Chapter 353

Eleanor’s eyes were like a faint mist, ethereal and hazy, her thoughts lost in the blur of emotions clouding her gaze. She looked at Robert, bewildered, trying to understand what he intended. Robert, however, quickly looked away, almost as though he feared what he might see—or reveal—if he held her gaze any longer. With a gentle but firm touch, he tightened his arm around her and guided her to his car. For the first time, he was alone in fetching her. Carefully, he seated Eleanor in the passenger seat, his hands moving with a tenderness foreign to his usual demeanor. It was as if he feared even the faintest disturbance might startle her. With steady hands, he buckled her seat belt, his movements lingering slightly as he took in her flushed cheeks and dreamy expression before finally slipping into the driver’s seat beside her. “I... I don’t want to go home…” Eleanor murmured, her voice soft and a bit slurred as she pouted, the faint color in her cheeks deepening. “I... don’t want to…” R