Tangled Temptations novel Chapter 187

Eloise was shaking with anger. She said furiously and helplessly, "Harvey, are you only happy when I have no friends or family around?"

Harvey scoffed. "Landon is your friend, huh? His feelings for you are so obvious, everyone knows!"

...

Eloise knew Harvey wasn't just joking around. If he wanted something, he would go all out. If he said he was going to go after Landon, he meant it. Eloise didn't dare to take the risk.

Landon was her friend, who helped her many times. She would rather drift apart from this friend than drag him down.

But she was filled with resentment! She hadn't done anything wrong. She just liked someone. If liking someone was a crime, then she would rather never have loved Harvey!

Eloise gave a bitter laugh. She said softly, "You don't love me. You're just mad that someone else might take what you like. Harvey... Love is not about possession. It's about letting go!"

Harvey said coldly, "Like Landon? If you don't want to have it, how can you call it liking?"

At least in Harvey's eyes, that was not the case. What he wanted, he had to have!

When Eloise didn't respond, Harvey took a step forward, reaching out to touch her face, but Eloise dodged.

"Now you won't even let me touch you?"

...

Harvey let go of her, adjusting his shirt in the mirror, meeting her gaze through the reflection.

The elevator door opened. Landon was standing outside, looking at Eloise with warm eyes. "Let me take you home."

Eloise stiffened a bit. She remembered Harvey's warning. Landon gently put his arm around her shoulder, whispering, "You're about to cry. Let's go home."

Eloise was a bit dazed. She gave Landon a look and ended up getting in the car with him.

...

Late at night, in the hotel lobby.

Harvey was standing under the dim light, watching Eloise get into Landon's car. He smiled.

Eloise, you wouldn’t let me get close to you. Then... I'll just have to wait for you to come back to me!

...

Eloise had something to tell Landon, and he sensed it. He lit a cigarette at the red light, took a drag, and asked, "What do you want to say?"

Eloise looked at him and whispered, "Landon, we shouldn't keep in touch."

"Because of Harvey?"

Eloise didn't deny it. She and Landon hadn't gotten to that point yet, and she didn't want him to get hurt because of her. He deserved a good life and giving it up for her wasn't worth it.

Landon was slowly smoking his cigarette. The light turned green, and he gently stepped on the gas, taking Eloise all the way back to her apartment. He leaned back in the seat, saying softly, "Eloise, I've liked you for a long time. I gave up once because I saw that Harvey liked you, and I gave up because I couldn't beat him. The Bowen family couldn’t compete with the Horigan family. But this time... I don’t want to give up again.”

Landon looked at her and said, “Even if I might end up a total failure!”

Eloise didn’t know what to say. She hadn’t promised anything to Landon, but he was willing to take risks for her. If she were still a little girl, she would definitely stand by his side and fight, but she was past the age of impulsivity.

“Landon!” Eloise closed her eyes. She wanted to apologize to him, but she had also liked someone before. There was nothing wrong with liking someone.

Seeing her so torn, Landon laughed. He said, "Eloise, this is a man's business! I chose to do this, so you don't need to feel any burden!"

But how could Eloise not feel burdened? She went back to her apartment and sat quietly on the couch. Milo curled up next to her. Her phone was right next to her. She hesitated for half the night, but in the end, she didn't call Harvey.

...

In the following half a month, she didn't see Landon. But in the financial news, she often saw Landon's Sleak Tech making headlines, mostly negative economic news, even involving issues of broken capital chains.

Eloise called Veronica, inviting her out for coffee.