The CEO’s Unspoken Love (Eleanor and Derek) novel Chapter 177

Chapter 177

Derek POV

Two days later.

The snow had stopped falling, and Boston’s morning light glimmered off the pristine white blankets covering Beacon Hill. I stood at

my office window, watching the city come alive despite the lingering chill.

My thoughts, however, remained in Eleanor’s living room, where just days ago I had held her in my arms, our lips meeting in a tiss

that still lingered on my mind.

Her flu symptoms had improved significantly since then. The fever that had burned through her had finally broken, her cheeks

regaining their natural color rather than the feverish flush that had worried me. With Eleanor on the mend, I no longer had a

legitimate reason to stay at her place, or to pretend that I needed to be there for her recovery.

Yet I found myself missing it all-the domesticity, the quiet moments, the way she’d reluctantly accept my care. Most of all, I missed

that kiss on the sofa, her lips soft against mine as the firelight cast dancing shadows across her face.

“Mr. Wells, the Tokyo office is on line two.”

I turned from the window, nodding at my assistant before settling behind my desk. The Frontier Capital Boston office hummed with

activity around me, but I couldn’t summon my usual enthusiasm. The numbers on my screen blurred slightly as I tried to focus.

The conference call dragged on for what felt like hours. My responses were automatic, lacking my usual sharp analysis. One of the executives asked about a particular investment strategy, and I found myself pausing, unable to recall the specifics I had reviewed

just yesterday.

“Derek, are you alright?” Thomas asked after the call ended, leaning against my office doorframe. “You seem distracted.”

“I’m fine,” I said, but even as the words left my mouth, I felt a scratch in my throat. I cleared it and continued, “Just a bit tired.”

Thomas raised an eyebrow. “You don’t look fine. Your face is flushed.”

I waved him off, but moments later, I sneezed-once, then twice in quick succession.

By noon, a parade of executives had stopped by my office, each offering unsolicited observations about my health.

You’ve caught Eleanor’s flu, haven’t you?” Thomas said, not bothering to hide his amusement. “The great Derek Wells, felled by a

common virus.

I shot him a glare that would have intimidated anyone else, but Thomas merely chuckled.

Alan, I called to my assistant, find me a thermometer.”

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Chapter 177

Twenty minutes later, Alan returned with a digital thermometer from the first aid kit. I waited until he left before using it, grimacing at the reading: 101.3°F.

“Sir? Alan poked his head back in. “Is there anything else you need?”

I looked up, feeling a strange mixture of discomfort and-oddly enough-anticipation. “No, that will be all.”

Alan hesitated at the door. “If I may say so, sir, you look… pleased about something.”

I didn’t respond, but as he closed the door, I couldn’t help the small smile that formed on my lips.

Eleanor POV

I shifted the grocery bags in my arms, juggling them while fishing out my keys. The winter evening had settled early over Boston,

the streetlights already illuminating the snow-covered sidewalks. After a long day at Four Seasons Florals arranging a last-minute

wedding order, all I wanted was to make a cup of hot ginger tea with the fresh pears I’d just purchased.

My recovery from the flu had been quicker than expected, though I still felt a lingering fatigue that made even simple tasks seem

monumental. The memory of Derek’s care during my illness-and that kiss on the sofa-remained vivid in my mind, but he had

disappeared as soon as I’d shown signs of improvement. Typical Derek, I thought bitterly, always leaving when things got too real.

As I rounded the corner to my Newton home, I stopped short. A familiar figure sat on a suitcase at my doorstep, hunched slightly

against the cold. Even in the dim light, I could recognize Derek’s broad shoulders and the elegant cut of his overcoat.

My heart skipped a beat as I approached cautiously. “Derek?”

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14:22 Thu, Jul 2 MA

The CEO’s Unspoken Love