Once Discarded, Now Desired

Inside the CEO's office of the Todd Group, Jonny Todd slid a set of papers across the desk toward Eleanor Todd. "Here's the divorce agreement. Go through it, and if everything looks fine, sign your name."

Eleanor's eyes lingered on the papers, shadowed with emotions she kept hidden. "Do we truly have to end our marriage?"

At her words, Jonny arched his brows, amusement flickering in his tone. "What else were you hoping for? Our marriage only existed to make my grandmother happy."

While speaking, he reached for the hand of the woman at his side, his voice softening. "And now that Lainey has returned, I need to restore her place and give her the respect she deserves."

Eleanor slowly raised her head, her gaze falling on the woman who had always lived in her husband's heart-Lainey Gilbert. Lainey was Jonny's childhood friend and ex-girlfriend.

Three years earlier, the Todd family and the Gilbert family had planned an engagement for Jonny and Lainey.

But before the engagement ceremony could happen, Jonny was in a car crash that left his legs broken, with doctors warning he might never walk again.

Once the news reached the Gilberts, they abruptly canceled the arrangement and sent Lainey overseas.

Yet even with their callous rejection, Jonny never erased Lainey from his heart.

With her sudden return, he was impatient to dissolve his marriage with Eleanor and welcome Lainey as his wife.

Lainey stood in a light white dress, dimples flashing as she smiled, looking every bit like a fragile bloom in full beauty.

She carried a beauty that was hard to deny.

It made perfect sense that Jonny had clung to her image all these years.

When Eleanor said nothing, Lainey faced her with apparent sincerity. "Mrs. Todd, Jonny and I share real love. I hope you'll give us your blessing."

Yet how could love be genuine when she had abandoned him the moment he was crippled, only to return once he recovered?

A dry laugh slipped from Eleanor as her eyes shifted toward Jonny. "A divorce is fine. But after what I've done for your family all those three years, I won't leave empty-handed. I expect fair compensation."

Because Sallie Todd had once helped her in the orphanage, Eleanor had agreed without hesitation when the old woman asked her to marry her grandson, Jonny.

Since then, she had poured herself into the role of a loyal wife.

She had even grown a faint affection for him while watching his efforts to stand on his own again.

But despite her devotion, three years had done nothing to soften his heart.

Letting go now was the only path left.

Still, her part in pushing the Todd Group to its successful listing was no small matter.

She would not allow her hard work to vanish without acknowledgment.

Jonny laughed under his breath as he lit a cigarette, his features sharpening in the haze of smoke. "Don't worry. Sign the papers, and you'll have $70 million along with a riverside villa."

Although Eleanor meant little to him, he couldn't ignore the fact that she had stayed by his side while his legs were useless. That was enough to settle the debt between them.

"I'll give you two days to think. If you want anything more..." he began.

"There's no need." Eleanor lifted the pen with steady grace and signed her name. "By tomorrow morning, I'll move out and leave the place open for you and Miss Gilbert."

Jonny felt a spark of satisfaction at her decisiveness.

Even he could not deny that Eleanor had been the model wife. She was beautiful, compliant, and skilled at keeping the household in order.

Yet to him, her nature was unbearably bland. She lived like a machine, going through tasks without spirit or surprise. Dull, unchanging, and without spark. She could never stir his desire.

What he longed for was a partner who understood him, someone who could stand at his side through every storm. In his mind, only Lainey fit that role.

Jonny gathered up the contract and had it delivered to the court, ready to offer Eleanor a few courteous words, but Lainey leaned close and gave his sleeve a small tug.

"Jonny, I was thinking... I really like that villa too," Lainey said.

"Hmm?" Jonny lifted his brows with mild surprise, studying Lainey curiously.

Hardly ever did Lainey ask anything of him. She had always carried herself as though she were above the material concerns, distant and untouchable.

Catching his reaction, Lainey raised her eyes with a faint, shy look. "Didn't you once tell me that the villa had the perfect surroundings and could serve as our future home after marriage?"

Memories of their past sweetness softened him, and without much thought, Jonny nodded. "If that's what you want, then consider it yours."

Eleanor observed their sickening harmony, her lips curling into a mocking smirk. "Jonny, only moments ago you promised me that house. Now you hand it over to her. Doesn't that strike you as shameless?"

Her words caught him off guard.

During their three years together, she had always been quiet and yielding, never daring to speak to him in such a tone.

His forehead creased, his voice edged with irritation. "It's only one villa. I own plenty of properties. Pick whichever you want, and I'll transfer it to you."

Lainey, sensing his displeasure, quickly added, "Mrs. Todd, if you'll let me take the villa, I'll add another $10 million to your compensation."

Eleanor's gaze swept over her with contempt. "Miss Gilbert, are you joking? That villa alone is worth at least $60 million on the market. Do you really think $10 million can buy it from me?"

The color drained from Lainey's face, and she turned toward Jonny with wounded eyes. "Jonny, that's not what I meant."

Unmoved by her performance, Eleanor interjected sharply, "If you want that villa so badly, I won't refuse outright. But the price is this-Jonny must exchange it for ten percent of the Todd Group's shares."

"What?!" Lainey's voice rose in disbelief. "Mrs. Todd, are you insane?"

