Second Vows Adored by the Billionaire novel Chapter 36

Brook and Eloise struggled to get Victor into the back seat of the car. "Eloise, you want me to come with you and help you get him home?"

Eloise shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Thanks though, Brook."

"Don't mention it," Brook smiled at her. "This idiot really screwed up tonight. I feel bad that you had to drive all the way out here in the middle of the night when you're pregnant. Hey, Eloise, are you free sometime before the end of the month? I'd like to take you out to dinner."

Every interaction she'd ever had with Brook had revolved around Victor, so this sudden invitation caught her completely off guard. "Huh? Why?"

"No big reason. I just think you've had it rough, you know?" Brook's eyes flickered with something she couldn't quite read, and he seemed like he wanted to say more but stopped himself. "All these years, I've seen how good you've been to Victor..."

"Sure, if I'm free." Eloise brushed him off casually, but in her head, she was thinking that this dinner was never going to happen. By the end of the month, she'd be long gone from their social circle anyway.

Brook told her to drive safely and then left. Eloise bent down to shove Victor's long legs into the car and was about to close the door when he suddenly grabbed her wrist and mumbled something. "Eloise, don't you dare leave..."

Eloise frowned. "Don't I dare what?" Did he somehow know she was planning to leave him?

She leaned in closer to listen, but he just shifted position and passed out again.

Eloise slammed the back door shut and was about to turn around when she caught sight of a Cullinan parked right next to her car.

The window in the back seat slowly rolled down, and an impossibly handsome face came into view. It was a face she didn't know but somehow felt strangely familiar.

Eloise's breath caught in her throat.
Is it him? Of all the people to run into in the middle of the night, it has to be this guy I've only met a handful of times. Did he just leave the bar too?

Their eyes locked. While she stood there stunned, his expression stayed completely calm. His lips twitched into a slight smile. "What a coincidence. We meet again."

"Yeah, what are you still doing out here this late?" Eloise forced a smile.

"Having a drink with some friends. Lost track of time, I guess." He glanced into her car casually. "You picking someone up?"

"Yeah, that's right." Eloise nodded.

"Your husband?" The man's voice was deep and smooth, like a cello.

"Soon-to-be ex-boyfriend, actually."

The moment the words left her mouth, Eloise wondered why the hell she'd said that.

Why was she explaining her personal life to some random stranger whose name she didn't even know?

She added with a self-deprecating laugh, "We never got married, so I guess he doesn't really count as a husband."

A faint smile tugged at the corner of the man's mouth. "Ah. Sounds complicated."

"Yeah, it's pretty late. I should get going." Eloise waved goodbye. "You should get some sleep too. Night, friend."

"Goodnight, friend." The man nodded, and his window slid up silently, hiding that handsome face from view.

The moment Eloise settled into the driver's seat, something stirred in her chest. A strange feeling she couldn't quite name.

There was something oddly familiar about that man, but she couldn't place where she might have seen him before.

Whatever. I'll ask Lucas about it next time.

Anita shot her a suspicious look.

This didn't sound like anything the old Eloise would say. The Eloise who used to treat Victor like he was the most precious thing in the world.

"It's flu season! What if he catches a cold out here?" Anita kept complaining while she struggled to pull at Victor's arm, and then her voice suddenly went soft and sweet. "Mr. Clarkson, wake up. We're home."

Eloise stood with her arms crossed, leaning against the car door and watching coldly as Anita and Laurel each grabbed one of Victor's arms and dragged him toward the house. She didn't lift a finger to help.

The two of them were panting and sweating by the time they hauled Victor up to the second-floor landing.

Anita's face flushed with frustration, and her tone got even sharper. "Eloise, I know you're mad that Mr. Clarkson had too much to drink, but now's not the time to throw a fit. Can you just help us get him back to his room? His hands are freezing, and he's going to catch a cold!"

Laurel glanced between Anita and Eloise, shaking her head quietly to herself. Eloise was too soft, and that was exactly why Anita, an assistant, had gotten so bold. She was acting like she owned the place.

"Yeah, it'd be really bad if he caught a cold..." Eloise said slowly, still leaning against the wall. Her fingertips brushed absently over her stomach. "I'm pregnant, remember? I can't afford to catch anything from him."

"Eloise! You..." Anita couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"You're so worried about him," Eloise said, and suddenly she smiled. The expression was light but ice-cold. "Why don't you just let him sleep in your room tonight?"

Before either of them could respond, she turned around and pushed her bedroom door open.

The door shut hard in their faces, and the sharp click of the lock followed immediately after. The world went quiet.