Chapter 80

The silence in the room was deafening, broken only by the loud growl of Eleanor's stomach. Even Nathaniel paused, his steps faltering as he turned to look at her. For the first time, Eleanor caught a flicker of something unexpected in his gaze—surprise. Her jaw tightened, and she turned her face away, refusing to meet his eyes.

Nathaniel didn’t move. Instead, he released her arm and stood still for a moment. "What do you want to eat?" he asked, his voice calm but firm.

Eleanor didn’t respond. She kept her gaze fixed on the wall, her pride refusing to let her answer. Nathaniel waited for a beat, then shrugged and left the room without another word.

Eleanor remained on the bed, her body stiff and unyielding. It wasn’t until his footsteps faded completely that she finally let out a shaky breath and covered her face with her hands. She wasn’t sure how much time passed, but eventually, Nathaniel returned.

"Come and eat," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Eleanor had no intention of indulging him, but her body had other plans. She hadn’t eaten in nearly a full day, and the dizziness was becoming unbearable. Reluctantly, she gave in and walked over to the table.

Nathaniel had brought back an array of dishes—light, carefully chosen meals, similar to what they had eaten at Nivis Villa before. But what caught Eleanor’s attention wasn’t the food itself. It was the cake placed on the side of the table. A dark chocolate cake, topped with bright red cherries.

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her gaze snapping to him. Nathaniel met her stare with his usual calm indifference. He sat across from her, leaving the seat with the cake untouched—as if it had been reserved just for her.

He really knew how to train a pet. A punishment, followed by a treat, all delivered with such calculated precision.

Eleanor walked over but didn’t touch the cake. Instead, she picked up her fork and began eating quietly. Neither of them spoke, the silence between them heavy and unyielding.

She could feel Nathaniel’s gaze drifting to the cake a few times, but he said nothing. Despite her hunger, Eleanor’s appetite was faint at best. After forcing herself to eat less than half of what was on her plate, she set her fork down.

"Wait," Nathaniel said abruptly.

Eleanor turned to look at him, her expression guarded. He pressed his lips together, his gaze lingering on her for a moment. Whatever he intended to say, he ultimately kept to himself.

Eleanor didn’t press him. Without another word, she got up and returned to the bedroom. She had slept enough earlier, and she didn’t plan on sleeping anymore. But she didn’t want to stay outside, so she sat by the window, staring out into the night.

When footsteps approached outside the door, she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. She wasn’t sure if her act was convincing, but in the darkness, she could feel Nathaniel’s gaze lingering on her for a long moment.

Then, the mattress dipped as he lay down beside her.

Her entire body stiffened. They had been husband and wife once, and they had shared countless moments far more intimate than this. But this was the first time they simply lay beside each other in the same bed, not touching, not speaking.

As her mind spiraled with thoughts, she suddenly felt his arm wrap around her, pulling her into his chest. Eleanor couldn’t keep up the act any longer. She opened her eyes, shoved him away, and sat up in one swift motion.

Nathaniel let out a low chuckle. "Why stop pretending?"

He had done it on purpose.

Eleanor clenched her teeth, her frustration boiling over. Just as she was about to snap at him, Nathaniel got up and said, "Get some rest."

With that, he left the room.

Eleanor sat frozen on the bed, caught off guard. Was all of that just to call her out for faking sleep? What the hell was wrong with him?

She didn’t have an answer, and Nathaniel didn’t return to the room for the rest of the night.

The night passed like that, and Eleanor returned to Serene Street the following day on her own.