Chapter 106

Eleanor inched away from Nolan, but no matter how much space she tried to put between them, his eyes stayed fixed on her.

Every so often, the staff would come in, catch sight of the two of them together, and immediately slip back out with,a knowing grin.

Each time it happened, Eleanor wanted to bury herself in the floor.

The longer it went on, the harder it became to stay calm and focused.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and turned to him with a look of frustration. "With you sitting here,everyone's giving me that look. Why don't you head back first? Security's tight, so I'll be fine."

The smile on Nolan's face faltered. His lashes lowered slightly, giving him that wounded look that made her feel like she had just kicked a puppy. "You're sending me away?" he asked quietly.

Eleanor let out a long breath, trying to soften her tone. "I'm not chasing you off. It's just that you being here makes it hard for me to think straight."

Hard for her to think? Ah, he knew that feeling all too well. Whenever she was near, he felt the same way.

As he thought of this, Nolan's lips curved into a quiet smile.

"Alright," he agreed without protest, almost too easily.

Eleanor eyed him suspiciously, sensing something off, but chose to let it slide.

Instead, her gaze dropped to his hands, and with a hint of worry, she said softly, "Once you're back change the bandage. If your hands get worse because of me, I'll feel terrible."

Her caring words washed away any lingering sulkiness he felt. His mood lifted instantly, and he teased with a soft grin, "As you wish,baby."

The way he addressed her made Eleanor's cheeks burn red.

He was getting far too good at this-too smooth,too practiced.

The next day, after Eleanor's care, Dyer finally woke from his coma and was soon escorted back to the Elepdon Sanatorium on a private plane.

Nolan, too, had to prepare to leave.

The thought of being away from her made him feel heavy inside, and the sadness showed quietly on his face.

Eleanor noticed, and her heart softened. She reached for his sleeve, giving it a gentle tug. "Hey,don't look so miserable. I'll be back in just a few days."

His eyes dropped to her delicate hand resting against him, and much of the heaviness in his chest lifted. Bending down, he pressed a soft, measured kiss against her forehead. "Alright. I'll wait for you."

With that, he pulled back, turned, and slipped into the car.

The car had barely left the sandy lot when his phone buzzed. As soon as he picked up, Norwood's harsh voice snapped through the line like a whip.

"Reckless! You threw away a valuable alliance with the Benton family for a woman? Is this what I taught you?"

Sure, the Benton family was a lucrative option,but Nolan didn't see them as his only option.

And more importantly, he wasn't about to let anyone weigh the people he cared about on the scales of profit and loss.

He said everything directly.

However, Norwood's fury only flared hotter. "You've completely lost your head over that woman," he retorted. Nolan, on the other side, had no patience for a fight He brushed it off with a few indifferent words and ended the call.

Not long after, the screen lit up again, not with another scolding, but with a message from Fannie.

"Nolan, just focus on winning Eleanor over.I'll handle Grandpa."

Nolan chuckled softly. For the first time that evening,his chest felt lighter. Eleanor saving Fannie earlier really had been worth it.