No More Mrs. Nice Wife (Eleanor) novel Chapter 749

Henry thought for a second that he was seeing things—maybe it was the alcohol. He shot to his feet, wide-eyed. “Van—Vanessa? What are you doing here?”

Vanessa barely glanced at him before turning to Ian. “Ian, could I have a word alone with Henry?”

Ian gave Vanessa a measured look, then shrugged into his jacket, slung over the back of his chair. “Ease up on the drinks, Henry,” he said quietly.

With that, Ian walked out, leaving the two of them in the dimly lit bar.

Vanessa slid into Ian’s now-empty seat. She fixed her gaze on Henry for a few seconds, her tone almost icy as she spoke. “Henry, since when do you think it’s your place to fight my battles for me?”

Henry froze. He stared at Vanessa—she rarely got angry with him. But right now, she was like a red rose bristling with thorns, her eyes flashing with barely contained fury.

He felt himself deflate, voice dropping to a mumble. “I just… I couldn’t stand seeing you—”

Vanessa let out a sigh and muttered, “You idiot.”

Henry swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he softened his tone. “I just… I can’t bear to see you hurt.”

Vanessa picked up Ian’s half-finished cup of tea, bringing it to her lips. “Hurt? I knew this day would come the moment I decided to love him.”

Henry’s heart twisted painfully. It was exactly this stubborn devotion of Vanessa’s that made him ache for her.

“Don’t cry,” he murmured. “I won’t meddle in things between you and Ian anymore. Don’t be angry with me, okay?”

Vanessa looked at him and nodded softly.

Henry immediately called over the bartender and ordered her a glass of juice. Watching her sit there, face buried in her hands and lost in gloom, guilt gnawed at him.

Maybe he really had gone too far tonight.

“Vanessa,” Henry finally asked, “earlier I asked Ian why he said he only thinks of you as a friend. Does he really not even want you to be his girlfriend?”