Chapter 5

“Wait—hold up, that’s a watch?” Quentin's voice pulled Eleanor out of her thoughts. His eyes flicked from the shopping bag in her hand to her face, his brows furrowed in surprise.

She shrugged, not feeling like explaining. “Just picking up some things.”

He eyed the bag again. “A gift for Henry?”

It felt easier to nod than to lie.

Quentin hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the idea. “Eleanor… you don’t need to spend that much on him. Even their basic models go for fifteen grand. Henry—he’s not worth that.”

She bristled at the words but didn’t say anything. No need to get into it. He didn’t know the full story.

“Last night... he wasn’t exactly a gentleman, was he?” Quentin continued, his voice dropping as if he were choosing his words carefully. "He left with Vivienne right in front of everyone. I don’t know what game he’s playing, but—"

Eleanor didn’t need to hear more. She already knew.

Henry had made it clear—she was a placeholder. Nothing more. He couldn’t get over Vivienne, and Eleanor? She was just something to fill the space until Vivienne came back into the picture.

She didn’t even know about the photo—Vivienne’s little stunt. Quentin had, though. He’d seen it. He wanted to tell her, but held back. She didn’t need that extra hurt.

“I know he doesn’t deserve it,” Eleanor said, her voice quieter now. “The watch isn’t for him anyway.”

Quentin seemed torn. “Eleanor—seriously, you’re too good for him. Don’t throw your money at someone who won’t appreciate it.”

She forced a smile, keeping it polite. “You’re right. Won’t happen again.”

They shared a brief silence before Quentin cleared his throat. “Take care of yourself, alright?”

“Yeah. You too,” Eleanor said, then turned to leave.

As she walked away, Quentin stood still, staring after her. He muttered to himself, “What a damn waste. She’s way too good for him.”

Once she was out of earshot, he pulled out his phone and messaged Henry.

[Yo, you’re sleeping on a good one. Just saw her buying you some fancy-ass watch. Must’ve dropped like 15K on it. That’s months of her salary, man. Don’t mess this up.]

Henry was sitting across from Vivienne at a restaurant when the message popped up on his phone. He glanced at it, then at Vivienne, who was busy talking. His anger from earlier disappeared as quickly as it had come.

So, Eleanor felt guilty. She was trying to make things right. Fine. He could play along. Accept the gift, say sorry, tell her not to take it personally—throw in a little sweet talk. Eleanor always fell for that.

“Henry?” Vivienne’s voice broke through his thoughts. “Who’s texting?”

“Just a buddy from college,” he replied smoothly, putting his phone down.

Vivienne didn’t ask further. She kept eating, unaware that Henry was already planning how to handle Eleanor.

When Henry stood up to go to the restroom, Vivienne took the chance. She knew his passcode—his birthday, predictable as ever. She unlocked his phone and scrolled through his messages.

The last message from Eleanor had been a week ago. She was suggesting they take a trip over fall break, sending links to places she wanted to go. Henry’s reply? A flat “Everything’s packed during holidays. What’s the point?”

Vivienne smirked. If his relationship with Eleanor was so serious, why wouldn’t he even take a vacation with her?

She skimmed further, finding Quentin’s recent message. She scoffed at the idea of Eleanor still caring about Henry.

She locked the phone, but the irritation lingered. Eleanor, trying to buy her way into his life. She closed the phone, picked up her own, and dialed Angelina Ashcroft.

“Angelina, you won’t believe what I saw today. Henry and I were at Chaumet, and his girlfriend—she was there trying on rings, practically begging for him to marry her…”

Meanwhile, Eleanor was back at her penthouse, still packing. She zipped up her suitcase, placing Jasper’s gift carefully inside. Her mind wandered to the man himself—his striking looks, the way he held himself. She had known Jasper her whole life. They’d grown up in the same part of Kensington, their estates just a stone’s throw from each other.

Jasper was older—four years, to be exact—and she had first met him when she was ten, at one of the many dinner parties their parents hosted. He looked like someone out of a British period drama, all sharp angles and aristocratic features. But his eyes… cold, distant. When her mother had asked her to greet him, Eleanor had been too shy.

“Hello, Jasper,” she had said.

“Hello,” he’d replied, his voice cool and detached.

Back then, she’d assumed he was difficult to get to know. The idea of him being anything more than a family acquaintance never crossed her mind.

Years later, when Eleanor was sixteen, her father suggested Jasper help her with her maths. At the time, Eleanor was a rebellious teenager, her mother gone, and her father trying to hold everything together.

“I don’t need your help,” she’d snapped when Jasper showed up at her door.

But Jasper, ever patient, didn’t back down. “Too bad. You’re getting it anyway,” he’d said with a grin, his voice unexpectedly warm.

He wasn’t what she expected—he was patient, kind even. He helped her with her work, explained things until she understood, even when he didn’t have to.

