"Miss Hollis, what happened last night was an accident, but if you keep this up, I’ll think you’re trying to seduce me."
That’s right, what woman would share a glass with a man and leave a lipstick mark on the rim?
"I... I’ll wipe it off."
Eleanor’s face turned crimson as she stiffly took a tissue to clean the lipstick mark.
Hugo normally had a slight case of OCD, but strangely, he still remembered the feeling of kissing this woman last night, and it was pleasant.
He always thought kissing was extremely disgusting, but last night changed his perspective.
"Mr. Quinn, as you said, last night was just an accident."
Eleanor didn’t understand why she needed to repeat that sentence, was she afraid that he might have feelings for her?
Who was Hugo anyway? Sitting in such a high position, he could have any beauty he wanted, why would he be interested in her, a divorced woman.
"Actually, Miss Hollis, you’re quite charming. You shouldn’t doubt yourself because of others; sooner or later, you’ll find the right person for you."
Hugo said slowly, knowing what she was thinking, it would probably take a while for her to come out of the inferiority granted to her by her previous marriage.
The living room suddenly fell silent. Eleanor still found it strange; why wasn’t this person going to work today? But it seemed she had no reason to ask.
Marcus came down from upstairs, rubbing his eyes, indicating that he’d just finished his nap.
Eleanor had gotten used to being called this. To cooperate with the doctor’s treatment, she could only do as told and meet all of the child’s demands as much as possible.
"Lunch is ready. You two eat first, I’ll make a trip to the office."
Hugo stood up to take his coat, fastening the cuff buttons as he did.
"Okay, I’ll take good care of Marcus."
At that moment, Eleanor couldn’t wait for the man to leave; she felt too uneasy with him around.
After Hugo left, Eleanor played puzzles with Marcus, the two of them sitting on the living room sofa.
An hour later, Grace came to the villa, and that was the scene that greeted her eyes.
Marcus was carefully observing the pictures, handing a puzzle piece to Eleanor.
This time, they were putting together a more complex picture than before.
"I saw that one too, Marcus, you’re so smart."
Eleanor praised him, noticing the boy’s eyes crinkle with happiness, her heart softened, and she suddenly felt reluctant to leave this child.
Grace tightly clenched her fists as she slowly began to speak. She had to have a proper talk with this person today.
Only then did Eleanor realize Grace had arrived, possibly having found out that Hugo wasn’t at the villa before she came.
Upon seeing her, Marcus’s smile slowly disappeared, and he immediately nestled into Eleanor’s embrace.
His actions made Eleanor suspect whether Grace had done something that left a shadow on the child when he was young, otherwise why would he be so afraid of her.
"Eleanor, I need to have a serious talk with you."
Grace’s expression was unkind, especially after seeing Marcus’s reaction. She felt even more aggrieved, thinking the child was a thankless creature.
"I don’t think there’s anything left for us to discuss. You now have no grounds to make me leave, I’ve already returned the money to you."
Eleanor said blandly, rubbing Marcus’s head, indicating for him not to be afraid.
"Eleanor, do you think it’s appropriate for you to stay here? If people outside find out you’re living with Hugo, what do you think they’ll say?"
A glint of hatred flashed in Grace’s eyes; even she hadn’t stayed in this villa, what gave Eleanor the right?
"Grace, as I’ve said, I moved in based on Mr. Quinn and the doctor’s advice. If you, as his mother, had been of any help, Mr. Quinn wouldn’t have come to me in desperation."
Grace’s face was colorless. She realized that since Eleanor’s divorce, she had completely changed, becoming very strategic.
"Eleanor, I know you always held resentment because Nathaniel liked me, but that’s not my fault. After all, receiving someone’s affection isn’t wrong. If you want to blame, you can only blame Nathaniel. Now that you’ve moved in, is it just to use this to strike at me? Eleanor, if you find the money insufficient, I’ll give you three times more than before, just as long as you leave Serenford."
Eleanor suddenly found it strange, why was this person so determined to make her leave Serenford? Was she afraid of some secret being revealed? Thɪs chapter is updated by 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⁂𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚⁂𝙣𝙚𝙩
"Grace, are you hiding some secret from me and don’t want me to find out, which is why you’re so desperate to drive me away?"
Grace’s lips trembled as she took a step back.
She did indeed have secrets hidden in her heart, and this secret absolutely could not be known by others.
Back then, she and Eleanor were pushed into the delivery room together, she soon gave birth to a stillborn, the child never lived.
She had already bribed the doctor, having them switch Eleanor’s child with hers.
At that time, Eleanor was unloved by her parents, disliked by her mother-in-law, and indifferent to her husband, with no one accompanying her outside the delivery room. It was incredibly easy for her to have the doctor steal the child.
The moment Eleanor’s child was born, it was taken to her delivery room, and the stillborn was swapped.
When Beatrice found out Eleanor had given birth to a stillborn, she immediately discarded it, scolding Eleanor before dragging everyone away.
It was said that when Eleanor regained consciousness later, she frantically searched through the trash, just to catch a glimpse of the child.
Marcus was actually Eleanor’s child, and only she knew this secret.
"Eleanor, leaving here is in your best interest. You wouldn’t want people gossipping about you either. I will inform the elder of your living situation here, you better weigh your options."
After Grace finished speaking, she left, and Eleanor’s face grew dark.
She could ignore others in the Quinton Family, but the elder had always treated her well, even giving her five million from his own pocket when he found out she left the marriage empty-handed.
Her brow furrowed, looking down at the suddenly quiet Marcus. If she left, what would happen to the child’s treatment?
Both Mr. Quinn and the doctor had said that over these years, she was the only special presence to appear.
In the evening, the old house indeed called, but it was Hugo who answered.
The elder himself also had some uncertainty; previously, all major media had been covering Grace and Nathaniel’s matter, he wasn’t a fool, certain things were not without reason.
Now he heard that Eleanor had moved into his youngest son’s villa, his heart was blocked, not knowing what these young people were up to.
"Hugo, I heard Eleanor is staying with you. If Eleanor can’t rent a place outside, you can help her, but letting her stay in your villa will invite gossip. You should find a time to arrange another place for her."