Chapter 4 Where Were You Last Night

"Keep yelling like that, and everyone's going to come running," Jonathan said, his voice turning cold.

At once, Eleanor stopped.

Without another word, he carried her to the gazebo near Shawn's house and lowered her onto a bench.

Once she was seated, his hand moved to her ankle, and he pressed down with steady force.

"Ah!" Eleanor cried out.

The pain passed quickly. Her twisted ankle had been set back in place.

"Thank you..."

She couldn't pretend it meant nothing. He had carried her the whole way and even fixed her injury.

"Did it ever cross your mind that you could've died when you jumped?" After slipping her shoe back on, he lifted his gaze, and a faint smile touched his lips, though it carried no warmth.

"I..." Eleanor's voice wavered as she tried to continue.

Her hand tightened at her side, and her lashes lowered as she hid what she felt. "I didn't want to trouble you."

"So you thought about that. But when you walked into my room last night, you didn't think about causing trouble then?"

A short, mocking laugh left him as Jonathan dropped the antiseptic spray beside her.

"I was drunk," Eleanor said, frowning as she tried to explain.

"Drunk?" His eyes narrowed.

"What were you drinking for?" He leaned closer, his gaze steady, though something sharper hid beneath it.

Her heart sank.

She couldn't tell him the truth. She couldn't say she drank because of his engagement.

Whatever had happened between them could only stay in the past.

"Answer me."

When she stayed quiet, Jonathan's hand reached out and caught her chin, forcing her to look at him.

Keeping her lips pressed tight, Eleanor hesitated briefly before speaking in a low voice. "Shawn wasn't doing well last night. He lost his temper, and I wasn't feeling good either, so I ended up drinking too much."

The moment she finished, his grip on her chin grew stronger, and the pain made her frown.

A short, cold laugh left Jonathan as he let go and pulled his hand back.

"So that useless man can affect you this much. You really know how to surprise me, Eleanor."

He took out a silk handkerchief and wiped his hand, as though touching her had left something behind.

"If you're going to drink next time, stay where you are. I'm engaged. If you keep ending up in my bed like that, my fiancée won't take it well."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked off, his back stiff and distant.

As she watched him leave, it felt like something tightened around her chest, making it hard to breathe.

It took time before she steadied herself. When her eyes dropped to her ankle, now red, a faint, bitter smile formed on her lips.

She and Jonathan should've been strangers a long time ago.

Pushing through the lingering pain, Eleanor got to her feet and made her way back to Shawn's house.

The gate opened with a soft push, and she saw Shawn seated near the entrance. His face looked dark, and even though his eyes showed no focus, they pointed straight toward her.

"Where were you last night?"

The question came without warning, and her chest tightened.

She lifted her head toward him. Even knowing he couldn't see her, she still adjusted her clothes before answering after a short pause, "Last night... I stayed in the lab. I was working on something new. It might help your legs."

She tried to keep her voice steady, but the faint roughness in it gave away how drained she was.

It sounded believable.

Shawn's face didn't change, yet the heaviness in him eased a little.

Then, without warning, he gave a low scoff, and the tone that followed turned darker. "It better."

After a brief pause, his voice dropped further. "If I find out you went looking for another man, Eleanor... you already know what happens."

Hearing that, Eleanor almost laughed.

He and Jenna were two peas in a pod. They thought the same way.

A slight curve formed on her lips as she answered slowly, "Shawn, I'm not like you. I don't waste time on things like that. Believe me or don't, it doesn't matter. Let's eat."

Eleanor didn't wait after that and walked straight to the table.

She failed to notice that his face darkened even more at her words.

Once she reached the table, she began laying out the breakfast, setting each item in place.

There was plenty of food.

But it was meant for one person.

She wasn't surprised. No one in this house had ever thought about her. Not even enough to set aside something as simple as breakfast for her.

Holding back what stirred inside her, she finished arranging everything and then turned to bring Shawn over.

"Shawn, it's time to eat."

The moment she spoke, Shawn's face turned cold, and his hand lashed out.

The hot porridge splashed across her arm.