Chapter 6

Eleanor’s eyes widened, and she nearly choked on the water she was drinking.

“What? No! That’s not it.”

There was no way she was pregnant. In the two years of their marriage, Nicholas hadn’t been intimate with her even once. So how could she possibly be pregnant? Besides, she had only just been discharged from the hospital after spending two weeks there. Pregnancy wasn’t just out of the question—it wasn’t even remotely imaginable.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. “I’m fine. Just a little stomach bug, I guess.”

For the last two weeks, all she had eaten was food from the hospital cafeteria, which barely passed as edible. It was no surprise that it had upset her stomach.

Luna frowned, clearly not convinced. “Alright. But if you start feeling worse, promise me you’ll see a doctor.”

Eleanor smiled and nodded. “I will. I promise.”

Luna gave her a nod and started to leave.

“Wait!” Eleanor suddenly called out, remembering something. “Where’s Nicholas?” She still needed to talk to him about the divorce.

“He left for the office,” Luna replied. “He said he was already running late.”

Eleanor felt a pang of disappointment.

Of course, he left.

Even though he had seen with his own eyes that she wasn’t well, he had still left.

Not that she was surprised. She was used to it. In the last two years, he had barely made any effort to even ask her about her day, let alone take care of her when she was sick.

But still, it hurt.

It reminded her once again that she didn’t matter to him. That she was just a convenient wife who had no place in his life. Just a placeholder.

And that was why she needed to get out of this marriage. Fast.

Determined, Eleanor made a mental note to visit his office as soon as she felt a little better.

Today, she would tell him that she wanted a divorce.

And then, she would finally be free.

———

Eleanor stood before the grand entrance of Beaumont Enterprises, feeling a mixture of nerves and determination as she stared up at the towering skyscraper. She had never set foot in her husband’s company before. It was always Nicholas who came and went as he pleased while she stayed home, managing their household and trying to be the perfect wife.

But today was different.

Today, she was here to end it all.

She took a deep breath and walked into the lobby, her heels clicking against the polished marble floor. The receptionist greeted her with a polite smile.

“How can I help you, ma’am?”

“I’m here to see Mr. Beaumont,” Eleanor said, keeping her voice steady despite the pounding of her heart.

“Do you have an appointment?”

Eleanor shook her head. “No. Just tell him Eleanor is here to see him. He’ll know who I am.”

The receptionist looked confused but picked up the phone and dialed a number. After a brief conversation, she hung up and looked back at Eleanor.

“I’m sorry, but Ms. Sanchez says Mr. Beaumont is in a meeting and can’t be disturbed. Would you like to schedule an appointment for another day?”

Eleanor clenched her fists.

But she wasn’t leaving without talking to him. She had come all the way here, and she was damn well going to get what she came for.

“No. I’ll wait,” she said firmly.

The receptionist hesitated but then nodded. “Alright. You can wait in the lounge over there. I’ll let you know as soon as he’s available.”

Eleanor thanked her and made her way to the lounge. She sat down on the couch and pulled out her phone, trying to distract herself while she waited. But her mind kept drifting back to the same thought.

What would Nicholas say when she told him she wanted a divorce? Would he be angry? Or would he just sign the papers without a second thought?

She didn’t know. And at this point, she didn’t care.

She just wanted to get it over with and move on with her life.

An hour passed, then another, and another.

Eleanor checked the time and realized she had spent almost three hours waiting for Nicholas to become available.

She wondered if his meetings were usually that long or if today was an exception.

She went back to the reception desk, leaning against the counter. “Can you check if he’s free now? I’ve been waiting forever.”

The receptionist nodded and called again. She hung up after a brief conversation. “You just missed him. He left for lunch ten minutes ago.”

Eleanor felt a surge of frustration. “Didn’t you tell him that I was waiting?” she asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

The receptionist looked apologetic. “I did, but… Ms. Sanchez said she would let him know when he was done with his meeting. I’m not sure what happened after that.”

Sanchez. Sanchez. Sanchez.

Eleanor remembered Gina Sanchez, one of Nicholas’s personal assistants. The woman who always seemed to be around Nicholas, making sure he had everything he needed.

And today, she had conveniently forgotten to inform him that his wife had been waiting for him for hours.

Eleanor felt a mix of anger and disappointment, but she refused to let it show.

“It’s alright,” she said, forcing a smile. “I’ll come back later.”

She turned to walk out of the building when a familiar face stepped out of the elevator.

The one and only Gina Sanchez.

She was dressed in a tight-fitting black dress that hugged her curves in all the right places, her high heels clicking against the floor. Her dark hair was perfectly styled, and her makeup was flawless.

The moment she saw Eleanor, a smug smile tugged at her lips.

“Mrs. Beaumont,” she greeted, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. “I didn’t know you were still here.” Her tone left no doubt that she did indeed know and that she had intentionally left Eleanor waiting.

Eleanor returned the smile, her eyes hard. “Yes. I was waiting to see Nicholas.”

Gina’s smile didn’t falter. “Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. I did inform him that you were here to see him, but… you know him, don’t you? Work always comes first for him. He must have forgotten.”

Eleanor clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

It wasn’t the first time Gina had tried to make Eleanor feel insignificant. It had been going on for a while now. The subtle jabs, the condescending smiles, the way she always made sure to be around Nicholas whenever Eleanor was present.

Eleanor had ignored it before. She had told herself that Gina was just a jealous assistant who had a crush on her boss.

But now, with the decision to divorce Nicholas already made, she didn’t care.

So Eleanor held her head high and gave Gina a tight smile. “Well, that’s okay. I’ll just have to catch him at home then. Thanks for your help. Have a good day.”

“Or I can take you to where he is right now.”

“Excuse me?” Eleanor frowned, turning back around.

Gina leaned in, lowering her voice to a whisper. “He’s at the restaurant down the street, having lunch with a very special friend. Or so I heard.”

Eleanor felt her chest tighten.

A special friend?

“Who?” she asked, her voice quieter than before.

Gina tilted her head, as though trying to remember. “Some woman named Jessica Lisbon. Ring any bells?”