Tangled Temptations

At 6 p.m., Harvey returned home with his wife and daughter. Linda, exhausted from playing, was carried by Harvey, with Eloise gracefully following behind. The employees of Everest Technologies in the lobby were curious. Their CEO looked unusually tender today.

Reaching the parking lot, Harvey placed Linda in her car seat. Standing by the car roof, he assisted Eloise into the car. As she got in, he brushed against her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Eloise asked, puzzled.

Harvey gazed at her, his voice unexpectedly gentle. "I have to work late tomorrow. Come and keep me company with Linda."

Eloise discerned his intentions. "I'll bring Linda to visit my mom in the morning. We'll come in the afternoon."

Harvey remained silent. She thought he was upset, but to her surprise, he wrapped an arm around her waist and, right at the entrance of Everest Technologies, leaned down to kiss her.

Eloise licked her lips. "Don't kiss me so casually!"

Harvey's gaze deepened. After a while, he chuckled, "Get in the car. I need a smoke."

He never smoked in front of Linda, but now he felt the urge. Eloise didn't object and got into the car first. Harvey lit a cigarette, but after only a few drags, he extinguished it and got into the car. The black Maybach slowly drove away.

In the parking lot, a white BMW housed a stunning woman, Joan. She watched Harvey's car with dark eyes. Eloise was back! And their child seemed so alive and well. The sight of their happy family made Joan's beautiful face contort with envy. Her grip on the steering wheel tightened until her knuckles turned white.

She was filled with resentment. For three years, she had longed to see Harvey, but he had always been preoccupied with Eloise. "What does she have that I don't?" Joan muttered coldly.

Beside her sat a younger man, her kept lover. He leaned in, trying to comfort her. "Who could compare to you?"noveldrama

Joan irritably pushed him away. But he had his uses. After some persuasion, they ended up in a five-star hotel, spending hours in orgasms and sensual moans.

Afterwards, Joan threw a stack of money on the bed and dressed. She drove back to the mansion Griffin had in Peterborough.

Diana was still awake. She was preparing a late-night snack for Joan when she noticed the love bites on her neck and scolded her for her reckless behavior.

Joan, having spent nearly all of the $20 million she received from her divorce in just three years, retorted, "If I run out of money, can't I just get more from Dad? He might not be performing now, but he made a fortune in his prime."

Griffin appeared at the top of the stairs, trembling with anger. His biggest regret in life was adopting Joan, who had become increasingly unruly over the years. He had a fortune, but it wouldn't last long with Joan's spending habits.

Griffin's voice was cold, "That money isn't just yours. You have a sister."

"Sister?" Joan scoffed. "Dad, are you delusional? Does Eloise even acknowledge you as her father? With the Noland and Horigan families backing her, why would she care about your meager assets?"

Joan's words struck a nerve. Griffin had tried to visit Eloise in Switzerland, but he could only watch her from a distance, fearing her disdain. Griffin's heartache caused him to cough up blood, eventually collapsing on the spot. Diana screamed in horror, rushing to his side. Before Griffin fainted, he whispered, "Louise!" Diana's face paled.

That night, Griffin's diagnosis was revealed, late-stage leukemia. The Lynch family and some relatives gathered, all eyeing Griffin's remaining billions.

The doctor spoke, "Mr. Lynch needs a bone marrow transplant immediately. All family members should prepare for typing. If a match can't be found within the family, he'll have to wait for a donor, which might be too late."

Jane, desperate to save her son, ordered everyone to get tested. Joan, not being blood-related, suggested, "If we can't find a match, what about Eloise? She's his biological daughter. I believe she has the highest chance of being a match."

Jane, desperate to save her son, considered reaching out to Eloise. But Griffin refused. "Mom, stop. I won't ask her for a transplant." He felt too much shame.

Jane argued, "Griffin, are you out of your mind? You're her biological father. She owes you for raising her."

Griffin's gaze was distant. Did he truly raise her? He had wronged Louise and their daughter, Eloise. He didn't expect Eloise to donate her marrow, but he wished to see her and his grandchild.

That evening, Harvey brought Eloise back to the villa. As they parked, he softly said, "We should move some things over, so we don't have to keep going back and forth."

Eloise nodded, planning to bring some clothes over. Harvey, playing with the steering wheel, casually asked, "When should we get our marriage certificate?"

Eloise looked at Linda, whispering, "Is our relationship even about that?" Harvey chuckled, "If you don't want to get it with me, then with whom?"

Eloise didn't fall for his bait. She opened the car door to carry Linda inside. Harvey softly said, "I'll do it."

Eloise didn't object. Linda was heavy, and it was a strain for Eloise to carry her. As Harvey held her, Linda woke up, her eyes groggy. She lay limp in his arms.

Eloise gently held Linda's hand. Her heart softened until she saw the piano in the living room. Her mood shifted, and she looked at Harvey.

Harvey, feigning innocence, said, "Didn't Linda want to learn the piano? It's a waste to keep it in the apartment. You can teach her here in the evenings."

After Linda went to her room, Harvey added, "Did you remember what we did on this piano? Don't worry. Linda doesn't know about it."

Eloise knew he was teasing her. She immediately ordered a new piano for their home, leaving the old one where it was. Only then did she feel at ease.

But now, Linda climbed onto the piano stool and began to play. Eloise was taken aback.

Harvey whispered in her ear, "I took her to the apartment a few days ago. She's played it before. Are youembarrassed?"

Eloise knew he did it on purpose. She didn't engage further, sitting beside Linda to teach her. Linda was a quick learner.

After putting Linda to bed, Eloise remembered Orlena's incident. She quietly walked out to the living room and called, "Uncle, I need a favor."