Tangled Temptations novel Chapter 280

Harvey suddenly had a realization. What Eloise was trying to preserve, above all else, was her two children, not him.

This discovery made him feel a little uncomfortable. He looked down at her tender face as if seeing another version of himself reflected in her features— A version of himself with all his memories intact.

…

He didn't compromise with Eloise, but the next day, he found himself driving back to the Horigan Mansion.

The evening was setting in, casting a gloomy hue on the world.

Instead of heading inside immediately, Harvey leaned against his car, lighting up a cigarette and taking slow drags. The smoke rose, blurring his face.

The Horigan Mansion was full of children, and the sound of their laughter and chatter echoed through the halls. It was lively, but to Harvey, it felt foreign.

After finishing his cigarette, he walked into the living room. There was a new child in the room, a little boy who was undeniably handsome. The boy was sitting on the sofa, looking a tad detached, with toys scattered around him.

Just as Harvey was about to ask about him, Eloise came over with a tray of freshly baked cookies. She knelt down in front of the boy and said gently, "Luca, these are just out of the oven. Give them a try!"

The boy, with a slightly awkward expression, grabbed a few.

"Do you like them?" Eloise asked, patting his head.

"They're good!"

Linda approached, snuggling up to Luca. "Luca, Mom added lots of milk to these cookies! Will you come over again tomorrow?"

The boy's face turned a little red as he nodded.

Harvey frowned. No matter how he looked at it, Luca seemed like a little groom being raised by the Horigan family!

Linda's little groom!

He felt he had to talk to Eloise about this. Once the children were finally asleep, Harvey knocked on Eloise's door. "May I come in? I need to talk to you about Linda."

Eloise was always willing to discuss their children. She glanced down at Linda sleeping in her arms and whispered, "I'll come to your room in a bit."

A moment later, she pushed open the door to his bedroom. The room was dimly lit, creating a somewhat enchanting atmosphere.

Harvey had already taken a shower, now wearing a simple white bathrobe. His well-formed body made even this casual attire look good. As Eloise sized him up, he did the same to her. He smirked, "You’re dressed so conservatively. Are you afraid I'll make a move?"

Ignoring his comment, Eloise sat down on the sofa opposite him and asked softly, "What about Linda did you want to discuss?"

Harvey cut straight to the chase. "Who is Luca to the Horigan family? Who is he to Linda? If I'm not mistaken, is he AB-negative?"

Eloise gave a faint smile. "You've figured it out!"

…

The air grew thick.

Harvey watched Eloise. She was dressed in a soft pink sweater dress, appearing soft and gentle, but the actions she had taken were anything but.

Harvey didn't want to wake his parents, so he kept his voice low, but stern. "He's a living, breathing person! Not an object for you to trade! Eloise… how much did you pay to settle with his parents?"

Eloise gave a small smile. He was accusing Eloise, accusing her of being immoral. Eloise wouldn't take the fall for this.

Even though it was late at night, she made a call to her assistant, saying gently, "Ms. Natalia, could you go to the office and get file number 1 from my safe. Yes, bring it to the manor."

Having given her instructions, Eloise hung up. Harvey furrowed his brows.

An hour later, Natalia arrived with the file and left once she had handed it over. Eloise took the file and handed it to Harvey. "You'll find your answers in here."

Upon opening the file, Harvey was taken aback. He was a legal professional, but he had never imagined he would do something so outrageous.

It was him!

He was the one who had injected 200 million into Luca's father's company!

He was the one who had played golf with Luca's father!

He was the one who had decided that Luca should accompany Linda as she grew up!

From start to finish, it was him… or another version of himself!

He lifted his gaze to look at Eloise.

She stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, silent. After a long moment, she murmured, "Harvey, as much as I don't want to admit it, you and him… you're two different people."

During those three years, Harvey had taken care of Linda all by himself. His love for Linda ran deep, and he was willing to sacrifice everything.

But the man in front of her now was logical and calm. He wasn't the same Harvey from before.

Eloise wasn't giving up; she was just... saddened.

She stood in the darkness, her silhouette emanating loneliness.