Chapter 3711

By the time Nolan pulled up at the villa in Regal Heights, darkness had already blanketed the city.

Instead of heading for the master bedroom, he went straight for his study.

He pored over every detail of the textile factory's ownership transfer,checking and double-checking the operational plans he had laid out.

Every page, every clause, seemed to circle back to Eleanor.

Yet here he was-doing all of this for her, unable to even share a simple meal.

A sharp wave of frustration broke his concentration.

He closed the folder with a quick snap, then made his way straight to his bedroom.

When he stepped inside, the wide space seemed emptier than ever.

Almost without thinking, he went to the closet, where none of Eleanor's things remained. As he took another step, a heavy,sweet perfume filled the air.

Nolan recognized that scent instantly.

Lainey and Trudy had already tried using that same trick on him before.

Nolan held his breath and looked around, his eyes finally settling on a young maid who was busy folding clothes in the corner.

She was nothing if not gutsy

She actually thought she could win him over by trying to seduce him.

Nolan left the room in silence, not even glancing her way as he walked out.

The hallway felt colder as he entered, and Elora,who had been lingering nearby, scrambled to stay out of sight.

Their eyes met for a mnoment, and a crease formed on Nolan's forehead.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

Shouldn't she be over at the guest house by now?

Caught off guard by how sharp his voice sounded,Elora fidgeted with her shirt. "I was trying to find Fannie. I thought we could hang out, but she wasn't around. Then I saw your light was still on, so l figured I'd stop by and say hello."

She could see he hadn't walked into their trap.

Where was that maid?

Elora tried to keep her smile steady.

Nolan didn't look at her for long before speaking."Next time, have one of the maids bring your message.You shouldn't come here on your own."

His words landed with a sting, leaving no room for comfort.

All the color drained from Elora's face, and her eyes grew glossy with tears.

Nolan noticed how cold he sounded, his expression softening just a little.

"Right now, I have to focus on fixing things with Eleanor. I can't afford any mistakes, Elora. I'm sorry,but that's just how it has to be."

Elora stood there in surprise. "It's alright, Nolan. I understand. You will get Eleanor back."

Without another word, she turned and hurried away.

When she got back to her room, she closed the door and slid the lock into place

That had been too risky. She had nearly blown her cover.

She was grateful that her excuse had worked so quickly.

Elora reached for her phone, almost dialing Ady,but she hesitated, unsure if she should call.

Nothing had gone as planned.

Nolan saw right through the setup, and she barely managed to keep from getting caught.

If she called now, all she would get was a harsh lecture.

Even worse, if Ady lost her temper and brought that useless guy back into her life, she would be in serious trouble.

She hid her face in her knees, her whole body trembling with fear.

Too tired to move, she stayed curled up by the door until she finally drifted into a restless sleep.

A sharp,anguished cry snapped her awake hours later.

"Please! Just give me another chance! I swear I won't make the same mistake!" The desperate, pleading voice was thick with tears echoing down the hall.

Elora's head shot up in alarm

That terrified voice came from the young maid.

She had just been dismissed.

A wave of panic swept over Elora.

Would the maid betray her to save her own skin?

There was a real fear the maid might throw her under the bus.

She couldn't let that happen, not for a second.

Without bothering to find a jacket, Elora scrambled up,yanked open the door, and rushed out into the night.

Drawn by the sounds of crying, she hurried to the entrance of the villa. Beneath the harsh light of a lamppost, she caught sight of the maid, trapped between two stern-faced guards.

Tears still streamed down the maid's face as she made one last plea.

Staying out of sight behind a tree, Elora tried to steady her breathing.

She only dared to move once the guards had forced the maid through the heavy iron gates, quietly slipping after them to see what would happen next.