Chapter 42

Though their marriage had only lasted two years, Nathaniel had known Eleanor for several years prior. In his memory, Eleanor was always composed and steady. The only time he had ever seen her cry was when she suffered a miscarriage.

When he arrived at the hospital that day, the surgery had already been performed. It was late, and both families had gone home. The nurse had dozed off by her side, while Eleanor sat quietly on the bed, her face turned toward the window. She didn’t sob or break down—she simply let the tears fall silently, one by one.

And what had Nathaniel done in that moment? He couldn’t even remember. The life that had lasted less than three months—his mind barely held any memories or emotions about it. Yet, the image of Eleanor crying suddenly flooded back to him now, vivid and clear. It was one of the few times he had seen her so emotionally vulnerable, apart from... those other intimate moments.

But just moments ago, she had cried in front of Julian. She had even trembled.

"Mr. Carter?"

The voice from across the tennis court snapped Nathaniel out of his thoughts. He shook his head slightly, refocusing on the game. He hummed in acknowledgment and served the ball again.

An hour later, Nathaniel changed out of his tennis clothes and left the VIP room. When he returned to the first-floor court, Eleanor and the others were gone. But on a nearby chair, a green hair tie lay abandoned.

Nathaniel recognized it immediately—it was Eleanor’s.

Yet, he didn’t approach it. He simply glanced at it before turning and walking away.

Ethan had received the message in advance. When he saw Nathaniel emerge, he immediately opened the car door for him.

"Back to the office, Mr. Carter?"

"Yes."

Nathaniel got into the car and immediately opened his tablet. Emails awaited his attention. But as soon as Ethan pulled out of the parking lot, Nathaniel suddenly said, "Turn around."

"What?"

Ethan was taken aback. For a moment, he wondered if he had misheard.

"Turn around," Nathaniel repeated, his tone firm.

Ethan quickly flicked on the turn signal and drove the car back toward the gym. As they approached, he asked, "Did you forget something? I can go inside and grab it for you."

"No need."

By the time Nathaniel returned to the court, the hair tie was gone. The seat was now occupied by a young couple. The woman was holding her phone, smiling brightly as she took selfies.

Noticing Nathaniel’s gaze, the woman looked up. When she saw his face, her eyes lit up with interest.

But Nathaniel didn’t pause. He simply turned and walked away.

Ethan was still waiting outside. When he noticed Nathaniel’s empty hands, he hesitated for a moment before suggesting, "Mr. Carter, did you lose something? Should I contact the gym and have them help—"

"No need."

Nathaniel got into the car, his expression unreadable. "Just some trash."

Trash?

If it was just trash, why had he gone out of his way to retrieve it? Ethan found it odd but didn’t dare press further. He silently closed the door for Nathaniel.

Meanwhile, Eleanor had returned home, showered, and collapsed onto her bed. The physical exertion had left her exhausted, and she fell into a deep sleep.

When she woke up, it was already dark outside. Her phone, which had been on silent, buzzed with several new messages.

Two of them were from Julian.