Adrian Grant found her words grating to the ear.
"Adrian Grant, you’re my husband, yet you spent time with another woman while I was sick, and even gave the jewelry you bought to her! What kind of husband does that?"
Clearly, it was Mia Winslow in his heart, yet he couldn’t stop provoking her, and she was utterly fed up!
Eleanor suddenly remembered the Purple Jade Bracelet still on her left wrist. She forcefully tried to pull it off with her right hand, rubbing her left wrist red and raw.
Adrian Grant grabbed her hand, stopping her from her self-destructive action, and asked, "What jewelry?"
"The sapphire you bought at the auction. Mia Winslow even flaunted it in front of me," Eleanor took a deep breath. "I saw it with my own eyes, and Jeanette Grant did too. Are you going to deny it?"
Adrian recalled, "My mom asked me for that sapphire ring."
The raging fire inside Eleanor came to a halt.
"You... you gave it to your mom?" Eleanor was stunned. "Then why did it end up in Mia Winslow’s hands?" This text is hosted at novel~fire~net
Having seen plenty of jewelry since childhood, Eleanor knew large gems were rare and unforgettable. She was sure the one on Mia Winslow’s hand was the same from the auction, judging by the gemstone’s refractive properties, which largely ruled out the possibility of it being counterfeit.
After calming down, Eleanor noticed students passing by were secretly glancing at her and Adrian, their eyes gleaming with gossip.
Eleanor quickly lowered her head, grabbed Adrian’s wrist, and hurriedly left the scene.
Adrian observed as the woman held his wrist, letting her drag him along. His long legs seemed reluctant, dragging slowly behind.
"Junior Winslow, is this your boyfriend?" Asked a senior who had seen Eleanor and Adrian holding hands, her voice filled with gossip and intrigue.
"No! Senior, I have something to do, let’s talk later!"
Once Eleanor had walked away, a girl beside the senior quietly snapped a photo and sent it to a guy on her contact list: [Senior, it looks like Eleanor has a boyfriend now]
"Young Master Grant, can you walk a bit faster?" Eleanor inwardly fuming with frustration.
Adrian cooperated by taking slightly bigger steps, asking, "Your senior?"
Eleanor didn’t answer.
Adrian asked again, "Is the person beside her your senior?"
Eleanor glanced at him as if he were a lunatic, "Her boyfriend, how would I know if he’s a senior or a junior."
Adrian nodded in satisfaction.
The matter was significant, so the academy quickly notified Selene Keane.
On the way to taking Eleanor home, Selene called Eleanor.
Looking at the caller ID, Eleanor instinctively glanced at Adrian, "Your mom’s calling."
"Don’t answer," Adrian replied coldly.
Having not grown up with Selene and considering her blatant favoritism, Adrian felt little affection for her.
Eleanor hesitated for a moment but decided to answer—she didn’t like handling things coldly.
"Eleanor, I’ve heard you have concerns about the academy giving the direct PhD slot to Pearl Morgan?" Selene, stable today, spoke in a calm and gentle tone, starkly different from their meeting during Old Madam Grant’s birthday.
"Yes," Eleanor admitted honestly, "Based on Pearl’s performance, she doesn’t deserve it."
"Hehe..." Selene laughed as if hearing a joke, "Eleanor, you’re already twenty-one, why say such naive things? Where’s the fairness in this world? What’s deserving or not, if it weren’t for being Adrian Grant’s wife, your academy wouldn’t have even let you argue, and I surely wouldn’t be calling you!"
"Mom, as students, we’re vulnerable, but we’re not to be trampled on."
Eleanor’s face darkened. Before marrying Adrian, Selene had treated her well, and she didn’t want to break ties with Selene.
Adrian took the phone from her hand and bluntly said, "Mom, I advise you to stop."
Selene, stunned for a few seconds, realized the voice had changed to Adrian’s.
Infuriated, she said, "Do you still acknowledge me as your mom? I’m telling you, the direct PhD spot is Pearl’s!"
Before Selene could respond, Adrian hung up and handed the phone back to Eleanor. "Why waste words with her."
Eleanor pressed her lips together.
She never thought she would confront Selene one day.
Seeing her expression, Adrian chuckled.
"What’s so funny?" Eleanor looked up, confused.
"Eleanor, people change," Adrian said. "Besides, her past kindness to you might not have been genuine. Are you going to retreat again and again for a false old affection?"
Eleanor looked up at him.
Yet, she liked him for years, wasn’t it because of the old affection from childhood to her maiden years?
If those were unreal, then what did her years amount to?
Adrian’s car stopped below Eleanor’s apartment.
Eleanor thanked him, adding, "I can handle the school’s matters myself, no need to trouble you."
"How will you handle it?" Adrian asked mockingly.
Eleanor was determined to pull away from him.
Adrian pulled out a cigarette, pinched it between his fingers, and asked, "Have you told Grandma about the divorce?"
Eleanor shook her head, "Not yet, once the school matters are settled, I’ll tell her properly."
"Since you haven’t, I don’t want more rumors about us getting back to Grandma’s ears and upsetting her."
Eleanor understood his meaning—since nothing was said, he was still her husband, and he’d continue to be involved.
Moreover, if Selene stood against Eleanor and Adrian was absent, it wouldn’t take a day; an hour later, the entire circle would know they were divorcing, possibly hospitalizing the elderly lady in anger.
"The rumors about us are because of you," Eleanor rolled her eyes and muttered defiantly.
Really, this man wouldn’t admit it?
"Because of your special treatment towards Mia Winslow! Who in our circle doesn’t know you sponsor Mia Winslow? Who in our circle doesn’t know you grew up together with her?"
Adrian chuckled, "Didn’t I grow up with you too?"
"Young Master Grant, childhood companions are good friends who grow up together, were we?"
Adrian had always disliked her following him and Jonah Grant, seeing her as a nuisance.
Adrian lowered his eyes, his long lashes veiling the emotions underneath.
After a moment, he looked at the gauze on Eleanor’s wrist and asked, "Does it hurt?"
"What?" Eleanor didn’t want to tell him the truth, "No, it doesn’t hurt."
How could it not hurt?
The burn hurt at that time.
Changing the dressing hurt.
Water seeping in stung painfully.
But so what? It couldn’t change the fact he hurt her.
Eleanor was soft-hearted but also held grudges.