Chapter 350

Eleanor turned her head away and walked past Nolan without slowing,her steps carrying her directly toward the hospital room.

The air between them felt stretched and distant, as though they were separated by an endless road.

Nolan remained rooted in place, watching helplessly as she moved farther from him, powerless to close the gap.

Without sparing another thought for the encounter,Eleanor reached the door and pushed it open with steady hands.

Inside,Lillian sat close to the bed, her voice sharp as she vented to Hilda and Jeff. "Can you believe it?Nolan's already engaged to another woman! He's practically betrayed Eleanor. What kind of man does that? Even if the world was empty of men, she'd never need someone like him!"

Both Hilda and Jeff echoed her outrage, their heads bobbing in angry agreement.

Their heated words came to an abrupt stop when they caught sight of Eleanor standing quietly at the doorway.

Silence wrapped around the room, and tension weighed down on every corner.

Lillian rose stiffly to her feet, unease flickering across her face.

She hadn't expected Eleanor to show up so quickly,much less to hear every word she had just spoken.

"Eleanor,I-"she said,her voice faltering.

"I've already heard enough," Eleanor interjected, her calm tone giving no hint of pain or betrayal.

Concern flickered between Hilda and Jeff as their eyes met,both of them quietly worried about Eleanor.

They thought of how she always carried her burdens alone, never once letting herself lean on anyone else.

Hilda clasped Eleanor's hand with care and tried to soothe her. "Don't waste another thought on him,sweetie. You deserve so much better! I'll help youfind a man who actually values you."

Jeff straightened in his seat, his tone firm. "She's right.I'll have Denny keep an eye out for eligible men in Breoqua.Believe me, they'll outshine Nolan a hundred times over." Lillian leaned closer with a spark of mischief in her eyes. "Funny you should say that. I already know someone who fits the bill. Maverick Cohen. He's younger than Eleanor, and he's completely smitten with her."

At once, Hilda and Jeff perked up, their curiosity ignited.

"Maverick Cohen, you say?" Jeff mused aloud. "I know him well enough. He's the Cohen heir. Their family ranks a notch below ours, but he's still a soid match.Not Nolan's level, perhaps, but respectable."

Hilda leaned forward eagerly. "Really? Now you've got to tell us more!"

Lillian cleared her throat with dramatic flair,clearly prepared to share every detail she had about Maverick.

Eleanor cut in before Lillian could continue, "I appreciate all of you worrying about me,but I'm really fine."

Changing the subject entirely, she began talking about the Vladena fashion show and shared how successful it had been.

Her words carried pride when she added, "The menswear line drew incredible praise, and the store is fully booked for weeks. I'm swamped with work, so l don't exactly have the luxury of moping over Nolan."

The ease in her voice finally convinced the others, and their shoulders loosened with relief.

Hilda and Jeff kept Maverick's name in the back of their minds, both of them already warming to the idea.

The fact that he was younger than Eleanor didn't bother them in the least. To their way of thinking,maturity wasn't measured by age.

Once Eleanor had smoothed over their concerns,her phone rang,cutting through the quiet.

Dyer's voice erupted as soon as she answered."Eleanor, you've got to dump Nolan! That bastard doesn't deserve you, and I'll make sure he hears it from me!"

The sheer volume made her wince, and she instinctively held the phone away from her ear.She let out a resigned sigh before answering, "Alright, 1hear you loud and clear."

Before she could say more, another voice took over the line. David had wrestled the phone away. "Eleanor,don't let this drag you down. There are plenty of men out there who would treat you right, and I'll see to it that you meet them."

Eleanor let out a weary breath. "David, I don't have the energy to think about love right now."

Her words sparked chaos on the other end as the two old men erupted in protest.

Dyer's voice cut in first, brimming with frustration."You hear that? She's devastated!"

David's anger flared right after. "That bastard Nolan!I'll hunt him down and knock some sense into him!"

"It isn't about Nolan," Eleanor chimed in firmly. "This is about me. I'm starting to realize maybe romance just isn't meant for me."

Her voice carried no hesitation, only the steady reasoning that always guided her. Just as when Nolan had spoken earlier, she knew he hadn't lied.

Still, even knowing the truth didn't erase the sting. Too many disappointments had stacked up, leaving her drained and restless.

That kind of exhaustion had stripped her of any desire to hope for more.

Unwilling to continue the argument, Eleanor shifted the phone as if ready to end the call.

"Hold on!" David's tone turned urgent. "There's a business banquet in Elepdon in a few days. Come with me." She hesitated only briefly before giving in. "Alright."