CH 16

HIS POV ~

Dinner.

I adjusted the cuffs of my shirt, barely suppressing the irritation building inside me. The past few days had been nothing but endless preparations for a wedding I had no real interest in.

And now, as if that wasn’t enough, I had to sit through a formal dinner, listening to our parents talk as if this marriage was anything more than a business arrangement.

I arrived before Eleanor, not that I was keeping track. My mother was already at the table, talking animatedly with her parents, while my father sipped his whiskey in silence.

“Where’s Eleanor?” my mother asked, her eyes scanning the restaurant.

I checked my watch. “She should be here any minute.”

As if on cue, the doors opened, and Eleanor walked in.

She wore a simple but elegant dress, her hair pulled back neatly, a few loose strands framing her face. She looked… put together, but I could see the mild annoyance in her eyes.

She met my gaze and rolled her eyes slightly, as if to say, Can you believe this?

I smirked. At least we could agree on one thing.

Eleanor greeted our parents before sliding into the seat across from me.

"Glad you could finally make it," I said dryly.

"Traffic," she replied, then leaned in slightly. "And also, thanks for telling me about this dinner in advance."

I raised a brow. "I assumed your mother already did."

She scoffed. "Right. Because communication is your strong suit."

Before I could reply, my mother clapped her hands together. “Now that we’re all here, let’s eat!”

Dinner began, and I let the conversation wash over me. My mother spoke about wedding traditions, Eleanor’s mother gushed about how beautiful her daughter would look in white, and our fathers talked about business.

Eleanor, however, was quieter than usual, barely touching her food.

I tilted my head slightly. "Not hungry?"

She blinked at me before flashing a small, fake smile. "Oh no, I’m starving. Just too busy soaking in all the love and romance in the air."

I bit back a chuckle.

Before I could respond, her father turned to me. "Lucian, my daughter can be a handful. Are you sure you can handle her?"

I met Eleanor’s gaze. She raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting for my response.

I smirked slightly, taking a sip of my wine. "I think the real question is—can she handle me?"

Eleanor let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. "Oh, please. I’ve handled worse."

Her father chuckled, while my mother shot me a warning look.

_______________________________

Dinner was dragging on longer than I liked. Eleanor had been unusually quiet, barely engaging in conversation, which was a rare sight.

But I wasn’t going to question it. If she wanted to sit there and brood, that was her problem.

Then her phone buzzed.

She glanced at the screen, and something shifted in her expression. Not annoyance, not boredom—just… something different.

“Excuse me,” she muttered, pushing her chair back as she stood up. Without waiting for anyone’s permission, she walked off, phone pressed to her ear.

My mother gave me a pointed look. “Lucian.”

I sighed. “Give her a minute.”

Twenty minutes passed, and she still hadn’t returned.

I exhaled sharply before standing up. I wasn’t concerned—I just didn’t want my mother nagging me about it. That was it.

Stepping out of the dining area, I followed the faint sound of her voice down the hallway. When I turned the corner, I found her leaning against the balcony railing, her phone held up, screen glowing.

A video call.

“—I don’t care how late it is, you guys better be here first thing in the morning,” she was saying, her tone firm but amused.

On the screen were several faces, all talking at once, throwing playful protests. Her friends.

“We’re literally flying in at sunrise, El,” one of them groaned.

“Yeah, but I know you,” Eleanor shot back. “You’ll stop for coffee, you’ll take a detour, and then suddenly it’s noon.”

A girl on the screen laughed. “She’s got a point.”

Eleanor smirked, her shoulders relaxing. “Exactly. So, I’m reminding you. Be early.”

I crossed my arms, watching her.

This was different. The sarcasm was there, but it wasn’t forced. She looked… comfortable. Unbothered. Like she wasn’t about to step into a marriage she had no control over.

She didn’t even notice me at first. It wasn’t until one of her friends asked something—something that made her expression shift slightly—that she turned her head.

Her gaze met mine.

For a second, she didn’t react. Then, smoothly, she turned back to her phone. “Okay, gotta go now. Someone is lurking.”

One of her friends whistled. “Ohhh, is it the fiancé?”

She let out an exaggerated sigh. “Unfortunately.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t be rude, El!” one of them scolded. “Put him on!”

Eleanor faked a horrified gasp. “Why would I subject you to that?”

I leaned against the doorway. “I can hear you.”

She shot me an innocent smile. “Oops.”

Her friends burst into laughter.

I rolled my eyes. “End the call.”

Eleanor sighed dramatically. “Ugh, fine. Bye, guys.”

More laughter, a few goodbyes, and then the call ended. She turned to me fully, crossing her arms.

“What?” she asked.

I shrugged. “Just making sure you weren’t planning your escape.”

She smirked. “If I was, I wouldn’t be telling my friends to be here first thing in the morning, would I?”

Fair point.

I studied her for a moment. “You could’ve just told them to arrive whenever. Why push for the morning?”

Eleanor’s smirk faded slightly. She looked away, pretending to fix her bracelet. “Because I want them here.” A beat passed. “Before everything… starts.”

I didn’t reply. I didn’t have to.

Instead, I turned and walked back inside, leaving her alone on the balcony.

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