The CEO’s Unspoken Love (Eleanor and Derek) novel Chapter 75

Chapter 75

Derek POV

F

Eleanor looked surprised, then resigned. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun, and she wore a simple t-shirt and jeans-a far cry

from the elegant dresses she wore for social events. Somehow, she looked more herself this way.

“Derek,” she said, her voice carefully neutral. “What are you doing here?”

“You left, I stated flatly, as if that explained everything. “You didn’t say where you were going.”

“I tried calling you multiple times last night,’ she replied, not moving from the doorway. “You never answered.”

“I was in the hospital with Seraphina. She had an accident.”

Eleanor’s expression didn’t change, but something flickered in her eyes. “Yes, she told me when she answered your phone. How

convenient.

The implication in her tone made anger rise in my throat. “What exactly are you suggesting, Eleanor?”

I’m not suggesting anything. I’m merely pointing out a pattern. She crossed her arms. “You don’t respond to my calls for hours, then I find out you’re with Seraphina. It’s not the first time.”

“This isn’t about Seraphina,” I insisted, stepping closer to the threshold. “This is about you disappearing without a word.”

Eleanor’s eyebrows shot up, her expression a mixture of disbelief and bitter amusement. “That’s rich coming from you, Derek. How many times have you disappeared without a word? How many times have I woken up to an empty bed and a text saying you’ll be in

London or New York for an indeterminate amount of time?”

Her words caught me off guard. “That’s different. That was work.”

“And this is survival,” she countered, her voice steady despite the emotion in her eyes. ‘I needed space to breathe. To think clearly

without you clouding my judgment.”

Our standoff was interrupted by the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. We both turned to see Olivia stepping out of a sleek

black sedan, followed by a tall man.

Olivia rushed forward, engulfing Eleanor in a tight hug. I was so worried about you! Why didn’t you answer your phone?”

Eleanor’s demeanor immediately softened. “I’m sorry, Liv. My phone died, and I forgot to bring my charger from the house.”

The transformation was striking. With me, Eleanor had been cool and distant. With Olivia, she was warm and apologetic, her face

animated with genuine emotion. The contrast stung more than I cared to admit.

You scared me half to death, Olivia scolded, though there was no real anger in her voice. “Next time, use a landline or something.

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Chapter 75

okay?”

Eleanor nodded, smiling at her friend. Then her gaze shifted to the man standing a few feet behind Olivia. “You must be Jayden.

Olivia’s told me so much about you.”

Jayden stepped forward, extending his hand. All good things, I hope. It’s nice to finally meet you, Eleanor.”

I watched the exchange with narrowed eyes, noting how easily Eleanor slipped into social pleasantries with this stranger while

treating me-her husband-like an unwelcome intruder.

Jayden turned to me, his expression neutral but evaluating. ‘Derek Wells. I believe we met briefly at the Boston Business Leaders

gala last week.”

I nodded curtly, not interested in small talk. “Jayden.”

Eleanor looked between us, then turned to Olivia and Jayden with a warm smile. “Would you like to come in for tea? The kitchen’s a

bit dusty, but it’s functional.”

“That would be lovely,” Olivia replied, shooting me a challenging glance.

I stood there, effectively ignored, as Eleanor ushered her friends inside. The casual dismissal was calculated, I knew, but effective nonetheless. My jaw tightened as I watched them disappear into the house, leaving me on the doorstep like an afterthought.

Before I could decide whether to follow or leave, Eleanor reappeared in the doorway. “Olivia and Jayden are getting settled in the kitchen, she said, her voice cool again. “Did you want to come in, or were you just checking that I hadn’t vanished into thin air?”

Without waiting for an answer, she turned and walked back inside, clearly expecting me to follow. I did, closing the door behind me

with perhaps more force than necessary.

I caught up to her in the hallway, grasping her wrist to stop her. “Eleanor, we need to talk.”

She looked down at my hand on her wrist, then back up at me, her expression unreadable. “Now you want to talk? After ignoring me

for days?

‘I need to explain about last night, I insisted, lowering my voice to ensure we weren’t overheard.

Jayden appeared at the end of the hallway. “Eleanor? Olivia was wondering if you had any honey for the tea.”

Eleanor gently but firmly removed her wrist from my grip. I’ll check,” she said to Jayden, her voice softening. Then, to me: “Jayden

and Olivia drove all this way because they were worried about me. It would be rude to ignore them.”

Jayden’s eyes darted between us, sensing the tension. “I can take Olivia out for a bit if you two need to talk,” he offered

diplomatically. “There’s a coffee shop down the street.

I nodded gratefully, surprised by his perceptiveness. “That would be helpful.”

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Eleanor looked like she wanted to object, but Jayden had already turned back to the kitchen. A few minutes later, we heard the front

door close as Olivia and Jayden left, Olivia’s protests fading as they walked down the driveway.

We stood in the hallway, surrounded by the echoes of Eleanor’s childhood home, a heavy silence stretching between us. She kept her

distance, arms crossed defensively over her chest, waiting for me to speak.

I took a step toward her, and she took a corresponding step back, maintaining the space between us. The rejection was subtle but

clear.

“You always do this, Eleanor,” I said, my voice low. “You run away from me, and then you act like I’m the one who left.

A bitter smile crossed her lips. “From you? That’s laughable. You’ve been running from this marriage since the day it began.”

The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken accusations and old hurts. In that moment, looking at Eleanor’s guarded

expression, I realized I’d never truly seen her until she was already slipping away from me.

“You’re afraid of me,” I finally said, the realization dawning even as I spoke the words. “No, that’s not quite right. You’re afraid of

yourself. Afraid that you can’t resist me.”

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The CEO’s Unspoken Love