The CEO’s Unspoken Love (Eleanor and Derek) novel Chapter 58

Chapter 58

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“I am not a possession, Derek, she fired back, her eyes flashing with anger.

“You are,” I insisted, my face inches from hers now. “As long as we’re married, you’re mine. And I don’t share what’s mine.”

“Yet you expect me to accept you parading around with Seraphina?” The hypocrisy of my statement wasn’t lost on me, but I couldn’t

back down now.

Our faces were so close our noses almost touched, our breath mingling in the cool night air. My eyes dropped to her lips, and for a

heart-stopping moment, I considered closing that final distance. I found myself staring at her mouth, remembering the softness of

her lips against mine nights before. The urge to kiss her again was overwhelming, and for a moment, I thought she wanted it too

But I forced myself to step back, breaking the spell. “We should return to the party,” I said, my voice rough with suppressed

emotion.

She nodded, seemingly unable to trust her voice. We walked side by side back toward the house, not touching, not speaking, but

acutely aware of each other’s presence. The silence between us felt heavy with unspoken words and unfulfilled desires.

As we approached the doors, I paused. “Don’t play these games again, Eleanor,” I warned quietly. “You might not like where they

lead.

She met my gaze steadily. “Perhaps that’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

We rejoined the party separately, returning to our respective corners of the room. Olivia immediately found Eleanor, concern

evident in her expression. I watched their exchange from across the room, noting how Olivia’s glances in my direction were filled

with hostility.

Later, as the party wound down, I noticed Olivia swaying slightly on her feet, having enjoyed perhaps too much of the expensive

champagne. Eleanor approached me, her expression carefully neutral.

“Derek, would you mind if your driver took Olivia home? She’s had a bit too much to drink.”

I regarded Olivia with cool assessment before nodding. “Of course. Michael is outside.

The three of us walked to the car in awkward silence. Olivia, despite her inebriated state, seemed to sense the tension.

“Nice car,” she commented as we approached the sleek black Bentley. “Very shiny.”

I merely nodded, holding the door open for her.

“Thank you for helping her, Eleanor said quietly as Olivia settled into the backseat.

‘She’s your friend,” I replied with a shrug. “You’d worry otherwise.

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Chapter 58

“Still, it’s kind of you,” she insisted.

My mouth quirked. “Only you would defend her to me.”

And only she would defend me to everyone else,” she countered.

$

Something flickered in my chest-recognition, perhaps, or respect-before I turned away to speak to the driver.

The ride back to Beacon Hill was silent and tense. After dropping Olivia at her apartment, Eleanor and I continued home without

speaking. My mind replayed her words to James: “Someone who sees me. Really sees me.”

Had I ever truly seen Eleanor? Or had I been so determined to keep her at arm’s length that I’d deliberately blinded myself to who

she really was?

As we reached our front door, I paused. “Eleanor, I called softly as she opened the door.

She turned, waiting.

“I know these three years haven’t been easy for you,” I said, the words feeling inadequate. “You’ve been… accommodating beyond

what our agreement required.”

“If there’s something you want-anything I can give you before our time is up, I continued, “you only need to ask. I’m not an

unreasonable man.”

I waited, hoping for… what? Forgiveness? Understanding? Some acknowledgment that despite everything, we’d shared something

real?

But Eleanor simply turned away, disappearing into the house without a word, leaving me alone with the hollow feeling in my chest and the realization that I might have lost something I hadn’t even known I wanted to keep.

Comments

Beverley Linda van Wyk

1 Comments >

I agree on the repeats it’s annoying what he said weekday she said same same get on with the story… Becoming long winded…. Making the story longer…….

7 days ago

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The CEO’s Unspoken Love