Tangled Temptations

Eloise was taken aback. Then she smiled faintly. "Having a child changes everything. We can't be as reckless as we once were."

Her face was gentle as she spoke, a serene glow about her.

Harvey had always loved this side of her, and in the late night, with just the two of them and their child sleeping in the next room, he couldn't help but feel a pull.

His gaze was pure and unadulterated, the way a man looked at a woman he desired. Eloise noticed. Without missing a beat, she steered the conversation back. "You should talk to Linda over the next few days. It's getting late..." Her implication was clear. He should return in the morning to pick up their child.noveldrama

Harvey glanced at his watch. He wished she would ask him to stay, but she made no such invitation. He wanted to, so he muttered, "I'm pretty tired and I have an important meeting tomorrow morning. I can sleep in the guest room. I won't disturb you."

Eloise agreed. She led him to the guest room but did not enter.

Harvey tossed his jacket onto the end of the bed, noticing she hadn't followed him

in. He smirked, "What, are you afraid of me?"

Eloise sidestepped the question. "I'll get you some toiletries."

Harvey remained silent, his gaze fixed on her.

Once Eloise left the room, he sat on the edge of the bed, loosening his tie. His mind was in turmoil, his hand reaching into his jacket pocket for a smoke. Instead, he found a small, hard box. The gift he'd bought her from a trip to New York.

Eloise hadn't accepted it.

Holding the small box, Harvey's expression was unreadable.

When Eloise returned, Harvey was sitting on the edge of the bed, smoking, one hand supporting him on the bed, the other holding his cigarette. His sharp profile was highlighted in the soft light. He looked up as Eloise entered, his dark eyes narrowing slightly. "Do you have a razor?"

Eloise replied softly, "I don't have one."

He exhaled a cloud of smoke and extended his hand, "Give me the things."

Eloise, without suspicion, handed him the toiletries. But Harvey didn't take them. Instead, he gently grabbed her wrist, pulling her onto the bed. Then, a warm body was pressing down on hers.

"Harvey!" Eloise was annoyed, but she kept her voice low, careful not to wake Linda next door.

Harvey held her restless hands, pinning them to the edge of the bed. His other hand snuffed out the cigarette, leaving him free to handle something else.

Eloise lay helpless on the bed, her chestnut hair fanned out around her, her face pale. Harvey released her hands, but pinned her down even more firmly with his body. Their bodies were so close, Eloise didn't dare to move.

In his hand, he held a pair of pearl earrings, clumsily trying to put them on her. These were the ones he bought for her.

Harvey was clumsy, accidentally poking her ear, causing her to wince, "Ouch! Harvey, do you even know how to do this?"

His gaze darkened at her words. If he weren't so concerned about her feelings, he would have given in to his desire and taken her then and there.

Carefully, he put the earrings on her. Once he was done, he spoke in a low, gravelly voice. "Remember that time in the hotel? After we finished, you left first, but you left one of your earrings behind. They were the same style as these. Eloise, you look especially beautiful with these on."

Eloise was speechless. Even recalling the past, he was able to spin it into something sensual.

Harvey wanted her. Though impatient, he didn't want to miss the opportunity tonight. He was too busy usually, and he didn't dare to push too far. Now, with her under him, he had to be careful. He lowered his body, his face buried in her neck, murmuring, "Eloise, after all this time, have I not won even a sliver of your affection?"

Eloise tried to push him off, to no avail. She bit her lip, turning her face away, her voice soft. "Harvey, I won't play games with you. Yes, you're the best choice. We have a past, and now we have Linda. But... I just want to take care of Linda now. I really don't want to think about anything else."

As she spoke, her eyes glistened, and the faint blue mark on her brow seemed more prominent. Harvey couldn't resist, his fingers tracing over it gently, causing Eloise to whimper in a weak voice, "Harvey..."

He chuckled softly. "Your voice is really nice."

It took Eloise a moment to understand what he meant. She couldn't help but kick him. "Let me go!"

To her surprise, Harvey did.

He rolled onto his side, his jaw tight, his Adam's apple bobbing. His voice was husky. "Go to sleep."

