Semua Bab Mated to her Enemy: Refusing his Rejection : Bab 231 - Bab 240

Stepping aside, Eloise said in a formal tone, “Let me introduce you. This is Jack Ray, the representative of our partner.”Mandy, blinking in confusion, stepped forward and extended her hand politely. "Hello….."“Mandy, I’ll follow the project this time,” Eloise cut in swiftly, not allowing her to finish.Mandy froze, utterly bewildered.Eloise leaned close and whispered in her ear, “I’ll explain after we get back.”Jack personally walked them all the way to the car, his gaze never leaving Eloise until she disappeared from his sight.Inside the car, Eloise slumped back against the seat.“Have you met Jack before?” Mandy asked curiously as they neared the Moonlight Garden. “I thought I was going to be in charge of the project?”Eloise forced a smile. “Don't misunderstand. There are certain things about this project I need to handle personally. You've been working so hard, Mandy. You deserve a break.”Mandy still looked unsure. “Okay… but rest well after this problem is solved, okay?”A

The bedroom door creaked open. Eloise looked up from her book, startled. Ainsley stood there, his face unreadable, a folded blanket in his arms. Without a word, he stepped in, laid the blanket on the floor beside the bed, and began unrolling it with deliberate care.“What are you doing?” Eloise asked, her brow furrowing.Ainsley lay down on the makeshift bed, turning his back to her.“You're not allowed to sleep here,” she said in a cold and dispassionate voice. “Ainsley, go away!” she shouted, frustration bubbling over.However, Ainsley sat up abruptly, glaring at her. “Just send me away tomorrow! I don’t care! But don’t think you can kick me out tonight!”Eloise was taken aback. It was the first time eight-year-old Ainsley had raised his voice at her.“You want to kick me out. You're sick, and no one will take care of you. You're unreasonable!” he shouted again.She stared at him, speechless. The room fell into a tense silence, the only light coming from a dim night lamp.Suddenly,

Eloise collapsed to the ground, her heart racing. Ainsley knelt beside her, panting.“You’re such a bad girl,” he groaned with a crooked grin.She blinked, then laughed. The sound surprised even her.They leaned on each other as they walked home. Eloise winced with every step.Inside, she locked the door behind them and turned to Ainsley. “Why were you there?” She asked with a frown.He looked sheepish. “From the balcony… I watched you leave for work. And I wait for your return. I always have.”Eloise froze. That… she hadn’t expected.“I’m not stalking you,” he added quickly. “I just… feel safer knowing you made it home.”Her throat closed. She didn’t speak.Later that evening, after cleaning Ainsley’s wounds, Eloise sat in her office, the silence pressing on her.Jacob had just finished a quick check-in. Mandy arrived, knocking gently.“Find the leak yet?” Eloise asked.Mandy sighed. “No. It’s like they vanished.”“Stop the investigation.”Mandy blinked rapidly. “What, why? Shouldn’t

“Ainsley,” she said, firmer this time. “Stop pretending to be asleep.”There was a pause. Then, a shuffle near the bed.“... I didn’t mean to wake you,” Ainsley’s voice finally came, low and unsure.“What are you doing here?” Her voice was cold, flat and irritated.“I couldn’t sleep,” he replied, glancing up at her. “I was cold… and scared,” Ainsley said.“There’s a couch in the living room,” Eloise replied.“I didn’t want to sleep alone.”She narrowed her eyes. “So you chose the floor next to my bed?”He gave a small nod.She exhaled sharply. “You’re unbelievable.”“I can leave if you want……” He moved, but she stopped him.“My feet are cold,” she said instead.Ainsley looked startled. “Y-Yeah? I can fix that!”He quickly knelt beside the bed and took her feet in his hands, rubbing them gently.“Your hands are warm,” she muttered, surprised.“I didn’t want you to feel cold too,” he said. “It’s not right.”A moment passed. Then: Eloise asked “Have you remembered anything lately?” she a

Eloise stood in the hallway, frozen.Her eyes locked on the floor, her hand resting on the doorframe as if her fingers were afraid to let go. Last night… The memory flared hot in her chest, a storm she couldn't escape. ‘I held his… oh moon goddess, what the hell is wrong with me?’She pressed her fingers into her temples. ‘It was a mistake. He was scared. It meant nothing. I was trying to help him since he forgot how to vent … that's all.’ But no matter how she spun it, her mind kept replaying the weight of him in her palm, the raw vulnerability in his eyes as he whispered her name. Heat prickled across her cheeks.‘Snap out of it, Eloise. He doesn’t even understand what happened.’She took a deep breath and stepped into the kitchen, her expression stiff. The sunlight poured across the counter, painting everything in golden light. Ainsley sat at the table, his knees tucked to his chest like a kid, his fingers tapping against his bowl. He looked up when he saw her, his bright eyes full