Chapter 340

Nolan glanced at the calendar on his phone.

It didn't take long before he spotted the perfect date -the 20th of this month.

Without hesitation, he dialed Eleanor's number to discuss it with her. But to his frustration, every call went unanswered.

A faint unease settled in his chest.

Elora quickly seized the moment, repeating the words Ady had drilled into her.

"Nolan,Eleanor must still be upset over everything that's happened. Women often say no when they secretly mean yes. Why don't you prepare everything ahead of time and then surprise her? If you bring her straight to the venue, she'll be caught off guard in the best way. You can give her a sweet surprise and seal the engagement at once," Elora suggested.

Nolan paused, then slowly nodded. The idea sounded promising.

Eleanor always claimed to despise formalities, yet he remembered her reaction to his first proposal.

She had nestled into his arms, her eyes brimming with joy she couldn't hide.

So maybe-just maybe-this approach could break the ice and soften her heart again.

The truth was, everything for the engagement had already been prepared.

If Trudy hadn't meddled, he and Eleanor would have been officially engaged by now.

Deep down, he was certain Eleanor still wanted to marry him.

Resolved, Nolan called Erick. "Get ready. The engagement banquet will be on the 20th. Make the arrangements-but don't let Eleanor find out."

On the other end, Erick hesitated, clearly stunned. "Sir ... Are you sure this is wise?"

With the chaos online and Eleanor's silence, he worried she might not even show up. If that happened,the embarrassment would be unbearable.

But Nolan's voice hardened. "Stop wasting time. Just do it."

Erick felt torn. This sounded like something straight out of a forced -romance novel.

And novels weren't real life.

If Eleanor discovered the truth, wouldn't she explode in fury?

Still, he had no choice but to answer quickly,"Understood."

After hanging up, Nolan rose and grabbed his keys,ready to head out.

He wanted to handle the finer details himself, making sure everything would be perfect.

Before leaving, he turned and patted Elora's shoulder."That was a good suggestion. Once the engagement goes through, I'll make sure you're well rewarded."

Without waiting for her reply, he walked out with a spring in his step.

The door shut behind him, and Elora immediately pulled out her phone. She opened an encrypted chat,typing swiftly, "The 20th of this month."

Message sent, she let out a long breath and sank onto the sofa,relief washing over her.

At least she had completed Ady's task But almost instantly, another instruction popped up on her screen.

Her hands went cold.

Should she really go that far?

Wouldn't it be too cruel to Nolan?

Guilt pricked at her, but she had no room to refuse.

Clutching her phone, she typed back with trembling fingers, "Got it."