Chapter 7

Chapter7

"Nathaniel, thank you for standing up for me earlier," Isabella murmured from the back seat as they drove home. Her words tumbled out in a rush, "I never expected Mom to bring this up with Mrs. Sinclair. I was terrified! If you hadn't intervened, I wouldn't have known what to do. I'm not ready to get married yet."

Nathaniel was focused on the road, his response a curt "hmm." His aloof demeanor didn't bother Isabella; she knew it was just his way.

She turned her attention to Eleanor, who sat in the passenger seat. "By the way, what did Mrs. Sinclair say to you when you two went upstairs?"

"Nothing," Eleanor replied flatly, her tone dismissive.

Isabella pouted slightly but quickly changed the subject. "Oh, did you hear? Julian is coming back to the country."

Eleanor's composed expression faltered for a brief moment.

Just then, the traffic light ahead turned red. Nathaniel brought the car to a smooth stop. The sudden halt caught Eleanor off guard, and her body jerked forward slightly before the seatbelt pulled her back.

Nathaniel glanced at Eleanor.

"Mom said he's doing really well abroad. It's been years. Haven't you two kept in touch at all?" Isabella pressed.

"No," Eleanor replied, her voice steady, though her hands clenched tightly in her lap.

"What a shame. You two were so close back then," Isabella murmured. She then turned to Nathaniel. "Do you remember him, Nathaniel? Julian was—"

"I know. He's the illegitimate son of the Whitaker family," Nathaniel interjected bluntly.

The words "illegitimate son" rolled off his tongue without hesitation. Eleanor couldn't help but frown, while Isabella seemed momentarily taken aback. She nodded slowly. "Yes... that's him. He was Eleanor's classmate, and we all used to hang out together. It's a shame he went abroad. I always thought he and Eleanor would stay in touch, but I guess not..."

Isabella's voice trailed off, her gaze lingering on Eleanor.

Eleanor found Isabella's behavior absurd. Why bring this up in front of Nathaniel? Was she trying to stir up trouble? Or was she hoping to make Nathaniel jealous?

If that was her plan, she had severely misjudged Nathaniel—he wasn't the type to care about such things. Perhaps realizing this herself, Isabella grew quieter for the rest of the ride.

By the time Nathaniel pulled up to the house, Isabella had fallen asleep.

Despite her dislike for Isabella, Eleanor had to admit she was beautiful. With her eyes closed, Isabella looked serene, her delicate frame evoking a sense of vulnerability that stirred a protective instinct.

As Eleanor debated whether to wake her, Nathaniel walked over and opened the back door. Without hesitation, he lifted Isabella into his arms.

The movement stirred Isabella slightly. She opened her eyes, still half-asleep, and murmured, "Nate." Then, instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck, settling comfortably in his embrace before drifting back to sleep.

Their actions were seamless, as if they had done this countless times before.",