Eloise fled the room. Just as her fingers brushed the doorknob, Harvey spoke again, his voice low, "All these years, I've missed you."

In the morning, Linda woke to find a limited-edition teddy bear by her bed. She should have been happy, but today, she just couldn't muster the energy to be. She clutched the bear, running to the guest room to find Harvey, who was still asleep.

A cute little figure was hiding under the covers. He opened his eyes, reaching out to stroke her curly chestnut hair.

Linda pressed her face against his chest, silent. Harvey pinched her cheek. "Did you miss daddy?"

Linda remained silent.

Harvey didn't push her. He cradled her head in his arms. Linda was different from other children. She had a tendency towards introversion, so he never forced her to speak when she didn't want to. As a father, it pained him. He was willing to do anything to make Linda happy. But sometimes, happiness wasn't something money could buy.

Eloise had made poached eggs and vegetarian balls to cheer the little girl up. She found Linda curled up under the covers, only a tuft of her chestnut curls visible.

Harvey gave Eloise a reassuring look.

He held Linda from dawn at 7 till almost 9. During this time, Denise called. Eloise answered for him, asking Denise to move the meeting to the afternoon.

After the call, Eloise watched Harvey. His gaze was equally intense.

Fortunately, by 9, Linda was finally willing to emerge from the covers, clutching

her bear and insisting on going to school.

Eloise and Harvey took her together. After dropping their little girl off at kindergarten, Eloise couldn't help but shower her with kisses.

Once they were back in the car, both of them felt a weight on their hearts. Harvey

lit a cigarette, murmuring, "This is just the beginning."

Eloise leaned back in her chair, her body devoid of energy. This was her first time seeing Linda like this, she was always cheerful and lively, and not at all like a sick child. Silent tears streamed down her face.

Harvey extinguished his cigarette and handed her a tissue. "Don't cry," he said.

Eloise wiped her tears away, only for more to fall. She was filled with guilt. How many times had Linda been isolated in her own world, with only Harvey for company, while she, Eloise, was oblivious, recovering in Switzerland?

Eloise closed her eyes gently. Harvey didn't disturb her, understanding she needed time to process. After a long, long while, once she had calmed down, he gently held her hand. "Eloise," he said, "it's not your fault."

Later in the afternoon, Eloise received a call from Harvey. His voice was steady. "Eloise, come over to the mansion," he said.

Eloise was pouring coffee when she heard his words. Her hand trembled, spilling hot coffee on the back of her hand, leaving a red mark. She didn't even notice, immediately hailing a cab to Harvey's mansion.

The atmosphere in the mansion was tense.

The household staff walked on eggshells, for Linda had returned from kindergarten and refused to speak, hiding in her closet for half the day. Harvey had hurried back from his office to keep her company.

When Eloise arrived, a servant whispered, "They are upstairs."

Eloise hurried upstairs.

When she opened the door to the nursery, she saw Linda hiding in a pink closet, clutching her teddy bear in silence.

Harvey, dressed in a suit, was also sitting in the small closet, slightly hunched over. He held a children's book, reading softly to Linda. When Eloise entered, he glanced at her before continuing to read the fairy tale he had read a thousand times before.

The sight struck Eloise hard! It was then that she realized how much Harvey had given up over the years.

Regardless of their past emotional entanglements and grievances, she was Linda's mother, and she couldn't stand by and do nothing while Linda was like this. That would be too selfish.

Eloise slowly walked over, taking off her shoes. "The closet is too small," she said quietly, "I'll keep her company."

Harvey stared at her with dark eyes. After a moment, he handed her the children's book and climbed out of the closet.

Eloise sat next to Linda. She couldn't help but kiss the little one, then she began to read her the fairy tale. But as soon as she began, her voice was trembling! Harvey walked out, standing in the hallway and lighting up a cigarette. He took a few hard drags. He could have chosen not to call Eloise today, but perhaps having felt tenderness, he didn't want to be alone anymore.

When Eloise showed up, he realized how much he needed her. Not just for love, but more so because she had been the focus of his emotional world all these

years.

Linda was a rib taken from Eloise. The more he loved Linda, the more he loved

Eloise...