Chapter 212 Regretted

Chapter 212 Regretted

"I still have to drive back later."

Maya's lips curved into a smile. "Then stay the night. We have plenty of rooms."

Terrence didn't respond. He looked up at Eleanor beside him.

Eleanor felt his gaze on her, warmth creeping into her cheeks. "My mom already invited you, so you should stay."

"Okay, I'll listen to Eleanor." Terrence's lips curved in response.

"That's settled then." Maya beamed. "Come on, let's have a few drinks together."

"Sure." Eleanor took the wine bottle from Maya's hand, opened it with the corkscrew, and poured three glasses. "Come on, everyone, cheers."

Terrence showed a soft smile and raised his glass to his lips.

"Wait, I want to say something." Maya suddenly spoke up.

Eleanor and Terrence both paused.

Maya's eyes were full of emotion. She looked at them, finally settling her gaze on Terrence's face, her tone serious. "Terrence, I've seen how good you've been to Eleanor. I'm trusting you to take care of her from now on."

Terrence listened, his expression becoming serious. He nodded.

"I won't let you down."

"I know you won't." Maya's tone was full of reassurance. "I have a good feeling about you. You two need to support each other from now on. As long as you're doing well, I can rest easy."

Her husband had passed away many years ago.

In this world, Eleanor was her only daughter and her greatest concern. She didn't need Eleanor to be rich and successful, she just hoped Eleanor would live a safe, stable life without being crushed by hardships.

Under the table, Terrence reached out and gripped Eleanor's hand tightly, his eyes full of sincerity and gratitude.

"Ms. Coleman, thank you for trusting me."

"I'll make Eleanor happy."

Eleanor felt the warmth of his palm, a tightness in her chest. She looked at Maya with glistening eyes, her lips unconsciously curving upward. "Mom, I will be happy."

"Good." Maya wiped the moisture from her eyes and smiled again. "Come on, let's finish this drink. May every day ahead be smooth sailing."

The three of them raised their glasses together.

They all wore smiles on their faces.

In good spirits, Maya had several more glasses, her face gradually flushing with the rosy glow of alcohol.

Eleanor didn't stop her.

Over these years, after her father passed away, her mother had been alone in this old house, facing the empty rooms, keeping so much grief and loneliness bottled up inside with nowhere to express it.

She felt Maya deserved to relax and let go for once.

Terrence beside her raised his eyebrows slightly, his lips moving close to Eleanor's ear, lowering his voice. "Eleanor, is it okay for your mother to drink like this?"

"It's fine." Eleanor shook her head.

The dinner lasted about an hour from start to finish.

When Maya was too drunk to stand steady, Eleanor helped her upstairs and got her back to her bedroom.

Only the small nightlight by the bed was on in the bedroom.

Eleanor tucked the blanket around Maya and was about to tiptoe out when her wrist was suddenly grabbed.

Maya was already drunk, eyes closed tight, mumbling incoherently.

Eleanor bent down closer to hear what Maya was saying.

"My precious daughter, I don't need you to be rich and successful, I just need you to be safe..."

Eleanor's eyes immediately welled up when she heard this.

"You and Terrence need to be good to each other..."

Eleanor gripped Maya's hand, which already bore the marks of time, her voice tight. "Mom, we all need to be safe. Dad is watching over us from heaven, I know he's thinking the same thing."

In her view, whether it was herself, Maya, or Terrence, they should all live well and not be defeated by fresh wounds.

A few minutes later, Eleanor came out of Maya's room.

At the end of the hallway by the stairs, a tall figure was leaning against the wall.

The wall lamp's light fell from above, casting half his figure in shadow while the other half remained clearly visible. His features appeared especially striking in the interplay of light and dark.

Eleanor walked toward him with a determined yet urgent emotion.

She stopped in front of him, looking up at his handsome face. "Why did you come up?"

Terrence lowered his gaze to meet hers.

"I was worried about you."

His words carried obvious concern.

Eleanor listened, his care warming her heart. "I'm fine."

"But you've been crying." Terrence's eyes were full of tenderness. He raised his hand to her cheek, his thumb finding several tear tracks at the corner of her eye that hadn't dried yet, his chest tightening.

"Eleanor, don't be sad."

Terrence pulled her into his arms, forehead against forehead.

"Eleanor, I'll always be with you."

Every word was serious, each one falling into her ears.

Eleanor buried her face in his chest, explaining in a muffled voice, "I'm not sad."

"Okay, I believe you."

Terrence held her tighter.

The hallway outside the room fell quiet.

A few minutes later, Eleanor lifted her face from his chest. "I want to go out for a walk."

"Okay, I'll come with you." Terrence released her waist, instead taking her hand, their fingers interlocking.

The two walked out of the house together.

They first circled around inside the residential complex, then left and walked slowly along the outside.

It wasn't too late yet.

It was just past nine in the evening.

Traffic flowed continuously on the road.

There were quite a few pedestrians on the sidewalk too.

The night breeze blew, bringing coolness, gradually carrying away the anxiety and heaviness in her heart.

They circled around the outside of the complex.

Eleanor checked the time. It was almost ten thirty. She said to Terrence beside her, "It's getting late, let's head back."

Terrence nodded.

The two started walking back. As they neared the complex entrance, they ran into an unwelcome visitor.

"Eleanor, you two—" Harold's gaze fixed on their tightly clasped hands, veins bulging on his forehead, his hand unconsciously tightening.

Jessica's small hand was squeezed painfully, and she immediately spoke up. "Daddy, you're hurting me."

Harold immediately loosened his grip. "I'm sorry, Jessica, I didn't mean to."

Seeing them, he couldn't control the anger and jealousy in his heart. These emotions instantly drowned his reason.

In his mind, Eleanor had always been his woman and his daughter's mother.

But now, she was standing side by side with another man, hands tightly clasped.

This scene made him feel like someone was viciously tearing his heart open right in front of him.

Harold bit his lower lip, almost breaking the skin. "Eleanor, Jessica misses you. Can you come back with us and stay at the house for one night, keep our daughter company..."

"No." Eleanor's voice was cold, her expression turning icy as well. "I have no intention of being a woman who keeps hanging around her ex's place after divorce. Since we're divorced, we each live our own lives and stop this."

Harold's voice was very low. "Are you planning to never care about Jessica again? She's the child you carried for ten months and gave birth to at great risk."

"When I gave birth to her, I didn't regret it." Eleanor's lips curved into a bitter smile. "But now, I do."

If she hadn't gotten pregnant with Jessica because of this marriage back then, she might have seen through Harold much earlier. Over the past few years, she wouldn't have kept tolerating his behavior because of Jessica, swallowing humiliation again and again.

Harold's face froze when he heard this.

Jessica's eyes immediately reddened at Eleanor's words.

"Mommy—"

No matter how she called out, Eleanor didn't look at her once or give any response.

Jessica felt so hurt her mouth was about to turn down, her eyes full of tears.

Harold stared at Eleanor's bright, beautiful face, his voice almost squeezed out through clenched teeth. "You're saying you regret it?"