The CEO’s Unspoken Love (Eleanor and Derek) novel Chapter 156

Chapter 156

Derek POV

Back in the car, I decided to try her Newton home-the Victorian house her parents had left her, where she had moved after our

separation.

As I navigated through Boston’s congested streets, my mind raced with what I would say to her. How could I possibly apologize for something of this magnitude? What words existed that could even begin to address the pain I had caused?

The traffic on Commonwealth Avenue was crawling due to construction. I drummed my fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, checking the time every few seconds. Each minute felt critical, as if Eleanor might slip away from me forever if I didn’t reach her soon. The realization that I could have already lost her-that night when she swallowed those pills-made my blood run cold,

At a stoplight, I was startled by a sudden impact-a Toyota sedan had swerved into my lane, clipping the rear of my car. The jolt was minor, but the sound of metal against metal rang out in the night. Under normal circumstances, I would have been furious about the damage to my vehicle. Instead, I felt only impatience as I pulled over and stepped out to assess the situation.

A young man emerged from the Toyota, his face pale with panic. He was perhaps in his late twenties, dressed in jeans and a rumpled shirt, nothing like the polished professionals I typically dealt with. “I’m so sorry,” he stammered, hands shaking as he gestured to the dent in my car’s rear panel. “My wife-she’s in labor. I was trying to change lanes to get to the hospital faster.”

Before I could respond, I heard a woman’s pained cry from inside their car. The sound was primal, full of fear and agony. The man’s expression crumpled, desperation etched into every line of his face. “Please,” he begged, eyes darting between me and the car where his wife sat. “I can’t afford to waste time. Her contractions are less than two minutes apart.”

I glanced at his car, noting the dent in the fender and the way the bumper hung slightly askew. It would take time to exchange insurance information, time this couple clearly didn’t have. “Just go,” I started to say. But then I heard the woman’s voice again, this time clearer and filled with fear.

‘Matt, I’m scared!” she cried, her voice breaking. “It hurts so much-1 feel like I’m going to die. I don’t want to lose you and the

baby!”

Her words froze me in place. Through the car window, I could see the man-Matt-rush back to his wife, taking her hand in his. She was young, her face contorted with pain, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her swollen belly strained against her coat.

“No, no, you won’t die,” he assured her, his voice thick with emotion. “You’re going to be fine, and our baby will be fine. I promise.” He pressed his forehead against hers in a gesture of such tenderness that I had to look away. “If you die, I don’t want to live either. Whatever happens, we’re in this together, sweetheart.”

Something twisted in my chest at the raw sincerity in his voice. When was the last time I had shown Eleanor that kind of devotion? Had I ever told her that my life would be meaningless without her? Or had I always maintained that cool Wells distance, afraid to reveal how essential she had become to my existence?

Your car is pretty banged up,’ I said, approaching them again, decision made. “And you look too nervous to drive safely. Let me help

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Chapter 156

you.”

The woman was clearly in advanced labor, her face a mask of agony, her breathing coming in the short, rhythmic patterns ! recognized from a first aid course years ago. I helped Matt move her to the backseat of my car, not caring about the leather upholstery that cost more than their entire car. She cried out as another contraction hit, her knuckles white as she gripped the door

handle.

Boston General is closest,” I said, sliding into the driver’s seat. Matt sat in the back with his wife, murmuring reassurances. “I know

some people there. They’ll take good care of you.”

It felt like fate’s test-delaying my search for Eleanor to help this couple. But something in their desperate love for each other

resonated with me, making it impossible to leave them stranded.

As we sped through the streets, I made calls, pulling strings that only the Wells name could pull. By the time we reached the hospital, a medical team was waiting with a wheelchair. The woman-Emma, I learned-was whisked away immediately, her husband

trailing behind, still clutching her hand as if it were a lifeline.

I followed them inside, using my family connections to ensure they received a private room and the best care possible. When the financial forms came, I quietly took care of everything, adding a generous check for the baby’s future education. The amount was insignificant to me but would likely change their lives-a small atonement for all the times I had ignored others suffering, including

Eleanor’s.

Matt caught up with me as I was preparing to leave, his face flushed with emotion. “I don’t know how to thank you,” he said, eyes glistening with tears. “You saved us tonight. I was so panicked I could barely drive. We couldn’t afford- He gestured vaguely toward

the private wing where his wife was being treated.

I shook my head, uncomfortable with his gratitude. “I owe a lot of people. Consider this my chance to make up for some of it.” I thought of Eleanor, of all the ways I had failed her. “Take care of your wife. She’s more precious than anything. Once you lose her,

all the money in the world won’t bring her back.”

The truth of my own words hit me with stunning force. All my wealth, all my power, would mean nothing if I lost Eleanor forever.

Matt nodded solemnly, then was called back to his wife’s side by a nurse announcing that the doctor was ready to begin. I stood in

the hospital corridor, suddenly aware of the blood on my shirt and coat from helping Emma into the car. A streak of it had dried on

my hand, and my normally immaculate appearance was completely disheveled, my hair wild from running my hands through it in

frustration.

For the first time in my life, I didn’t care how I looked. All that mattered was finding Eleanor.

“I need to find my wife, I muttered to myself as I strode toward the exit, ignoring the curious stares my bloodstained clothing

attracted from hospital staff and visitors alike.

The night was growing colder, snow beginning to fall in delicate flakes that melted as soon as they touched the ground. Eleanor was out there somewhere. I had to find her, had to make this right-if it wasn’t already too late.

As I stepped outside, the wind carried the faint sound of a newborn’s cry from an open window above. Life beginning as I feared

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Chapter 156

another might be slipping away. I looked up at the snow falling from the black sky and made a silent promise to whatever forcé might be listening: I would not lose Eleanor. Not again. Not ever.

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The CEO’s Unspoken Love