From His Wife to His Uncle's Wife novel Chapter 299

Max: Dinner after work?

Just as Eleanor was watching the clock, hoping the workday would end soon, a message from Max popped up on her phone. She hesitated. After what happened yesterday, being alone with him felt... complicated. Luckily, her best friend Yolanda sent a text right then, like it was meant to be.

Yolanda: Eleanor, are you free after work? I need your advice about something.

Eleanor replied without a second thought.

Eleanor: Sure. You pick the spot, I’ll meet you there after work.

With that, she felt no guilt about turning Max down. Problem solved.

Meanwhile, in Max’s office, his assistant waited for him to sign some papers. He couldn’t help but notice how Max’s expression soured as he read a message on his phone. Max set the phone aside, spotted a tiny mistake in the document, and handed it back to be fixed. The assistant wiped his brow, feeling the tension. He was pretty sure he’d caught a glimpse of Max’s screen. The contact was saved as “Wife.” Maybe Mrs. Clarkson mattered to the boss more than anyone realized.

—

Yolanda picked a quiet little restaurant, and they settled into the private booth she had reserved.

“Eleanor, how are things going with you and Max?” Yolanda asked, curiosity written all over her face.

Eleanor had been dying to talk about this, so she didn’t hold back. “It’s okay, I guess. He’s polite and really supportive, honestly. I appreciate that. But...” She trailed off, feeling a bit awkward.

Yolanda had actually wanted to ask about their arrangement, but now she found herself second-guessing everything.

Eleanor smiled and switched topics. “So, Yolanda, did you want to talk about Mr. Sidler today?”

Yolanda let out a deep sigh. “My mom gave me this big talk yesterday. She said families like ours would never let us just marry whoever we want. Honestly, I’m starting to think real love isn’t in the cards for me. Linden can be annoying, but he’s got a decent reputation. I’m just not sure if I should go along with a marriage of convenience, just be partners.”

When it came to love, Eleanor felt like she didn’t have much authority to give advice. The man she once thought she loved had only seen her as a stand-in, and he ended up hurting her the most. Her current marriage partner, though, barely stirred her emotions at all. Maybe that’s what happens when you’re not in love — you just don’t care as much.

“Yolanda, I honestly don’t know what to tell you. But from what I’ve seen, Mr. Sidler seems capable, decent, and really responsible. That’s not nothing.”