EP 20

HIS POV ~

The moment I stepped out of the penthouse, I let out a slow exhale, rolling my shoulders to shake off the tension Eleanor had so effortlessly managed to stir within me.

I should’ve expected the argument. Eleanor wasn’t the type to accept anything quietly. But still, the way she reacted, the sharp defiance in her voice—it irritated me more than it should have.

She didn’t get it.

This was how things were supposed to be.

I had given her everything—stability, comfort, security. A life where she didn’t have to work, didn’t have to struggle. And yet, she still wanted to push back.

It was frustrating.

Sliding into the backseat of my car, I loosened my tie slightly, staring out the window as the driver pulled onto the road.

My mind should have been focused on work, on the meetings lined up for the day, but instead, all I could think about was the way she had stood there, glaring at me like I had personally offended her entire existence.

I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair.

It didn’t matter.

HER POV ~

I tapped my fingers against the table, my eyes drifting toward the entrance of the coffee shop as I waited for Olivia. The familiar scent of roasted coffee beans filled the air, mixed with the soft hum of conversations around me.

I wasn’t sure why I asked her to meet up so soon after the wedding, but after everything, I just needed to talk to someone who wasn’t involved in this whole arranged marriage situation. Someone who knew me before all of this.

A few minutes later, Olivia finally walked in, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on me. She grinned, striding over with her usual confidence. "Look at you, Mrs. Blackwood." she teased, sliding into the seat across from me.

I rolled my eyes. "Don’t start."

She smirked. "Come on, it's not every day my best friend gets married to a ridiculously rich and handsome man. I deserve details."

I sighed, leaning back. "There are no details. It was a wedding, we got married, and now I’m here."

She raised an eyebrow. "That’s it? You’re telling me you two didn’t have some dramatic moment, a passionate first night, or at least a little tension?"

I picked up my coffee, taking a slow sip. "Nope."

Olivia narrowed her eyes. "Eleanor."

I sighed. "Okay, fine. Maybe a little tension. But nothing dramatic."

She hummed, clearly not convinced. "So, what’s the plan now? You gonna play the perfect little wife, or…?"

I hesitated before answering. "I’m going to find a job."

Her brows shot up. "Wait—didn’t you already have one? At his company?"

"That was temporary," I admitted. "Our parents just wanted us to be around each other before the wedding. Now that we're married, there’s no reason for me to stay there."

Olivia studied me for a moment before nodding. "That makes sense. You don’t want to be dependent on him."

"Exactly."

She took a sip of her drink, then smirked. "So, does he know?"

I scoffed. "Of course not. And he won’t—at least not anytime soon."

Olivia let out a laugh. "You’re playing a dangerous game, Elle."

I shrugged. "It’s my life. He doesn’t control that."

She leaned forward, a knowing glint in her eyes. "You say that now. Let’s see what happens when he finds out."

I rolled my eyes, but deep down, I knew Olivia wasn’t entirely wrong.

"You know," I started, my voice quieter this time, "sometimes, I wonder what my life would have been like if I had never come back."

Olivia's smirk faltered, replaced by a look of curiosity. "You mean… if you had stayed in London?"

I nodded, exhaling softly. "Yeah. I had everything planned out, Liv. I was supposed to start my career, build something for myself. I was finally going to put all my studies into action, make a name for myself in architecture."

Olivia leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "And then your parents called you back."

I let out a dry chuckle. "Yep. Just when I was about to take the next step, they hit me with the whole arranged marriage deal. Told me it was my responsibility, that I couldn’t just turn my back on them."

"And you protested," Olivia said knowingly.

"Of course I did. I fought, I argued, I told them I had my own dreams, my own life. But you know my parents—they don’t take no for an answer. And the next thing I knew, I was on a flight back home, with my entire future put on hold."

Olivia frowned. "Eleanor, you could still go back. I mean, it’s not like you’re—" She hesitated, glancing at the ring on my finger.

"Not like I’m what?" I challenged, raising an eyebrow. "Not like I’m married now?"

She sighed. "I’m just saying, this doesn’t have to be the end of your career. You can still find a way to do what you love."

I pursed my lips, staring down at my coffee. Could I? Could I still chase my dreams while being tied to Lucian, to this marriage that was forced upon me?

"I don’t know, Liv," I murmured. "Everything feels so… different now. London feels like another lifetime."

Olivia reached across the table, squeezing my hand. "You’ll figure it out, Elle. You always do."

I wanted to believe her. I really did. But deep down, a part of me wondered if I had already lost that version of myself—the girl who dreamed of designing skylines, not just being trapped in one.

"So… when are you going back to London?"

She hummed, stirring her drink lazily. "End of the week, probably. I didn’t plan on staying long."

Something in my chest tightened at that. I had spent years in London, built a life there, and now it felt like I was watching it slip away completely. Olivia would go back, my friends would go back, and I… wouldn’t.

"You should come with me," Olivia said suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I let out a short laugh. "Yeah, sure. Let me just pack my bags and tell my husband I’m leaving."

She rolled her eyes. "I didn’t mean permanently, idiot. Just for a visit. A break. You deserve that much."

A visit. A break.

It sounded tempting—so damn tempting—but I knew it wasn’t that easy.

I shrugged, playing it off. "Maybe someday."

Olivia narrowed her eyes. "Someday as in ‘never,’ or someday as in ‘I’ll actually consider it’?"

I smirked. "Guess you’ll have to wait and see."

She huffed but didn’t push further, and for that, I was grateful. Because the truth was, as much as I missed London, as much as I missed the life I had built there, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get to return.

__________________________________

I spent the entire day with Olivia, lost in conversations that had nothing to do with my marriage or Lucian. It was refreshing—just two friends catching up, reminiscing about old times, and laughing over things that had nothing to do with my current reality. For once, I didn’t have to think about the fact that I was someone’s wife now.

It wasn’t until I glanced at my phone that I realized how late it had gotten—8:30 PM.

"Wow, I didn’t even notice the time," I muttered, slipping my phone back into my bag.

Olivia grinned. "You got too comfortable with me, huh?"

I smirked. "Maybe."

The city lights flickered around us, and the streets were alive with the usual evening bustle.

"You sure you don’t want me to drop you off?" Olivia asked as she stopped near the curb, hailing a cab for herself.

I shook my head. "Nah, I’ll take one myself. It’s not that far."

She nodded, then pulled me into a quick hug. "Don’t disappear on me again, Els."

I chuckled. "I won’t."

"Good." She gave me a playful wink before stepping into her cab. "And don’t forget—if you ever want to come back to London, you know where to find me."

I just smiled, watching as her car disappeared into the traffic.

Once she was gone, I sighed and booked a ride home. The penthouse felt oddly distant tonight, as if I had left a different version of myself behind when I walked out this morning.

By the time I got back, it was a little after 9 PM.

The lights inside were on. That meant Lucian was home.

I slipped off my shoes quietly, not making any effort to announce my presence. Not because I was hiding anything—I just wasn’t in the mood for conversation.

For now, all I wanted was a warm shower and my bed.

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