responded with a hum.

Caleb scoffed, pulling a thick stack of cash from his wallet and handing it to her. "Don't worry about paying me back. He leaves you out in a storm like this? Doesn't exactly shout 'he cares,' does it?"

Without waiting for her to respond, he walked off.

Eleanor managed a faint smile, her fingers closing around the money almost instinctively. It was obvious to anyone looking. And yet, it had taken her three years to see it herself.

She used the cash to cover the night at a budget hotel.

…

The next day, Eleanor took advantage of Leonard's office hours to return to the house and gather her things before heading to work. Even though she was only Leonard's secretary, she took real pride in her job.

As soon as she walked in, a sharp, cloying voice cut through the air. "Sandra, get rid of this stuff, too."

Eleanor stopped in her tracks, her eyes locking onto a heap of her belongings tossed across the living room.

Among them was the custom puzzle she'd spent six months assembling for Leonard's birthday. She hadn't gotten around to framing it yet, and now, it was in pieces and scattered across the floor.

Eleanor looked up and saw Rachel on the second floor, directing the housekeeper, Sandra Kaplan, to clear things out.

When Rachel spotted Eleanor, she flashed a smug smile from the top of the stairs before turning and disappearing into Eleanor's bedroom.

Eleanor made her way upstairs to the second floor, where she found Leonard as well.

When Leonard spotted Eleanor, a flicker of unease passed over his face. Even so, he slung an arm around her shoulders with the kind of ease that came from habit.

"Where did you go last night? I was really worried," he said.

Worried?

Eleanor pressed her lips together. She'd been at the motel just down the street. It wouldn't have been that hard to find her if he'd actually tried.

"Why are my things being moved?" Eleanor asked, her eyes landing on the stack of her belongings in the living room, some already damaged.

Leonard looked uninterested, his voice casual. "Rachel said the shadows from the tree outside the guest room were creeping her out, so she asked to switch."

Eleanor couldn't believe he'd moved her things without asking, all because of a few shadows. She pursed her lips, her gaze locking onto Rachel's smug expression. A heavy weariness settled in her chest.

She nodded quietly, watching as Rachel shut the bedroom door in her face. The room she'd spent the last three years in was now Rachel's.

Eleanor thought it was probably time to let Leonard be with Rachel again. She had always been the fill-in, after all.

She clenched her fists without realizing it, her gaze dropping as she made her way down the stairs.

Leonard trailed behind her. Noticing the shift in her expression, he arched a brow slightly, a faint smirk spreading across his annoyingly good-looking face.

"Ellie, are you mad or something? Let Rachel have your room, and you can sleep with me instead. Sounds good?" he asked.

Eleanor met his eyes without saying a word.

Leonard's easy, laid-back grin remained, like he genuinely thought his idea was some kind of brilliant solution. He acted as though offering to share his room was a huge favor, and she ought to be thanking him for it.

Eleanor's eyes drifted to the jigsaw puzzle pieces strewn across the floor, her tone even. "It's fine. I'll take the guest room."

It didn't matter. His house, his rules. He could dole out rooms however he pleased. Soon enough, she'd be back in her own place, where she could pick any room.

Leonard chuckled, his voice teasing. "What? Are you shy or something?"

He slipped an arm around her waist, his tone light and joking. "Then again, I guess women tend to get shy pretty easily."

With that, he stood up and walked away. He paused when he passed the scattered puzzle pieces on the living room floor.

"What a shame about the puzzle. But don't worry about it. I'll help you put those pieces back," Leonard said.

Eleanor kept her eyes down, her voice detached. "Don't bother. It's not worth it. Just toss it away."

It was only a puzzle, after all. She didn't care about it anymore, just like she didn't care about whatever was left between her and Leonard.

Leonard was caught off guard by how calm she seemed. He glanced at her over his shoulder. "Ellie, you've really changed, haven't you?"

He offered a small smile and took a step closer, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"You would've lost it over something like this if it were three years ago," he added.

Eleanor shook her head to avoid his kiss without him noticing. She'd never lose her temper like that again.

After Leonard left, Eleanor joined Sandra to tidy up the guest room.

Sandra couldn't hide her frustration on Eleanor's behalf. "Ms. Slater, you put so much effort into that puzzle. You even mentioned it was a birthday present for Mr. Bateman and made me promise not to say a word. And now, it's just being tossed away…"

Eleanor gave a small smile. "Let's pretend that puzzle never existed."

Just like she'd convinced herself to forget she'd ever loved Leonard.

As Eleanor gathered her things, her phone buzzed repeatedly. It was a message from a colleague she got along with pretty well.

"Eleanor, you need to get to the office immediately!"