By the end of that summer, Eleanor’s grades had gone from failing to near-perfect. She had followed in his footsteps and earned a place at Cambridge, but the idea of Jasper as anything more than a tutor—someone she admired but didn’t think of romantically—seemed impossible.

When her father suggested an arranged marriage with Jasper, Eleanor had recoiled.

How could she marry someone who felt like a brother?

As her thoughts drifted back to the present, the bedroom door creaked open. Henry stood in the doorway, looking down at her.

“All packed?” he asked.

“Almost,” Eleanor replied without looking up.

Henry’s voice softened, a strange edge to it. “Eleanor… isn’t there something you want to tell me?”

Eleanor froze, her fingers tightening around the handle of her suitcase. Her heart skipped a beat.

“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice suddenly tight.

Henry stepped further into the room, his expression unreadable.

“About us,” he said, the words hanging in the air between them.

Eleanor’s pulse raced. What was he trying to say? Was this it? Was he finally going to end it?

She stood still, her mind racing. “What about us?”

Henry’s lips twisted into a faint, almost sad smile. “You’ve been acting different lately. I can’t figure it out.”

She held his gaze, her stomach tight with tension. Was he truly that oblivious?

She opened her mouth to respond, but he cut her off.

“Come on, Eleanor. Don’t play coy with me now.”

Her jaw clenched. “I’m not playing anything,” she said through gritted teeth.

He stepped closer, his gaze searching hers.

“Then tell me,” he demanded.

Eleanor took a slow, steady breath, but the words wouldn’t come.

SETTING

Office Relationship

Betrayal

Love-Triangle

CHARACTER

Heroine

CEO

Ruthless

STYLE

Drama

Contemporary

Dark Romance

GENRE

Romance

Synopsis:

Eleanor thought she was everything to Henry. For three years, she was his constant—his quiet support, his emotional anchor. But when the woman he truly loves returns to the city, everything shatters. “I’ve been chasing her ghost,” Henry confesses, leaving Eleanor to pick up the pieces of a love that was never hers to begin with.

In the glittering world of Manhattan’s elite, Eleanor finds herself trapped in a toxic relationship with a man who can’t let go of his past. After overhearing a conversation that reveals Henry’s betrayal, Eleanor is left questioning everything she thought she knew about love—and herself. With her heart shattered and her future uncertain, she turns to an unlikely solution: an arranged marriage to Jasper Blackwood, the stoic heir to a powerful family she’s known her whole life.

But leaving Henry isn’t as easy as it seems. Jasper’s steady presence stirs something in Eleanor, something she hasn’t felt in years—security, respect, and a growing attraction. Yet, the pull of her past refuses to loosen its grip. As Henry desperately tries to win her back, Eleanor must confront the deepest fears she’s kept buried: Will she ever truly be able to trust again? And, more importantly, can she move on from a love that never truly belonged to her?

In a world where wealth and power dominate, Eleanor’s journey to reclaim her self-worth is a battle she never saw coming. Will she finally choose herself—and the man who has always been there—or will her heart remain tethered to a past that can never be hers?

The choice is hers. But will it be enough to heal a heart shattered by betrayal?

TITLE: The CEO’s Toxic Placeholder

3-Act Structure Outline: Miracle’s Manuscript

Overview

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Emotional Drama

Word Count: 300k

Tone: Deeply emotional with a slow-burn romance, set in the elite world of Manhattan’s business and social circles.

Act 1: The Setup & Emotional Hook (80k-100k words)

Opening Scene:

The story kicks off with Eleanor overhearing a conversation between her boyfriend, Henry, and his friends. The discussion reveals a shocking truth: Eleanor has been nothing more than a placeholder while Henry still holds a torch for his ex, Vivienne. This revelation hits like a gut punch, immediately setting the emotional stakes and introducing the first major conflict—Eleanor’s need to reclaim her self-worth.

Tropes Introduced:

The “Placeholder” Girlfriend – Eleanor’s role as Henry’s emotional safety net, while he’s still pining for his first love.

Emotional Betrayal – Eleanor’s trust in Henry shatters as she realizes the truth about their relationship.

The Ex Who Won’t Let Go – Vivienne’s return to the city disrupts everything, bringing with it the emotional tension that fuels the romantic conflict.

Key Moments in Act 1:

Eleanor’s Breakthrough Decision: Hurt and disillusioned, Eleanor decides to sever her ties with Henry. She contacts her father, agreeing to an arranged marriage with Jasper, a man she’s known her entire life. This decision symbolizes her turning point, as she chooses stability over emotional chaos.

First Romantic/Emotional Conflict: The tension between Eleanor and Henry escalates when they have an awkward confrontation at Seraphina’s birthday party. The reveal that Henry is still emotionally tied to Vivienne creates a pivotal moment of raw emotion, signaling the end of their relationship.

