Chapter 93

Eleanor's POV

The insistent ringing of my phone pierced through my dreams. I groaned, fumbling blindly for it. Alice's name flashed on the screen.

"Alice, what's wrong?" I mumbled, still half-asleep. "Can't this wait..."

"Jace has already made a public statement." Alice's voice cut through my drowsiness like ice water.

I sat bolt upright, sleep vanishing instantly. I heard a soft knock, and Serena entered the room. Her footsteps were quiet on the plush carpet as she approached, still in her silk pajamas. My fingers trembled slightly as I opened my news feed.

There it was. The headline seemed to mock me with its bold clarity: "Director Jace Gillard Confirms Relationship with Evelyn Whitmore." The accompanying photo showed them at home, her hand resting possessively on his arm.

"Eleanor?" Alice's voice softened. "Are you still there?"

"Yes." I was surprised by how steady my voice sounded. The morning sunlight caught the dust motes dancing in the air, and I found myself focusing on them rather than the words swimming before my eyes.

"How could he be so blind?" Alice's indignation crackled through the phone. "Choosing Evelyn Whitmore over you? The woman's reputation in the industry is-"

"Alice." My fingers unconsciously smoothed the bedsheet's wrinkles. "What's done is done."

"The studio wants to release a statement. Just a simple congratulatory message. Show everyone how gracefully you're handling this. What do you think?"

I watched as my coffee, brought earlier by Serena's housekeeper, grew cold on the bedside table. "Whatever you think is best."

"Eleanor..." Serena's concerned voice came from across the room. I glanced over to see her watching me, her expression troubled. She knew Evelyn better than most, knew what this meant.

"I'm taking the day off," I announced quietly, ending the call with Alice. The phone felt heavy in my hand as I set it down.

"She's not..." Serena hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "I don't have anything against the Whitmore family, but Evelyn isn't known for her kindness."

I managed a small smile, appreciating her attempt at comfort. "I know."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Serena asked softly.

"No." I pulled my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them. "I think I just need some time alone."

She nodded, understanding in her eyes. As she quietly left the room, I remained still, watching the sun's slow march across the floor. My phone buzzed continuously with messages and notifications, but I let them go unanswered.

I saw Evelyn's social media update: "Jace and I have been together for quite some time. We're happy together and will be even happier in the future. Thank you everyone for your concern."

She'd attached a selfie of them together. Their faces were pressed close, clearly showing their intimacy. They looked... in love.

The comments below, however, were far from supportive.

"Are you kidding me? Yesterday we heard about Eleanor Yates and Jace Gillard, I was really shipping them! Now I wake up and he's with someone else?"

"Obviously Eleanor got played. What else could have happened when Jace took her home late at night? Now that their relationship is exposed, he's denying everything."

"Evelyn comes from a good family. Men are all about status! Even though Jace is part of the Harrington family, he's adopted. He won't inherit much."

"Jace is so irresponsible. Poor Eleanor, she got deceived..."

I just kept scrolling through the comments with a detached expression, feeling strangely numb.

Serena's POV

I sat in the armchair, scrolling through my phone as social media exploded with discussions about Jace.

*BREAKING: Director Jace Gillard Spotted with Evelyn Whitmore Hours After Eleanor Yates Incident*

The headlines were predictably sensational, painting Jace as the villain and Eleanor as the victim.

In an instant, everyone started criticizing Jace for being unfaithful and irresponsible. Evelyn Whitmore didn't face much backlash, but since she and Jace had officially announced their relationship, she inevitably received some hate comments about being desperate and having no moral standards. Meanwhile, Eleanor had completely become the victim in everyone's eyes.

Had Jace traded his reputation to protect Eleanor's future? Was it just my imagination? Why did I get the feeling that Jace actually cared deeply about Eleanor? And why did Eleanor hate him so much?

People don't hate others without reason, unless...

I glanced at Eleanor beside me, watching as she put down her phone and drifted back to sleep. The words on the tip of my tongue remained unspoken.

If someone doesn't want others to know something, I'll pretend I don't know either.

After breakfast, I gently knocked on Eleanor's door and said softly, "I need to get ready for work. Will you be okay by yourself, Eleanor?"

"Yeah," Eleanor mumbled, "everything's sorted now anyway. I'm just going to catch up on some sleep."

"Alright. There isn't much food in the house, so order delivery if you get hungry."

"Mm-hmm."

In the car, I pulled out my phone and called Lucas. The familiar deep timbre of his voice answered on the second ring.

"Eleanor's staying at my place," I said without preamble.

"Good. She needs someone right now." There was something in his tone - a knowledge that went deeper than mere concern.

"You know something about this, don't you?" I kept my voice neutral, testing the waters.

Lucas was quiet for a moment. "Living under the same roof, you notice things. Eleanor thinks she's better at hiding than she is." He paused, then added with a touch of regret, "I shouldn't have pushed her to come back to the Harrington house. I didn't realize she was still... that it was still affecting her after all this time."

I gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Does Jace not care for her at all?"

"Their situation is... complicated," Lucas said. "Jace is both a good friend and my elder. I need to keep his confidence for now." His pause carried weight. "What matters is that they can't be together. That's just how it is."

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. "You seem to know an awful lot about something you claim you can't discuss."

A low chuckle came through the speakers. "I could tell you everything," he said, his tone shifting to something more deliberate. "But it involves private Harrington family matters. Not something I can share with outsiders." Another pause. "Of course, if a certain someone were to become a Harrington herself..."

"Really?" I couldn't help but laugh. "Are you actually using family secrets as leverage?"

"I prefer to think of it as additional motivation," Lucas replied, and I could hear the smile in his voice. "Eleanor can stay at your place for now. I'll have Walter find her a suitable apartment within the week."

"That's fine." I watched the traffic light ahead turn red. "She needs space right now anyway."

"Speaking of space," Lucas's tone changed again, becoming lighter. "Would you be interested in taking a trip?"

The sudden shift caught me off guard. "I can't. Work is about to get incredibly busy."

"How busy?"

"Three months, at least." I could already see the mountain of tasks ahead. The merger negotiations alone would consume weeks.

"Three months." He seemed to be considering this. "Then let's make a deal. After three months, you can't say no to me."

I nearly missed the light turning green. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." His voice carried that tone - the one that mixed authority with affection in a way that somehow made my protests die in my throat. "Three months. Then you're mine."

"The Harringtons really are a family of foxes, aren't they?" I muttered, earning another laugh from him.

"Only when we want something badly enough." His voice softened. "And I want you, Serena."

The honk from the car behind me jolted me back to reality. I realized I'd been sitting at the green light, lost in his words. "I need to go. I'm almost at the office."

"Three months," he reminded me, his voice warm with promise.

"We'll see," I replied, but we both knew I'd already given in.