Chapter 182

When Eleanor slowly opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Nolan's tense face.

His usually perfect hair was messy, and a faint gray stubble had started to shadow his chin.

He rarely looked anything less than composed, and seeing him like this, vulnerable and exhausted,stirred a mix of emotions in her chest that she couldn't quite name.

The moment he noticed she was awake, Nolan bent to press gentle, repeated kisses to her hand, as though he were holding a treasure he thought he might have lost forever.

Finally, his voice came out hoarse, thick with emotion. "Just rest. Don't worry about anything, and don't ask questions. I'll take care of everything.Anyone who hurt you... they won't get away with it." The accident had shaken him to his core.

Watching her lie there so still, so fragile, had terrified him.

For a moment, he thought he was losing her, and the thought of continuing without her was unbearable.

Eleanor felt the warmth of his palm against hers, and after a long pause, she whispered, "Okay."

She realized, in a way that unsettled her, just how deep his love ran.

They hadn't been together long, yet the intensity of his care and the vulnerability he allowed himself to show were something she had never expected.

Suddenly, she felt the need to rethink everything about their relationship.

Meanwhile, the outside world remained oblivious to Eleanor's survival.

At the Benton family's villa, Lainey lounged on the sofa, swirling a glass of wine with slow, deliberate movements.

The TV repeatedly replayed the footage of the catastrophic car accident.

Her lips curled into a satisfied smirk as she watched the crushed Rolls-Royce.

If Eleanor weren't dead, she would certainly be crippled by now.

Or better yet... gone for good.

Her thoughts flicked to Emma, who had turned out to be far more useful than she had expected.

Just a few words, and the girl had fallen right into her hands, becoming her most obedient little pawn.

A disposable tool like that was always convenient.

Her phone buzzed repeatedly on the table, Emma's name flashing on the screen, but Lainey didn't even glance at it and muted it without a second thought.

Emma was so timid; freaking out over something so trivial. Lainey sipped her wine slowly, savoring the moment.She hadn't been involved in the crash at all.

Emma had planned and executed it completely on her own. If anyone could be blamed, it was only Emma.

Glancing at the clock, she noted it was time to get ready. Wine glass down, she headed upstairs.

After a long, luxurious bath, she slipped into a custom outfit, ready to meet her friends.

But when she opened the door, she was met with a panicked face.

Emma?

Lainey's eyes narrowed. How had she slipped past the security?

Such a nuisance.Lainey rolled her eyes inwardly.

Emma's hands trembled as she clutched Lainey's,her voice frantic. "Lainey, what do we do? The truck driver I arranged... he didn't die. He escaped. If anyone finds him and figures out it was me... I'm done for."

The plan had seemed foolproof. The driver was weak,and in such a violent crash, he was bound to die.

Dead men tell no tales, after all.

But she hadn't counted on the man surviving and cutting off all contact.

Now, he was a ticking time bomb.

Lainey gave her hand a dismissive shake, smoothing her sleeve as if swatting away a fly. "Why are you panicking? If anyone asks, just deny it."

Emma froze for a moment, then her eyes widened with a dawning realization.

"But Eleanor has Nolan backing her! He's not the type to just let it go if I deny it."

Emma had assumed Lainey would support her, that together they could get the Benton and the Todd families to cover their tracks. But now it was obvious that Lainey had never intended to help at all.

Fear hit her full force.

"If you don't help me, I'll tell everyone you made me do it!" Emma said.

Lainey laughed, calm and leisurely, as if Emma had just told the world's silliest joke.

"I never told you to do it," she said, twirling a freshly manicured nail between her fingers. "I've always warned you not to be reckless. You chose this path yourself.I can't stop you."

Emma's mind went blank.

Her brother had warned her, and now she finally understood why.

Lainey wasn't just ruthless-she was venomous.

Staggering back a few steps, Emma glared at Lainey."You manipulated me! And you think you'll get away with it? No way! Nolan cares for Eleanor,and whether there's proof or not, if I tell him you were involved,he won't let you off the hook!"