Chapter 2

Eleanor was completely shocked.

At that moment, a huge hole seemed to tear open in her chest, with cold wind howling through it.

Even though the air conditioning was on in the hospital room, Eleanor felt cold all over.

She looked at Arthur, trembling.

Colder than his words was the look in his eyes.

"Why? Is it because of that woman you picked up from the airport?"

Eleanor used almost all her strength to ask this question.

She knew perfectly well she was just humiliating herself.

In five years of marriage, when had she ever seen Arthur treat a woman so gently?

Come to think of it, the only tender moments between them were in bed.

Arthur looked down at her from above, his dark eyes filled with gloom.

"You know where the divorce papers are. Go home, sign them, and bring them to me."

Eleanor's hands, hidden under the blanket, were already clenched into tight fists.

From the day they got married, the divorce agreement had been in the bedside drawer.

Arthur had already signed his name long ago. Only hers was missing.

Eleanor had stubbornly believed that if she just held on, she would eventually move his heart.

She had offered up her sincere heart with almost pathetic devotion.

Not only did Arthur show no mercy, but he also crushed it without hesitation.

Eleanor took a deep breath and asked unwillingly, "Is there really no chance to work things out?"

Arthur frowned slightly—a sign he was getting impatient.

"She's back, so you need to give up your position."

Eleanor couldn't even force a smile anymore.

She didn't dare to ask who that woman was.

She had known all along that Arthur had always had someone special in his heart.

Now that she was back, Eleanor had to get lost.

"I can accept the divorce, but I absolutely won't quit my job. I earned my position as secretary through my own efforts."

Fighting back the stabbing pain, Eleanor tried to keep her voice calm.

Arthur responded flatly, "Fine."

He raised his wrist and checked the time. "You're taking a sick day today. It'll be deducted from this month's leave."

His tone was purely businesslike.

Eleanor practically had to grit her teeth to squeeze out her response: "Fine."

After getting her answer, Arthur turned and left without hesitation.

From beginning to end, he hadn't shown the slightest concern for Eleanor.

Eleanor squeezed her eyes shut hard, suddenly feeling that these past five years had been utterly ridiculous.

She thought she had been a good wife.

Arthur was picky about food and had stomach problems, so she specifically learned to cook to take care of his health, carefully planning three meals a day.

When Arthur first took over, the company was full of internal conflicts.

His uncles and cousins were desperately trying to pull him down from his CEO position, and she worked like crazy to bring in orders and negotiate deals for the company.

The worst time, a client placed a bottle of wine in front of her.

If she drank it, the contract would be theirs.

Eleanor drank that entire bottle without hesitation.

After successfully closing the deal, she was sent to the hospital to have her stomach pumped and was unconscious for three whole days.

The pain in her chest grew sharper.

Eleanor struggled out of bed and looked at the pale, exhausted woman in the mirror. Her eyes grew dazed.

Was this still her?

Eleanor was beautiful, especially her eyes—light amber pupils that sparkled brightly.

On her small face, she had a high nose bridge and full, pale pink lips.

But right now, her eyes were filled with sorrow and exhaustion.

She was truly tired!

Eleanor stayed at the hospital on an IV drip all day. Arthur still didn't come back that evening.

The next day, she dragged her exhausted body to the office.

As Arthur's personal assistant and secretary, she had a lot to handle—not only arranging every partnership and tracking project progress, but also constantly adjusting and managing Arthur's schedule and looking after his health.

After just one day away, the files on Eleanor's desk were piled as high as a small mountain.

She quickly pulled herself together, selected a few urgent files from the pile, and knocked on the CEO's office door.

"Mr. Boleyn."

She had chosen this job in the first place just to be close to him.

"Come in!"

Arthur's voice was cold.

Eleanor pushed the door open, only to see a scene that made her heart ache even more. She nearly dropped the files in her hands.

Arthur was sitting in his office chair, and at that moment, a woman was sitting on his lap.

She had her back to Eleanor, so Eleanor couldn't see her face.

However, the woman was wearing a short skirt and had long curly hair. Just from her appearance, it was obvious she was attractive.

"Arthur, so you're always this cold and stern at the office? I think you look better when you smile."

That sweet, cloying voice instantly reminded Eleanor of that phone call from two nights ago.

The video taken at the airport wasn't clear, so she wasn't able to see the woman's face.

But now, coming face to face with her, Eleanor suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity.

Arthur looked at her with helpless but gentle eyes. "I'm working."

"But you look really scary when you're being all fierce."

The woman acted coy while reaching for Arthur's tie.

"Your tie today doesn't look good at all. I forgot to tell you—I've learned how to tie ties now, so from now on, you can leave that job to me."

Eleanor had tied Arthur's tie for five years.

This was supposed to be a small, happy thing between husband and wife.

But the woman saying this—wasn't it the same as declaring ownership?

It was more like a subtle but blatant announcement to Eleanor that she had been kicked out.

Eleanor silently gripped the files in her hands tighter, her eyes fixed on Arthur.

A faint smile lingered at the corners of his mouth as he looked at the woman indulgently, letting her fool around.

The tenderness and love in his eyes were something Eleanor had never received.

"You can never get out of bed in the morning. Who am I supposed to get to tie my tie then?"

The woman pouted and huffed playfully. "Then I'll tie it for you every night before bed, and you can just go straight to work when you wake up the next day."

The smile in Arthur's eyes deepened as he nodded cooperatively. "Okay."

The two flirted as if no one else was there, like invisible needles piercing Eleanor's eyes.

Whether dealing with people or matters, Arthur had always been strictly businesslike.

She never imagined he had this side to him.

Eleanor forced down the bitter taste in her throat. "Mr. Boleyn, these are the files that need to be handled."

She gathered her courage and took a step forward. When the woman turned her head, the files in Eleanor's hands instantly fell to the floor.

She stared in disbelief at that face—a face that looked so much like her own.

It was none other than her illegitimate half-sister.

Sally York.