Chapter 3

ELEANOR’S POV:

As his right hand did the swerving, I couldn’t help but be amazed at how he could look so cold-yet warm, scary yet comforting, and make me feel safe. Safer than I’d ever felt in all the time I was with Robert.

Damn it, Eleanor. This wasn’t a time to be thinking about that jerk.

Anderson pulled up in the garage and before I had the chance to thank him, he took quick strides into the house. Was he upset? Why would he be.

“Follow me.” He ordered like I wasn’t doing that already. “Got everything already?” That question was directed at his assistant, who nodded as he walked into his office.

I paused outside, unsure of whether I was to follow him in, and his dramatic pause as he slowly tilted his head behind me told me I was to follow him.

He went straight to his chair in the office as he looked at the files that had been piled on his desk before raising his head to me and then looking back at them. If he was trying to intimidate me with his aura, he definitely was succeeding because, my gosh, why was I suddenly feeling so weak in the knees?

“Everything was snatched even before you signed the divorce papers, so don’t feel pathetic about having signed everything away yourself in a fit of rage,” he started, and I adjusted my posture as I listened to everything he said.

Apparently, my husband—ex-husband— Robert had been hatching this plan for a long time now. Business deals, projects, events, everything was a way to take everything away from me slowly, but he’d made one mistake. The one mistake Anderson had convinced me I could capitalize on.

“Why are you helping me, though?” I couldn’t push my suspicions. “Robert’s your nephew. If there’s anything, you should be lavishing in all of this with him and—”

“You want my help or not?” I didn’t respond. “I’m not doing this for free, so you can drop your suspicions. Your father—foster father— had once given me tutelage growing up and it made us close. You—”

“I might’ve lost everything, Anderson, but it doesn’t change the fact that I am a businesswoman. I know nothing goes for a favor as huge as this. Tell me, what’s the price for all of this?”

He chuckled for the first time, and seeing his lips curve, my breathe hitched. “You’re smart. I really like you.” Almost immediately, his expression changed as he slid a file over the desk to me. I looked down at it, unsure of whether I’d like whatever was in there.

“Just open it.” He urged me and with shaky hands, I took the fike and going through its content, it fell out of my hands.

“You can’t be serious.” I was irritated by it. I really wanted to believe this was some sort of mix up and he really wasn’t offering me whatever I’d read in that file. How could he? I admit that in my current condition, anyone would pity me, but that didn’t mean I was pathetic enough to—

“Three years marriage contract. No love or attachment, it’s just by paper. In exchange, I’ll clear your name with all my might and help you claim everything your father left in your name and together, we’ll take down Robert for being an asshole. Think about it, Eleanor. All you have to do is sign the document and be married to me. You can sleep with whoever you want, whenever you want— as long as the media doesn’t find out. You owe me nothing and I, in return, will give everything I’ve promised you. It’s just a contract marriage.”

As he spoke, I stared at the file as my eyes watered. It’s just a contract marriage.

It was a very tempting offer, I had to admit, especially the whole ‘and together, we’ll take Robert down’ part, but was I really willing to get married to Anderson? From nephew to uncle? I took the file as I stared at him, hoping to find an answer in his expression, but there was nothing. He was as blank as the white papers at work.

“It’s just a contract marriage.” I muttered as I read more into the file. After what had happened with Robert, there was no way I was going to sign anything without reading it thoroughly.

He nodded as he got off his chair in the most charming way. “I’ll leave you to think about it.” He said as he started to walk away.

Getting back at Robert.

Reclaiming everything that was rightfully mine.

Clearing my name.

All with a hot older man who happened to be Robert’s uncle. It would hit right where it hurt. Plus, Anderson WAS attractive.

I clenched my fists. “Hold on!” I called as I turned to him and he turned to me, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Where do I sign?”

He came over to me as he handed me a pen and I took a deep breath. Divorced yesterday, married today. Kicking my ex-husband’s ass tomorrow, I hoped.

I signed and he took the file back. “You made the right decision, Ellie.”

Ellie. That nickname had never sounded better on anybody’s lips.

Like she was on cue, his assistant walked in.

“Get the jet ready.” He ordered her and she bowed.

“Going somewhere?” Curiosity got the best of me.

“WE are leaving.” I furrowed my brows. What? “If you want to return with a shocker, you’re going to have to leave this city, Robert’s memories, your past— everything. The farther you go, the more your impact.”

Sounded like me.

“And where are we headed?” I asked as I straightened my back.

He took out his sunglasses as he put them on. “Tokyo, wife.”

Wife. Yes. I was now married to my ex-husband’s uncle.

Hello, new Eleanor.

*FIVE YEARS LATER*

“And that’ll be all for today, I presume. While I am interested in the new startup idea, it seems a little vain expecting a 104% yield in five years. Work on the draft again and get back to me. Good job. You’re doing great,” I commended as the meeting came to a close.

With murmurs and the sounds of laptops coming close, the conference room became empty— leaving just Anderson and myself and he smiled at me, proudly, like he always had this past year.

Time waited for no one truly because how had it already been a year since the whole thing happened, bringing Anderson and I closer to each other?

“As usual, you slay.” He commended verbally as he slid a bottle of water over to me. I needed it.

“Thank you for being here, it really helps with my confidence.” Even though I’d been in the business scene for a very long time, after everything that’d happened, I lost my confidence. If I’d been so stupid to sign everything I worked my life for away in just a second, I could be stupid in the business world, too.

Anderson, however, had been all I needed. Just seeing him flash his wonderful smile my way— his perfect dentition coming to view as the wind blew his hair in his face like some movie star regardless of whether it was windy or not— made me super happy and comfortable.

“Oh.” I suddenly recalled the email I’d gotten while I was in the middle of the meeting. “I have good news.” I opened the email as he came over to my side. “FME is opening a new branch in New York, and you, Anderson, have been invited as the special guest of honor to cut the ribbon.” I was giddy.

FME— Finance made easy— was a fintech startup Anderson had invested in. At first, it seemed stupid to him but I’d managed to convince him that the idea looked very promising and he was glad he’d taken my advise.

In just six months, which for the record, was faster than I’d thought, the company had expanded, making profit across every branch, and now, was opening another branch. I couldn’t be more excited.

“When and where?” He asked as he grabbed his bag.

I leaned in to get the details and the moment I saw where it would be holding, I felt my heart clench.