Chapter 2

After heading down the hill, Eleanor was going to ask Sebastian to pull over and let her out.

Who would have imagined that it never rains but it pours? It was obvious that the little one had no intention of letting her go so soon.

Theo held onto her, climbed directly into her lap, put his little head close to her ear, and whispered.

"Hey, are you really not going to make a move on my dad? If you want to try, I can help you."

The child leaned in, carrying a faint, sweet, milky scent, and she instinctively reached out to support his small body to keep him from falling.

But... a trace of doubt crossed her face.

Was he actually whispering? Even Hayes in the driver's seat could hear this "whisper" perfectly clearly!

She felt her face burning up, especially when she caught the amused smile on Sebastian's lips from the corner of her eye. She wished the seat would swallow her whole so she could hide.

"Little guy, I really don't want to be your stepmother..." She gritted her teeth, trying her hardest to maintain a calm tone as she repeated herself.

Theo wasn't deterred in the slightest; he continued to press his case from her lap.

"It doesn't matter if you don't want to be my stepmother, just be my wife! When I grow up, I'll marry you!"

Eleanor's earlier embarrassment dissolved into a heartfelt smile. She raised a hand and gently pinched Theo's nose.

"Do you even know what a wife is? By the time you grow up, I'll be an old woman."

"It's alright, I won't mind that you're old!"

Hearing this, she felt a sudden urge to smack someone.

"Really, I definitely won't dislike you. I'll treat you well—just promise to be my wife!"

Little boy, are you lying about your age? Are you actually a grown man trapped in a child's body? Where on earth did you learn all these theories?

"If you don't say anything, I'll take it as a yes. Give me your number. We can go on a date during the holidays!"

She couldn't take it anymore. She neatly lifted Theo and deposited him directly into Sebastian's lap.

The very next second, the car stopped, and Eleanor scrambled out, fleeing in a panic.

Theo leaned against the car window, watching Eleanor disappear into the distance, and sighed regretfully.

Sebastian turned his head to look at Theo, finding his behaviour incredibly strange.

Over the past two years, there had been many women lingering around him, but none of them had ever caught Theo's eye. Whether they were ladies from prominent families or beauties from humble backgrounds, Theo always looked at them with thinly veiled disgust.

Moreover, Sebastian also found women entirely dispensable, so the father and son just happily relied on each other. Well, of course, their lives weren't exactly miserable. Aside from the absence of a woman, they lived a much richer life than almost anyone else.

"Theo Lockwood, do you like her?"

"Yes!"

"Why?" Sebastian couldn't help but feel curious, looking down at his son.

Theo settled back into his seat by the window and gave Sebastian an frustrated look.

"Does liking someone need a reason?"

"Doesn't it?"

"Does it?"

"Yes, it does."

"Fine then!" Theo sighed helplessly, with an expression that clearly said I surrender. "I like her because it was fate at first sight. Dad, I can feel that she's the woman we want."

"I feel that way too," Sebastian nodded, agreeing with Theo's words.

Theo's eyes lit up. He grabbed his father's arm and stood up straight.

"Sebastian, do you really think so too? Then will you pursue her and make her my stepmother?"

Sebastian grasped Theo by the waist and settled him back onto his lap.

"Theo, wouldn't it be better to just let her be your mum? Why must she be your stepmother?"

Hearing the word 'Mum', Theo frowned, his playful smile turning entirely serious.

"No. Mums leave us both behind and never come back. Stepmothers stay at our house forever. Even if she treats me badly like the wicked stepmothers in the fairy tales, it doesn't matter. I will make her like me."

Sebastian's eyes darkened for a moment. He gently rubbed Theo's head and hummed in agreement.

When Eleanor returned home, it was almost ten o'clock.

She stomped her feet, but the sound-activated light in the stairwell didn't come on. She took out her mobile phone, turned on the torch to light the way, and climbed the stairs carefully.

"Eleanor..."

The sudden voice in the darkness startled her. She took an abrupt step back, leaning defensively against the wall as she watched the dark shadow that had suddenly appeared.

"Who's there?"

"Eleanor, it's me."

She calmed her racing heart slightly, finally recognising the owner of the voice.

"James!"

"Yes."

Her voice turned cold. "What are you doing here? Aren't you afraid your fiancée will dump you if she sees this?"

"Eleanor, you know why I'm with her, and it hurts my heart to hear you say such things. You know your words are like a poisoned knife to me. No one else can hurt me, only you!"

"Tch..." she sneered.

James looked pained, and he reached out to grab her shoulders.

"Eleanor, I need someone to support me in developing my career. Cassandra can make me successful and famous all over the world. But I only have you in my heart, Eleanor. If you don't understand me, how can I keep going?"

A look of sadness flashed across her face. Did James still think she was that same naive, gullible girl from back then?

Her beautiful eyes turned vaguely in James's direction, catching a faint glimmer of light.

"James, if you can't keep going, then stop acting! We used to have such a beautiful life, why do we have to get involved with the Whitfield family? I'll go back to the countryside with you, just the two of us, and we can live a peaceful life. Alright?"

A look of struggle flashed across James's face as he looked at the woman in front of him. With her clear eyes and elegant features, she had always been the goddess of his heart.

"Eleanor..."

He placed a hand on her shoulder and lowered his head, intent on kissing her beloved face.

She suddenly widened her eyes. "Sister! Why are you here?"

James subconsciously pushed Eleanor away and whipped his head around in a panic.

"Cassandra, listen to my explanation, I—"

Behind him lay nothing but an empty staircase. James turned back around angrily.

"Eleanor, you lied to me!"

Smack!

She delivered a sharp, resounding slap to his face. Not feeling entirely relieved, she followed it up with a swift kick.

James let out a stifled groan, clutching his balls and bending over as he leaned heavily against the wall.

"James, if you're pursuing your future and abandoning our relationship, then don't act as if you're reluctant to let me go. It's disgusting. You'd better not come looking for me again, or a video of our private meeting might just find its way onto Cassandra's phone!"

She finished speaking, turned around, and walked up the stairs with firm steps, never looking back.

When she reached her floor, she unlocked the door to her flat, stepped inside, and slammed it shut in one fluid motion, without a moment of hesitation.

It wasn't until the door was completely closed that she felt all her strength finally leave her. She leaned her back heavily against the door and limply covered her face with her hands.

She knew that no matter how straightforward her actions or how decisive her words were, she could never truly deceive her own heart. After all, this was the relationship she had held onto for three years. She had poured her entire heart into it; how could she be so willing to just throw it away?

After a while, she regained her composure, took out her mobile phone, and dialled Beatrice's number.

"Bea, I'm in a terrible mood and need a drink."

"Where are we going?" Beatrice's voice rang out through the receiver without a second thought.

Eleanor felt a wave of emotion hearing Beatrice's unhesitating reply. So what if her relationship was over? Fortunately, she still had her best friend.

"Nocturne."

"Brilliant. I'll get changed and head out right away. Anyway, tomorrow's the weekend, so your sister is going to make sure you have a proper good time tonight."

Hearing the rustle of clothes over the phone as Bea started getting ready, Eleanor finally smiled.

After hanging up, she grabbed her things and headed back downstairs.

James had already left. He was a very purposeful person. He knew what he wanted, and once he set a goal, he would do whatever it took to achieve it. If he couldn't get what he wanted here, he wouldn't waste another second of his time.

She knew all too well how practical James was—so coldly practical!

She shook her head, hopped onto her moped, and rode straight into the night.