Cosmo had already seen Eloise in so many different ways, but he was the only one who could witness her natural tenderness, the side she never showed anyone else.He knew she was intelligent, principled, and adaptable. She could be humble when needed and sometimes used a little strategy to get what she wanted. But right now, what he saw on her face was pure confusion, like she couldn’t find the words and was struck with a pounding headache.Still, Cosmo didn’t stop. His voice was cold when he asked, “What do you mean by ‘I don’t know’?”From the very beginning, Eloise wanted to keep their relationship under control. In a marriage that had no foundation of love, she chose to stay calm, not to fall, not to lose herself, and to make sure she never lost her own identity.But she hadn’t expected Cosmo’s influence on her to be this strong.Maybe it had started with admiration years ago, but as the days went by, it slowly grew deeper. And that day, when she almost drowned in the lake and Cosm
After a two-hour nap in the afternoon, Eloise was full of energy by nightfall. She picked up the book she had left unfinished and continued reading.After dinner, Sasha and Faro went home. The moment they got back, they collapsed on the sofa, and while watching a video together, Sasha couldn’t stop praising Faro, his looks, his manners, everything about him.Eloise smiled and teased, “You really fell in love and moved on so fast, huh!”Sasha laughed. “Life is short, enjoy it while we’re still young! It’s better to fall in love several times while we still have the chance. What a waste of youth if you don’t even try!”For her, it wasn’t only men who had the right to admire beauty. Women did too. And as she explained, it was better to fall for someone handsome than for someone plain. At least, if you fought, you wouldn’t be annoyed just by looking at him.She went on and on, clearly speaking from experience.The truth was, she had once been heartbroken in the past. Eloise, on the other
Eloise couldn’t resist Faro’s kindness, so she let him drive her home. She had planned to go straight to her own apartment, but being with Faro was almost like admitting to him the truth, that she and Cosmo weren’t on good terms. She didn’t want Faro to know about that. With Sasha it was fine, but with Faro, absolutely not.Teresa didn’t know Eloise was coming home, so when she saw her, she was overjoyed. She immediately helped her carry her luggage.“Good thing you’re back,” Teresa greeted warmly, her eyes full of smiles. “The house felt so quiet without you.”The house used to be cold and silent, especially before Eloise and Cosmo got married. But once Eloise started living there, the place had a new kind of warmth. From the decorations to the simple ambience, the home slowly became more alive.Once you get used to a certain comfort, it’s hard to go back to how things were, especially when that change brings warmth and comfort.Eloise thought Teresa’s words were a little exaggerated
Eloise found the right timing to meet with Director Avis alone. The moment they sat down, she immediately brought up Sasha’s sudden appearance on the trending list.Director Avis listened quietly, and his response was almost exactly what Eloise expected. “I only gave that short clip to a friend. I didn’t think it would be posted online. Honestly, it’s not a bad thing. Sasha’s popularity even went up,” he said.Eloise stayed calm as she replied, “Promotion should be done at the right time, with proper coordination from all sides. Releasing a video suddenly without notice usually causes negative effects.”Director Avis forced a faint smile. “You know people don’t favor Sasha right now. But once the drama airs next year, they’ll see how good her acting is.”Eloise asked directly, “So you intentionally leaked the video? You knew it would be posted online? Was this hype really for Sasha’s sake?”The smile disappeared from his face, his eyes turning cold. “From what you’re saying, are you
The next morning, Eloise received a set of photos from someone with ill intent. At the same time, Elaine sent her a long message pretending to offer comfort.But Eloise knew better. It wasn't a real concern. The truth was, Elaine was delighted about what had happened. It was pure schadenfreude.After taking a screenshot of the message, Eloise calmly replied with just one word before sending it back. Elaine never reached out again after that.Back when Cosmo was still with her, Elaine was the mistress. Eloise had endured so much then, exhaustion, loneliness, and heartbreak. Now that Elaine was no longer in Cosmo’s life, she wanted nothing more than to see Eloise suffer.Eloise already knew Elaine’s nature. She wouldn’t miss a chance to cause trouble, always reminding her that Cosmo had a woman he was close to.For a married woman, there is no pain sharper than betrayal. But pain only exists if there is still love for the husband. Without feelings, where would the hurt come from?In tr
They could talk about almost anything, except when it came to feelings. That was when Eloise seemed to hold back.As an outsider, Sasha only knew the parts that Eloise chose to share with her, plus her own instincts and interpretation.“What do you mean by that?” Eloise asked, a little surprised by what her friend said.Sasha answered quietly but directly. “Smart people think too much. Before they even take one step, they’re already thinking about the tenth step. Too many doubts, too much overthinking. They don’t want to lower their pride, don’t want to admit defeat. Even for something as simple as making a call, they need to find an excuse first.”Eloise stayed silent.Acting a bit smug, Sasha continued, “But if you’re in love, then just do what you want. If you feel like texting, text. If you want to call, call. If you want to ask a guy something, then ask. Isn’t that normal?”Eloise still didn’t reply, but it was obvious she was thinking about it.Sasha raised an eyebrow and smiled