The Todd Group was publicly listed, and ten percent of its stock was worth over one hundred million.

Eleanor's demand was outrageous, and everyone in the room knew it.

Jonny's face turned grim at once. "Eleanor, don't test my patience."

Unfazed, Eleanor met his glare. "Either give me the shares or the villa, Jonny. The decision is yours."

The air thickened with sudden tension.

Sensing the hostility mounting, Lainey tightened her hold on Jonny's arm and begged softly, "Jonny, forget it. I don't need that villa anymore. Wherever we live, as long as I'm beside you, I'll be content."

Those words calmed Jonny, and the severity in his face eased somewhat.

He turned back to Eleanor with a cold look. "The villa is yours then."

Knowing she had secured her rightful claim, Eleanor lost interest in further argument and started to walk away.

But Lainey's voice rang out behind her. "Mrs. Todd!"

When Eleanor turned, she found Lainey smiling sweetly. "Thank you for looking after Jonny during these years. From now on, I'll make sure to learn how to be his wife properly," Lainey said.

Though the tone sounded gentle, every syllable carried a challenge.

Eleanor regarded her quietly, then burst out with sudden laughter.

Striding back to the desk, she grabbed Jonny's untouched cup of coffee and flung it straight over both of them.

"Ah!" Lainey screamed as the hot liquid splattered across her white dress, staining it badly and leaving her disheveled.

Jonny's tailored suit was soaked as well, and fury twisted his face. "Eleanor! Are you out of your mind?"

She set the empty cup back onto the table with deliberate calm, her smile sharp. "My mistake. I just caught sight of something repulsive and couldn't hold back."

Without sparing them another glance, she walked out with steady steps, leaving the two of them in their disgrace.

The moment Eleanor walked out of the Todd Group headquarters, her phone buzzed with a message from her closest friend, Lillian Brooks.

"It's my birthday today. I know you probably can't come, but I just wanted to remind you. Honestly, I don't know what kind of spell that jerk Jonny has on you. You've cut yourself off from everyone for his sake."

With little thought, Eleanor sent back a reply. "Give me the address."

For a beat there was silence, and then her screen lit up with a text.

"What the hell? What's happening?"

Eleanor's fingers moved with calm precision. "I've signed the divorce agreement."

"Oh my God, you finally broke free of that lovesick title. Stay put. I'm coming to you right away!"

...

A sleek maroon convertible sped on the highway.

Behind the wheel, Lillian tipped her sunglasses down and gave Eleanor a playful whistle. "Eleanor, since you're finally out of that nightmare, we're celebrating at Velvet Club tonight. We're going to have fun."

Eleanor leaned lazily against the seat, her voice quiet. "Alright."

Lillian's curiosity got the better of her. "So what pushed you to finally cut ties? Let me guess-Lainey's back, isn't she?"

A faint smile touched Eleanor's lips. "Congratulations. You guessed it."

Lillian slid her sunglasses off and remarked with a smirk, "Back then, Lainey ran off the moment he ended up in a wheelchair, and now that she's returned, he's chasing after her like some lovesick fool. Do you think Jonny damaged more than his legs in that car crash?"

"Hard to say."

"And you, wasting three whole years tied to that useless man," Lillian continued. "Good thing there weren't any kids, or the divorce would've been a nightmare."

A quiet laugh escaped Eleanor. "There was never a chance of that. He and I never even shared a bed."

"What?!" Lillian almost lost hold of the steering wheel. "You're telling me you were married for three years and never slept together?!"

Eleanor's beauty was undeniable. If that was true, then was Jonny incapable?

"He was keeping himself pure for Lainey." Just mentioning the two of them made Eleanor's stomach twist. "Enough about him. Can you drop me off so I can change first?"

"Of course!"

By eight that evening, the Velvet Club was in full swing. It was Elepdon's largest entertainment venue, a gathering place for the city's wealthy and powerful, where extravagance ruled and a single bottle of wine could cost hundreds of thousands.

Lillian's eyes sparkled as she glanced at Eleanor. "Now this is the Eleanor I remember!"

That night, Eleanor's figure was wrapped in a sleek red dress that traced every curve. With loose waves tumbling over her shoulders and crimson lips to match, she was a vision that drew every eye.

Once Eleanor was seated, Lillian gave her shoulder a quick squeeze. "Stay here. I'll track down some top-shelf wine."

"Alright."

Eleanor's allure was undeniable; even as she sat still beneath the lights, her presence drew the eyes of countless men in an instant.

Out of nowhere, a man with blond hair swaggered up, flashing her a greasy smile. "Hey, beautiful. Sitting alone must be boring. How about sharing a drink with me?"

Across the club, Jonny stepped inside accompanied by his younger sister, Emma Todd.

From a nearby booth, Lainey lifted her hand in greeting, her smile poised. "Jonny, Emma, over here."

Emma hurried over, her face glowing with excitement. "Lainey, I'm so happy you're back. I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too." The reply was warm, but Lainey's eyes never strayed from Jonny.

She was just about to draw him in with another gesture when Emma's voice rang out in surprise. "Jonny, isn't that Eleanor over there?!"

Jonny's head turned toward the direction Emma pointed.

Under the shifting lights, a striking figure rested on a barstool, her long legs revealed beneath the hem of her skirt, elegant and mesmerizing.