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Chapter 83
Chapter 83
‘Freaking hell! Anthony can charm the pants off anyone. No wonder women fall for his lines, Jayden thought.
Jayden watched Eliana walk toward Anthony, a bitter taste rising in his throat.
Suddenly Eliana stopped in front of Anthony. “Mr. Anthony Russell, how’s Ms. Powell?” she asked, eyes wide.
Anthony searched her face, wondering, ‘How could she not hate Alice after everything?‘
“Just a sprained ankle,” he said. “Don’t beat yourself up about it.”
Eliana shook her head. “Could you tell me the hospita
He told her.
She memorized it attentively and said, “I’m sorry.“”
She was sorry for the chandelier, sorry for Theodore taking Alice away. She was the spark that set this dumpster fire ablaze.
If only she’d been more careful, that whole mess never would’ve happened. But at least she’d seen Theodore’s true colors.
Anthony’s gaze landed on her torn sleeve. He frowned. “You’re hurt too?”
“Doc checked me out. I’m good.” Her voice was as flat as cardboard.
During dinner, Lainey scooted over, making space for Theodore at the head of the table. Wyatt vanished like a ghost.
Only Barbara beamed. “Theodore, I’m glad your eyes are back to normal!”
He glanced at her, then looked at Eliana. She was still sitting in her original seat, quite far away from him.
Without a word, he left the prime seat and plopped down next to her. Like old times.
The head chair stayed empty. No one dared touch it.
A servant asked nervously, “Mr. Theodore Russell, shall we serve
Theodore grunted.
Lainey’s jaw tightened. She thought, ‘Since when did I stop calling the shots?‘
At dinner, Eliana’s right elbow throbbed so badly that she had to switch the fork to her left hand. Every other bite, her fingers brushed against
Theodore’s.
That’s when it hit her–they were sitting way too close. She’d gotten used to huddling near him to serve food while he was blind.
The memory made her knuckles go white around the fork. That sickening feeling of being played returned, and she inched her chair back.
Theodore frowned when he noticed. He worried about her injury, but her cold shoulder bothered him more.
He remembered how she’d lean in at meals, whispering what was on the table. Sometimes she’d be so focused on helping him that she’d forget to eat. Now she couldn’t seem to get away fast enough.
Watching her shovel food into her mouth without looking up, he gritted his teeth.
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Chapter 83
The dinner dragged on as everyone sat there, wrapped up in their own thoughts.
As soon as Eliana got back to the room, she started stuffing clothes into her suitcase. She was done sharing a space with him.
But Theodore walked in. He flopped onto the chair and drawled, “Are you planning to break your promise to my grandpa?”
“You can see just fine,” she snapped without turning around.
“Proof? Got a doctor’s note?”
“1…”
“Samuel said stress could make me go blind again. Are you really gonna ditch me now?”
She eyed him skeptically. “Another lie?”
“Call him yourself.” Theodore sat still and spread his legs wide, phone in one hand, pressing his other hand against his knee. He leaned forward, ready to pounce if she came within reach.
She thought of what had happened. No way was she falling for that. “I’ll take the couch. You keep the bed.”
He scoffed. “Aren’t you afraid of the cold?”
“Better than sleeping next to you.”
Theodore hesitated a beat before saying, “Show me your hand.”
Eliana was about to brush him off when a soft knock sounded at the door.
He’d been focused on calming her down, and the interruption made his temper flare. “Get lost!” he barked at the door.
Eliana shot him a look. ‘What’s his problem?‘ she thought.
She crossed the room and opened the door to find a maid shaking like a leaf. Her voice turned gentle. “What is it?”
“Mrs. Eliana Russell, Mrs. Lainey Russell had the top–floor room cleaned up,” the maid stammered. “She wants you and Mr. Theodore Russell to move there.”
“The top floor?”
Eliana didn’t know that besides the penthouse suite, the top floor boasted a pool, gym, golf simulator, mini–theater–the w private retreat.
‘t used to be Theodore’s
But after the accident left him blind, Lainey had stuck him in this windowless box on the second floor. Calling it a “room” was generous–it was basically a glorified storage closet.
When Eliana turned to him for a decision, Theodore said quietly, “I’m staying put.”
He’d once hated this place with a passion, but now it felt like home. And that was all thanks to Eliana. If this space had been a barren desert, she’d turned it into an oasis.
When he refused, Eliana turned back to the maid/“Anything else?”
The maid shoved a tube forward. “Mr. Anthony Russell told me to give you this ointment. He said it works wonders for swelling.”
Before Eliana could respond, Theodore snatched it and chucked it into the hallway.
The maid’s face drained of color. ‘I’m doomed,’ she thought.
Chapter 83
Feeling sorry for the maid, Eliana said, “Go grab it. Keep it. And say thank you to him.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Eliana Russell.” The maid practically tripped over herself bowing before scurrying off.
Theodore’s eyes bored into her calm face. He warned coldly, “A guy who ignores his own fiancée to butter you up–you don’t smell something fishy?”
Eliana tilted her head. “How’s Ms. Powell, Mr. Russell?”
“Fine,” he blurted.
She gave him a knowing look. “Exactly. You’re just as bad, mooning over other women while your right here.” With that, she brushed past him and
headed for the bathroom.
Theodore was speechless.
As the bathroom door clicked shut, Eliana’s stomach dropped. She remembered stripping in front of him, asking questions like an idiot. She wondered, ‘Has he been faking blindness then? If so, did he think I was some cheap floozy?‘
She shook the thought away. He’d lied first. Why should she care what he thought?
