Chapter 33: Ethan’s Sleepover
Eleanor returned to her villa around midnight, her heart weighed down by guilt and sorrow. The Grants had revealed so much about her mother that she felt utterly shattered. Her guilt for not respecting or loving her mother had grown exponentially, and she couldn’t even bring herself to hate the Whitmore family anymore. She was mostly angry at herself—for being so naïve, so blind. It was now clear how they had slowly fed her false information, brainwashing her into their puppet. The signs had always been there, but she had failed to see them, blinded by misplaced trust in Jeanne and Jennifer.
As she entered the house, she saw Ethan sitting in a chair, reviewing some documents. He looked up and immediately noticed her frozen in the doorway. Eleanor’s mind was a storm of emotions; she didn’t know what to do.
Ethan put his documents aside, stood up, and walked over to her. Without a word, he wrapped his arms around her in a gentle embrace. He could feel the chaos inside her, the silent scream for comfort. And while he didn’t know what had happened, a simple hug felt like the right thing to do.
It was the first time he had embraced her since their student days. Although he had been officially pursuing her for over five years, their physical contact had never gone beyond holding hands—and even that had been rare.
But this time, she clung to him tightly, seeking warmth and comfort. They stood in silence, hearts speaking in the language of pain and support. While Eleanor found solace in Ethan’s embrace, he was filled with turmoil. What had shaken her so deeply? Not even the traumatic events from six years ago had broken her like this. Though she wasn’t crying, Ethan could feel the heaviness radiating from her like a silent scream.
After a long while, Eleanor pulled away and whispered, "Thank you. I really needed that."
Ethan nodded gently. "Freya’s already eaten and is asleep in her room. Why don’t you take a shower first? I’ll set the table for dinner."
"I’m really not in the mood to eat," Eleanor said tiredly. "I need to sleep. I have a meeting tomorrow morning."
"But I waited for you. I haven’t had dinner yet," Ethan replied. "Just a little food with me? Then you can go to bed."