No More Mrs. Nice Wife (Eleanor) novel Chapter 1382

The next morning, the alarm on the nightstand blared, jolting Eleanor awake. The blinding glare of the sun forced her to squint, and she raised a hand to shield her eyes.

The feeling of summer drifted in from outside the window. Eleanor glanced at the time. Though she was sleep-deprived, she had to get up and finish the last of her program.

Eleanor rose and walked to the mirror. The woman reflected back had swollen eyes with dark circles, but her gaze was clear, no longer clouded by confusion.

Eleanor smoothed her hair and changed into a smart suit.

The past couldn't be changed, but the future was long. At least now, she had the courage to face it all.

Eleanor picked up her laptop bag. After sorting out her feelings overnight, she decided to face everything head-on.

There was always a solution to every problem.

Just as Eleanor opened her door, she saw Ian leaning against the opposite wall in the hallway. With one hand in his pocket, he asked, "Want to get some breakfast together?"

Eleanor was planning to grab a bite downstairs before leaving anyway. She nodded. "Okay, let's go."

They walked side-by-side to the elevator. The hotel was quiet in the early morning. It was just the two of them in the elevator, and the faint scent of Ian's cologne hung in the air.

"Did you sleep well?" Ian broke the silence.

"I did," Eleanor nodded, adding, "I've figured some things out."

Ian glanced at her, his gaze deep. He didn't press for details, just gave a soft hum of acknowledgment.

They arrived at the restaurant, a circular space with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, filled with the warm, golden light of the morning.

After getting their food from the buffet, they sat down at a table by the window.

Eleanor took a sip of her coffee and looked at him. "Last night, thank you for telling me about my dad."

Eleanor was taken aback. "Why would you think that?"

Ian’s eyes locked onto hers, and his throat tightened. "Eleanor, do you know? I could give you the most comfortable life, solve all your problems, even share a bed with you. But I always felt I couldn't give you that… that connection and resonance on a soul-deep level. But Joel could. When you talked with him about medicine, I could feel the excitement between the lines."

Eleanor's eyes widened slightly.

Ian continued, "In the field you love most, only Joel could walk alongside you, understand the brilliance behind your every thought. He understood you with just a look or an expression, while I… I could only stand on the sidelines and watch." He added with a bitter smile, "It's still the same even now."

"So, when you saw those chat logs back then, you just assumed…" Eleanor bit her lip.

"I didn't think you were cheating," Ian interrupted her hastily, struggling to describe what he had felt. "I was just…"

He paused, then let out a rare, self-deprecating laugh. "I was just jealous of a man who could reach the depths of your soul. I was jealous of the unspoken understanding you and Joel shared. That feeling made me believe I could never truly have you. A part of your soul was opening up enthusiastically to another man, and I was- I was powerless."