Tangled Temptations

Chapter 351

Eloise stumbled into the villa well past midnight. The dimly lit foyer framed Harvey, who sat nursing a glass of cabernet.

Exhausted, she shrugged off her coat and sank into the seat beside him."Pour me a glass, Harvey," she murmured, her voice feather-light.

His dark eyes held a storm, but eventually, he obliged, watching as she drank it down.

The warmth of the wine spread through Eloise, and she leaned back on the couch, her eyes fluttering shut. "Now I think I get it. I get why you kept throwing yourself into the fire for Joan. Why you felt like you had to save Monika," she breathed, the sadness of it all heavy in her heart.

As Eloise opened her eyes, they glowed with a halo-like beauty. "Max is gone. No more jealousy will be necessary," she said, a trace of humor in her exhaustion. She then made her way upstairs.

Harvey stayed put, watching her poised silhouette disappear into the soft light of the second floor.

The amulet was tucked away. Maybe, when she opened the safe from time to time, a memory of someone named Max would cross her mind.

When she shut the door of the safe, Harvey was standing behind her. "I'm tired tonight," she whispered, not flinching from his presence.

He didn't anything, pressing her against the safe, kissing her. Toward the end of their kiss, he let his face rest against the back of her neck, whispering, "Are you very sad?"

"A little."

Eloise tilted her head slightly, her fingers tracing his handsome features. She spoke softly, "After his betrayal years ago, we met. Harvey, you lost your memory for me. In the past, I always felt that you were mine, that you should recover your memory and return to my side. But now, I think you should be happy! If you like someone else, I really won't mind, as long as she is a good girl! ... I will let go.

"

Harvey gently bit her finger. He did not contradict her, simply carrying her to the bed. It was still a silent lovemaking. Not a single word was spoken as he vented his inner dissatisfaction.

As she succumbed to confusion and infatuation, Eloise wrapped her arms around his neck. With her voice hoarse and low, she called his name.

"Harvey... Harvey..."

In the aftermath, as he lay beside her, he whispered, "Do you still love me, Eloise?"

As the sweat cooled on their skin, Eloise lay flat, her breath soft. She turned towards the night outside, where the autumn rain scattered the moonlight. She thought of Max, who was gone too soon, but the man beside her was alive and warm. She smiled faintly and said, "I do."

Her words were the truth-her love was as intense as liquor and as gentle as a flowing stream.

Under the dim light, Harvey watched her for a long while before murmuring, "Don't lie to me, Eloise..."

Eloise stopped his advances, her slender fingers tracing his handsome features. "Shouldn't you explain that business card?" she asked, her voice sultry.

Harvey recalled the night in question, pulling her close for another kiss. "That night, even the chauffeur had sharper eyes than me. Eloise, you're the only woman for me, there will be no other girls."

Eloise didn't ask again. Perhaps it was just an uninteresting story.

was a grand

its leader and soon drowned in the

Velona Corporation's financial records. Olga couldn't comprehend any of it, stressing

summoned Olga to her study on the second floor. Olga had not expected Eloise to be willing to assist

beautiful as a painting, was even more attractive than it was

a wave of sadness wash over her. Her brother hadn't left an heir for the Velona family. Thus, she softly confessed, "Eloise, I

sake of the 2000 employees," she said

not speak

arms with a new certificate of achievement, something none

our sweet Linda get?" Linda

with Darrien. Seeing Olga,

the ledger. She closed it, handed it to Olga, and said,

thanked her profusely. As she was

there seemed to be

Darrien in her arms, and they played for a while.

study, a sense of warmth enveloped them, and Harvey

smiled softly

Eloise was busy filming. The children were well cared for, and the past arguments seemed

away on a trip to Hong Kong. Wrapped in

few rings, he picked up.

dreamt that Max was in a car crash. Harvey's voice dropped a notch. "Do you want me

said it

stretched between them over the line until she broke it with

rough with fatigue.

In the end, Eloise hung up

few years younger, she probably would have wanted

pulled out a photo of

had seen much improvement lately. Perhaps it was

that Max still held a place in Eloise's heart. He couldn't begrudge her that, not when the man was no longer of

with this subdued form of love, but what he didn't know

cons. After such considerations, the choice usually

hadn't entertained any inappropriate thoughts about

women.

and was about to return to work when there

soft knock at the hotel room door. Assuming it was room service, he went

there, surprisingly, was

on a business trip in Hong Kong and had

nightgown, looking undeniably seductive. "Mr. Horigan, my

even in the dead of night. In a