Foreshadowing of Emotional Growth: Eleanor, although heartbroken, starts to prioritize herself over Henry. Her decision to head to London for an arranged marriage with Jasper sets her on a path of self-discovery.

End of Act 1: Eleanor makes the life-changing decision to leave Henry and pursue a new chapter with Jasper, thus fully stepping into her emotional journey. The emotional stakes are set—her growth is now the central focus.

Act 2: Rising Tension & Complications (120k-130k words)

Escalating Stakes:

Eleanor’s world is turned upside down as she navigates the complexities of an arranged marriage to Jasper. On the surface, Jasper is everything Henry is not: stable, emotionally available, and deeply supportive. But Eleanor’s unresolved feelings for Henry continue to haunt her, especially as Henry becomes more desperate to win her back.

Tropes Introduced:

Slow-Burn Romance – Eleanor and Jasper’s relationship develops gradually, built on mutual respect and shared history. Their romance is subtle but deeply intense, providing the perfect emotional counterpoint to Eleanor’s past with Henry.

The Love Triangle – Eleanor finds herself torn between the man she’s always known (Jasper) and the man who’s always evaded her (Henry). Each man represents different aspects of the life she desires, making her emotional journey all the more complex.

Key Moments in Act 2:

Eleanor’s Emotional Rollercoaster: As Eleanor and Jasper’s bond deepens, she faces a crisis of identity. Her fear of intimacy resurfaces, triggered by the emotional baggage left by Henry. This internal conflict builds the slow-burn tension between her and Jasper, keeping readers on edge.

Midpoint Twist (Major Betrayal): Henry’s jealousy and possessiveness reach a breaking point when he confronts Eleanor about her growing closeness with Jasper. Vivienne’s manipulative influence becomes more apparent as she inserts herself into the situation, pushing Eleanor and Henry to their emotional limits.

Eleanor’s Inner Struggle: While Henry tries to reclaim her, Eleanor finds herself questioning everything. She is no longer the woman who will wait for a man who can’t commit. This shift in her emotional landscape is crucial to her personal growth.

End of Act 2: The emotional climax occurs when Eleanor faces an emotional reckoning—she must confront her fear of vulnerability, face her emotional scars, and choose what kind of future she wants. The tension between the past (Henry) and the future (Jasper) peaks, making her choice both painful and inevitable.

Act 3: Climax & Resolution (60k-80k words)

Emotional Breaking Point:

Eleanor’s journey culminates in a final confrontation with Henry, where the emotional weight of their past is laid bare. The intensity of their feelings reaches a peak, and Eleanor is forced to confront her deepest fears about love, trust, and her own worth.

Tropes Introduced:

The Big Emotional Confrontation – Eleanor and Henry have their final showdown, where all of the pent-up anger, frustration, and love spill over. This moment is charged with raw emotion, making it the perfect payoff for their slow-burning tension.

The Heroine’s Self-Discovery – Eleanor’s emotional growth comes full circle as she finally learns to trust herself and her choices. Her decision to walk away from Henry and fully embrace her future with Jasper is a triumph of self-empowerment.

Key Moments in Act 3:

The Final Confrontation: Eleanor confronts Henry one last time, forcing him to acknowledge his emotional unavailability and the damage he’s caused. This moment of catharsis is both heartbreaking and liberating, as Eleanor lets go of her past and chooses to move forward without him.

The Emotional Resolution: Eleanor chooses Jasper, not because he is the “safe” choice, but because she has come to understand what love should feel like—steady, nurturing, and filled with respect. This emotional breakthrough gives the romance its well-earned payoff.

Romantic Resolution: Jasper and Eleanor find peace in their relationship, having navigated their own emotional barriers. The slow burn finally comes to fruition as they find a balance between love and independence.

End of Act 3: The novel concludes with a sense of emotional resolution, as Eleanor steps into a new chapter of her life, stronger and more confident. The final pages leave a subtle hint that this new beginning may not be without its own challenges, but Eleanor is now ready to face them head-on.

Themes & World-Building:

Themes:

Love vs. Independence – Eleanor’s journey is one of balancing love with the need for self-sufficiency. Her growth as an individual and partner is the emotional core of the novel.

Emotional Vulnerability – The story explores how vulnerability can be both a source of strength and a source of fear, and how embracing it can lead to true emotional fulfillment.

Trust & Betrayal – The recurring theme of betrayal, whether from Henry or Vivienne, drives the emotional conflict and character arcs throughout the story.

World-Building:

The elite world of Manhattan’s business and social circles provides the perfect backdrop for the emotional drama. Eleanor’s interactions with Jasper, Henry, and Vivienne are framed within the high-society lifestyle, where appearances matter and power dynamics shift with every interaction. This world-building adds an extra layer of tension, with wealth and status often influencing personal decisions and relationships.