CH 15

AUTHOR'S POV ~

After what felt like hours—or at least to Lucian—it seemed Eleanor was finally done picking out her outfits. She had taken her sweet time choosing a few dresses, making comments every now and then just to get on his nerves.

Lucian had barely spoken, only nodding whenever necessary. He didn’t care what she wore as long as they got out of here quickly.

As they walked toward the checkout counter, Eleanor suddenly stopped, her gaze flickering toward a jewelry section nearby.

“Wait,” she muttered, more to herself than to him, before heading in that direction.

Lucian exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. Of course.

Following her, he found her staring at a display of elegant necklaces and earrings, her fingers tracing over a delicate sapphire pendant. It wasn’t extravagant, but it was beautiful in its simplicity.

“You like it?” he asked, his voice flat.

Eleanor hesitated before shrugging. “Just looking.”

Lucian stared at her for a moment before signaling the staff over. “Pack this one.”

Eleanor turned to him, surprised. “What are you doing?”

“Buying it,” he said simply.

She frowned. “I didn’t ask you to.”

“You didn’t have to.”

For a second, she just looked at him, searching for something in his expression. Was this some sort of peace offering? Or was he just trying to speed things up so they could leave?

Lucian, noticing her stare, raised an eyebrow. “What?”

Eleanor quickly shook her head. “Nothing. Just shocked that you’re capable of being nice.”

“I wouldn’t call it that.” He grabbed the bag from the staff and handed it to her. “Consider it a bribe. Now, can we go?”

Eleanor smirked, tucking the bag under her arm. “You could’ve just said you wanted to spend more time with me.”

Lucian shot her a blank stare. “Let’s go before I regret this.”

She chuckled, walking past him. “Too late.”

_______________________________

As they left the mall, Eleanor checked her phone. A message from his mother popped up.

Lucian told me you both went shopping. Hope he wasn’t too difficult.

Eleanor smiled to herself before replying:

Difficult? Not at all. He even bought me a necklace. Should I be worried?

A reply came almost instantly.

Oh, darling. If Lucian starts spoiling you, then he should be the one worried.

Eleanor laughed softly before slipping her phone into her purse.

She glanced at Lucian, who was already walking ahead toward the car, his usual indifferent expression in place.

Maybe, just maybe, this marriage wouldn’t be completely unbearable.

_________________________________

After the long shopping trip, Eleanor finally returned to her apartment. The moment she stepped inside, she kicked off her heels and let out an exhausted sigh. Shopping with Lucian was mentally draining, but at least she had gotten a necklace out of it—not that she’d ever admit she liked the gesture.

Throwing her bags onto the couch, she grabbed a bottle of water before settling in. As soon as she took a sip, her phone buzzed on the coffee table.

Mom.

She sighed, already preparing herself for whatever emotional speech was about to come her way. Answering the call, she put it on speaker.

“Eleanor, sweetheart!” her mother’s voice rang with excitement. “Finally, you picked up! I was beginning to think you were avoiding us.”

Eleanor rolled her eyes. “Mom, I just got home. Shopping was a nightmare.”

Her father’s voice chimed in from the background. “Shopping? With your fiancé?”

“Yes, Dad,” she said, stretching her legs onto the coffee table. “As per his mother’s request.”

Her mother hummed in approval. “That’s good. You two should spend time together before the wedding.”

Eleanor snorted. “Yeah, nothing says bonding like watching him glare at every single salesperson we met today.”

Her father chuckled. “Still the same, huh?”

“Exactly.”

Her mother sighed dramatically. “Eleanor, darling, can you at least try to be positive? You two will be married in just two days! This is a new beginning for you.”

Eleanor stared at the ceiling. “You make it sound so romantic. This isn’t a love marriage, Mom.”

Her mother tsked. “Love can come later. Right now, just focus on making things work.”

Eleanor stayed silent, twirling the cap of her water bottle. Making things work. It wasn’t that she hadn’t thought about it, but with Lucian’s cold nature, she wasn’t sure how much effort she was willing to put in.

Her father sighed. “Look, Ellie, we’re coming tomorrow. We just want you to be happy, okay?”

Eleanor softened at his tone. “I know, Dad.”

“We’ll see you soon, sweetheart. Get some rest,” her mother added.

“Yeah, yeah. See you tomorrow.”

As soon as the call ended, Eleanor placed her phone down and exhaled deeply.

Making things work.

Could she really do that with Lucian? Or was this marriage going to be just as cold and distant as he was?

Pushing the thought away, she grabbed a pillow and hugged it. One more day before everything changes.

NEXT MORNING —

The next day arrived quicker than Eleanor had expected. The sun was high, casting a golden glow over the city, but inside her apartment, everything felt strangely quiet.

Maybe it was the realization that today was her last full day as Eleanor Hayes before she officially became Eleanor Blackwood.

She shook the thought away as she got out of bed, stretching before grabbing her phone. No messages from Lucian.

Not that she expected any. It wasn’t like they were the type of couple to check in on each other.

After freshening up, she made herself a quick breakfast and sipped on her coffee, scrolling through her phone when a call popped up.

Mom.

Again.

Sighing, she answered, pressing the phone to her ear.

“Morning, Mom.”

“Morning, sweetheart! We’re at the airport and should be landing in a few hours.”

Eleanor hummed. “Got it. I’ll be at the hotel by then.”

“No need! Lucian’s mother insisted that someone will pick us up. She said it’s tradition for the groom’s family to take care of everything.”

Eleanor rolled her eyes. Of course, his mother was handling everything.