The CEO’s Unspoken Love (Eleanor and Derek) novel Chapter 195

Chapter 195

Eleanor POV

Street lights flashed by outside the window, one after another, like golden fireflies streaking through the dark Boston night. Derek’s car glided smoothly through the streets, its leather interior carrying the faint scent of his sandalwood cologne mingled with the lingering fragrance of new car. The atmosphere inside was delicate and tense, charged with unspoken words.

I could feel his glances occasionally landing on me, quick but deliberate, like a cat testing uncertain territory. I kept my gaze fixed straight ahead, watching the rhythmic dance of headlights on the wet asphalt, not wanting him to capture any fluctuation in my

emotions.

The heat from the car’s vents warmed my cheeks, creating a strange contrast with the coldness I tried to maintain in my demeanor. My fingers absently traced the stitching on my coat as I tried to steady my breathing.

“Eleanor, Derek’s voice broke the silence, deep and measured, reverberating in the confined space. “I’m still furious about what you told me in the garden. About what that bastard Bradley tried to do. His jaw clenched visibly, a muscle twitching beneath the smooth skin. “I need to know the details… How much did he offer?”

My fingers tightened slightly on my knees, the fabric of my skirt crinkling under the pressure. Mr. Bradley’s arrogant face and cold voice echoed in my mind-his calculating eyes, the way he’d looked down his nose at me, his ‘generous’ offer stinging like a slap.

“Enough to purchase an entire house on Beacon Hill,” I replied coolly, recalling Mr. Bradley’s haughty expression, the way his lips had curled when mentioning the amount, as if he were tossing scraps to a stray. “He truly believed my dignity had a price tag.”

Derek’s hands gripped the steering wheel tighter, knuckles whitening momentarily before he consciously relaxed them. “The audacity of that man,” he said, his voice tight with controlled anger. “Thinking he could buy you off like some inconvenient business

problem.

I made it very clear to him, I added, a hint of pride creeping into my voice, “that whatever is between you and me, past or present,

is none of his concern.”

The car fell silent for several seconds, save for the soft purr of the engine and the occasional splash as we drove through a puddle. I sensed Derek’s emotions shifting from anger to something more complex-a mixture of pride and admiration that warmed the air

between us.

“The Bradleys are truly disgusting, he finally said, though his voice carried a hint of admiration that made my heart skip traitorously. His eyes, when they flicked toward me, held a gleam that hadn’t been there before. “But your answer, Eleanor, was

perfect.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to his praise, so I simply nodded slightly, focusing on the raindrops that had begun to collect on the window, distorting the city lights into blurred halos.

I imagine you might be curious, Derek continued, his tone becoming more measured, one hand leaving the wheel to adjust the temperature control, about what happened after Seraphina stopped me when you left.”

2

O

<

1/3

33

14:2

Chapter 195

I pretended to look disinterestedly out the window, studying a couple huddled under an umbrella at a bus stop, but I couldn’t deny

this was exactly what I’d been wondering about. My heart betrayed me with a quickened pace. “Oh?” The syllable came out more

breathless than I’d intended.

“I finally made it clear to her that I never had genuine feelings for her,” Derek’s voice was firm and clear, carrying a finality that

echoed in the small space between us. “Those so-called ‘relationships’ were merely the result of our families’ manipulations, not my

own choice.

My heartbeat quickened, but I worked to maintain a neutral expression, desperately hoping the dim lighting would hide the flush could feel creeping up my neck. “How did she take it?” I traced a raindrop’s path down the window with my fingertip, feigning casual

interest.

More rationally than I expected, Derek said, the corner of his mouth turning up slightly as we passed under a particularly bright street lamp that momentarily illuminated his profile. I think she’s accepted reality. We’ve reached a sort of friendship consensus.

believe she won’t interfere with us anymore.”

The windshield wipers created a hypnotic rhythm as the rain intensified, matching the thudding of my heart. “What does that have to do with me?” I responded with feigned indifference, deliberately keeping my voice calm, though I felt a strange sense of relief unfurling inside me like a flower finally receiving sunlight.

Derek turned to glance at me, his eyes glinting with teasing light that reminded me of the mischievous boy I’d known years ago. “Do you really think it has nothing to do with you, Eleanor?” His voice carried a knowing warmth that seemed to wrap around me

despite my resistance.

I avoided his gaze, looking out the window again at the glistening sidewalks and the blurred silhouettes of late-night pedestrians, but my lips involuntarily curved upward slightly. I tilted my face further away, not wanting him to see my expression-that would give him too much confidence, and Derek with confidence was dangerous to my resolve.

The car slowed to a stop at a red light, the engine’s gentle vibration humming through the seats. On the busy intersection, pedestrians hurried across the crosswalk, collars turned up against the light rain, each immersed in their own world-a woman struggling with shopping bags, a man speaking animatedly on his phone, a couple walking close together, shoulders touching. Derek released the steering wheel, his hands resting momentarily in his lap before he turned slightly toward me. I could feel his gaze on my profile, intense and focused, like a physical touch.

My body tensed, the fabric of my blouse suddenly feeling too tight across my chest. I refused to turn and face him, though every cell in my body seemed acutely aware of his proximity. The air between us grew thick with tension. I could sense him moving closer, inch by inch, until I felt his breath warm against my cheek, carrying the faint scent of mint.

Eleanor, he whispered my name, his voice deep and soft like a poem murmured in my ear, sending an involuntary shiver down my

spine that had nothing to do with the car’s temperature.

111

<

2/3

The CEO’s Unspoken Love