Chapter 79

"Eleanor, let me remind you," Nathaniel said, his voice icy and unyielding. "The power to decide whether our relationship continues or ends has always been in my hands. Even back then, if I hadn't agreed, do you really think you could've divorced me so easily?"

Eleanor's hand, which had been poised to push him away, slowly fell to her side.

Her eyes, which had flickered with traces of anger and sadness, went completely blank as she stared at him.

He wasn't wrong. What power did she ever have? In his eyes, she was nothing more than an object. Once, she had been his wife and was expected to bear his children. Now, she was just a tool for his gratification.

Her quiet, detached demeanor was something Nathaniel knew all too well. His brows furrowed again as he watched her. After a pause, he gripped her chin and abruptly leaned down, capturing her lips in a forceful kiss.

The moment their lips met, tears slipped down Eleanor's cheek.

The cold touch of her tears sent a shiver through Nathaniel's body, but he quickly brushed it off and deepened the kiss. He forced her lips apart and plunged his tongue in, claiming her in a deep, relentless hunger.

This kiss was suffocating—more overwhelming than any they had shared before.

Eleanor felt her chest tighten, her breath hitching. Her hands instinctively pushed against his chest, trying to shove him away.

But at the next moment, Nathaniel caught her wrist with one hand, while the other moved downward. Eleanor felt like a soldier in a battlefield against him, but the difference in strength between the two of them was too great. She wasn't even given a chance to fight back before he found her weakness, leaving her armor shattered and her defenses stripped away.

Nathaniel's jawline was taut with tension, and it finally eased when he felt her body surrender beneath him. A faint, mocking laugh escaped his lips as her body went limp against him.

The sound of his laughter sent a surge of frustration through Eleanor. She clenched her teeth and bit down hard on his shoulder without hesitation.

Nathaniel let out a muffled groan, but he didn't stop her.

Eleanor didn't hold back. It was as if every ounce of frustration and pain she had endured over the past two years had finally found an outlet. Her teeth dug into his skin, and she refused to let go.

But Eleanor soon faced Nathaniel's retaliation.

She had always known that the view in Coppersville was breathtaking at night.

That night, she watched as the city's lights gradually came to life. The neon signs shimmered in the dark, looking like a cascade of spilled cocktails. They looked dazzling and almost unreal.

After that, she couldn't remember exactly when she drifted off to sleep.

However, she remembered that Nathaniel said something to her. But she didn't hear clearly what exactly he said, nor could she recall the words.

When Eleanor woke up, it was the middle of the night. She was a little dizzy, and her legs nearly gave out beneath her when she tried to sit up. She had to steady herself by gripping the bedside table, sinking down on the floor, and resting her head against the bed.

Nathaniel wasn't in the bedroom at the time. However, the noise soon caught his attention, and he walked in from the study next door.

When he saw Eleanor's state, he didn't rush over. He simply stood there, watching her. It was as if he was waiting to see if she was taking it.

Eleanor ignored him. After sitting on the floor for a while, she slowly stood up.

"Where are you going?" Nathaniel asked.

Eleanor didn't answer him and simply walked around him.

But Nathaniel reached out and grabbed her. He yanked her backward, then lifted her into his arms.

"What are you doing? Let go!" Eleanor immediately started struggling.

Nathaniel didn't pay her any attention.

When she realized he was planning to push her onto the bed, Eleanor opened her mouth to protest. But before she could say anything, her stomach growled loudly.