Chapter 53

At the entrance of the restaurant, it was Ethan's reminder that finally drew Nathaniel's attention to the man speaking with Edward.

Looking visibly annoyed, Edward stepped around the man and walked away. However, the persistent man wasn't ready to let him go and followed closely behind. Seeing that Edward was about to get into his car, he raised his voice. "Mr. Harrison, if you don't agree, I'll have no choice but to go back to Mr. Carter and tell him everything about Eleanor."

Nathaniel had been ready to leave. After all, neither Eleanor nor the Harrison family had anything to do with him anymore. But upon hearing Samuel's words, he suddenly froze mid-step.

"Mr. Carter?" Lucas called out, but Nathaniel ignored him, turning his head to the side to see that the previously indifferent Edward had already let Samuel into his car.

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Mr. Carter, the 'Eleanor' that he mentioned..." Lucas spoke with confusion. But before he could ask, Nathaniel had already climbed into his car.

Lucas exchanged confused looks with Ethan before following suit.

Nathaniel, who had drunk a few glasses of wine earlier, closed his eyes as soon as he got inside the vehicle. Meanwhile, Lucas sat in the passenger seat, not even daring to look back at him.

A short while into the drive, Nathaniel suddenly said, "Look into it."

Taken aback, Lucas asked reflexively, "Look into what?"

Nathaniel turned to look out the window. "Eleanor's adoptive father."

Eleanor was sick. After spending a sleepless night, she arrived in this unfamiliar city, only to collapse into bed, unable to get up again.

If the hotel staff hadn't noticed that she hadn't left her room all day, and if the cleaning crew hadn't repeatedly knocked on her door, she might've remained unconscious in bed for who knew how long.

"Do you have any friends or family here?" a hotel employee asked her.

"No."

"Then... should we contact your colleague for you?"

"I'm fine," Eleanor replied as she swallowed a fever pill. "It's just a cold and fever."

"But..." The staff hesitated.

Eleanor knew what she was thinking and gave her a smile. "Don't worry. I won't die in your hotel. I'll... leave tomorrow."

"It's not that. I'm just worried about you," the young woman said quickly while setting a bowl of soup on the bedside table. "Try to eat something. Just call the front desk if you need anything."

Eleanor glanced at the bowl of soup and gently thanked her.

After the woman left, Eleanor's gaze lingered on the bowl of soup for a long time before she finally forced herself to get up from the bed.

Her phone screen displayed countless missed calls—some from Samuel and some from Edward.

After failing to reach her, Edward even left her a text message which read, "Samuel found his way here. Stay away from the Harrison residence for now. Don't contact him."

Eleanor stared at the words, feeling nothing. She knew he wasn't trying to protect her. He just wanted to avoid a scandal.

After all, her divorce had already been a public embarrassment. If events from her past were exposed... Eleanor suddenly recalled something.

Just then, her phone vibrated with Samuel's incoming call.