Chapter 6

Leonard returned the smile, gently pinching Eleanor's cheek. A hint of amusement laced his voice, his long lashes casting faint shadows over his eyes.

"I'll love you even more, Ellie," he murmured.

Eleanor forced a small smile, tilting her head slightly away.

Leonard's hand fell, his fingertips grazing her hair but finding nothing. His smile dimmed, and though his voice remained gentle, an almost imperceptible chill slipped in.

"Ellie, you're still unhappy?" he asked.

The answer was yes.

Eleanor hadn't expected anything from him, but the emptiness in her heart was unbearable. She couldn't endure another second there. Every moment felt like a cruel form of punishment.

"No," Eleanor whispered, her gaze lowering. "This is the office. It wouldn't look right if anyone saw us."

She stepped back slightly, her expression staying as composed as ever.

No matter how hard Leonard tried, he couldn't read her. He remained in front of her, his stare unwavering.

A quiet, unspoken tension lingered between them.

"Are you feeling shy?" Leonard's gaze intensified, a teasing smile spreading across his face. "You weren't this shy before."

Eleanor's lashes fluttered slightly. She thought back to that day, just after Rachel had returned.

Overcome by insecurities at the office, tears had slipped down her face as she begged Leonard for a kiss. But he had pushed her away.

Leonard had maintained an air of composure, offering her a cool, distant smile.

"Ellie, this is the office," he'd said.

Eleanor gave a bitter laugh and shook the memory off.

"I haven't finished the proposal yet. I should get back to work," she said flatly.

Before Leonard could respond, Eleanor had already walked away, the sharp click of her heels ringing in the silence.

He observed her retreating figure, the amusement in his eyes slowly giving way to something darker. A strange, undefinable feeling began to stir inside him.

The moment Eleanor stepped back into the office, the buzz of her colleagues' chatter surrounded her.

"You're amazing, Ms. Winslow! That complicated report didn't stand a chance with you."

"If Ms. Winslow didn't have real skills, there's no way she could've landed this role. Mr. Bateman has always had a good eye for talent."

"Ms. Winslow, I'd love to hear your thoughts on something."

"And, seriously, the way Mr. Bateman looks at you? It's kind of different…"

Rachel smiled, her gaze dropping as she muttered, "Cut it out."

But the soft pink in her cheeks gave away how she really felt. She stood at the center, soaking in the praise that came her way.

There was unmistakable respect for the newly appointed head of the secretarial department. However, Eleanor knew the key was that Rachel had been the first person Leonard had openly told everyone to "look out for".

Naturally, no one would dare treat her with anything less than the utmost respect.

Eleanor thought back on the years she'd spent with the company, working through projects until late into the night, sometimes drinking to the point of throwing up.

Most of her colleagues had watched from the sidelines. They shared a bond, yet they were aware of where the line had to be drawn.

Eleanor returned to her desk, the familiar weight of disappointment settling over her again. She got up and went to the restroom, where she found Rachel standing in front of the mirror, touching up her lipstick.

Rachel was dressed in a sleek white dress, almost identical in design and fabric to Eleanor's.

Eleanor pressed her lips together, staying quiet. The dress had been a gift from Leonard for their anniversary, but it felt like it was time to part with it.

"Eleanor, I heard the head of the secretarial department was supposed to be your role. But Leonard said I was a better choice. You're not upset, are you?"

Rachel turned, putting her lipstick away. A wide smile stretched across her face as she cast a glance at Eleanor, filled with judgment.

In the past, Eleanor would have replied with her usual courtesy, but after all that had happened, she no longer had the strength to maintain the facade.

"I don't care," she said.

"You don't care?" Rachel's smile turned mocking. "You've been working your tail off on projects and strategies, putting in all that effort for the company and to get that department head role, haven't you? How could you not care?"

Eleanor didn't hold back. "Since it's just us, we can skip all the formalities."

"I think you're misunderstanding—" Rachel began, but Eleanor cut her off.

"Every move you make is calculated," Eleanor said, her expression hardening. "It's like how your lipstick is always perfect for the moment. I'm guessing you choose something bolder when it's just you and Leonard, don't you?"

"Eleanor, that's crossing a line. Mr. Bateman and I are just—" Rachel tried to defend herself, but Eleanor silenced her with a pointed gesture toward the office.

"I don't think anyone out there is buying the 'just friends' act," Eleanor remarked.

Rachel's face showed surprise, her eyes briefly flashing with what seemed like provocation.

But Eleanor had already given up trying to figure her out. Without a word, she turned and walked off.

Eleanor struggled to focus on her work for the rest of the day. By evening, she realized she had made no progress on her proposal.

A deafening crack of thunder echoed through the sky.

Eleanor stepped outside after dinner, watching the rain coming down in sheets from the darkened sky. An overwhelming urge to quit her job and leave everything behind surged within her.

The thought of seeing Leonard and Rachel for the next few weeks was unbearable to her. Even spending a single day with them felt like too much to handle.

The events of the day replayed in her mind, and despite her best efforts to suppress her emotions, her nose tingled uncontrollably.

"Forgot your umbrella again?"

A deep voice broke through Eleanor's thoughts, pulling her back to the present.

She turned instinctively, then froze. "Caleb?"

Eleanor's eyes narrowed slightly as she took in the man standing before her.

His sharp gaze, softened by the warm glow of the streetlamp, seemed less piercing than usual, though his tall, commanding presence still exuded a quiet intensity.

Unlike Leonard's polished, charming appearance, Caleb's features were defined by sharp angles, and his eyes carried a cool, detached quality. Still, both men had a magnetic appeal in their own right.

The difference was that Caleb had a way of making people look away, as if meeting his gaze was something they weren't supposed to do. Maybe that was why no one had ever considered him handsome.

"What are you doing here?" Eleanor asked. "I appreciate the help last time. Isn't your company in Javensburg?"

"I'm in Atherton for work," he said flatly. "It's coming down pretty hard. Why didn't you call Leonard to pick you up?"

Leonard was probably caught up with Rachel. There was no way he'd be paying attention to Eleanor.

Eleanor glanced down. "I can head back on my own. I don't need him to pick me up."

"It's been days. You two still haven't sorted things out?" Caleb asked, his voice tinged with a slight sneer. "Men in the Firth family don't let their wives get caught in the rain like this. Never, let alone over and over again."

"We're not married," Eleanor replied, offering him a bitter smile. "Though I will be soon. Just not to him."

She lowered her head and walked off, planning to circle through the shops on her way back to the office building.

The rain came down suddenly, pouring in sheets as the wind swept through, carrying a sharp, biting cold. Late fall had already taken hold. Eleanor couldn't help but shiver slightly.

In the next instant, someone seized her wrist, pulling her in. When she looked up, her gaze locked onto Caleb's sharp, handsome jawline. It was the closest she had ever been to him.

"You're going to catch a cold if you stay out in this," he said.

Eleanor was taken aback. Caleb seemed nothing like the rumors or the picture she had built in her mind.