"That's more like it." Eleanor took Veronica's arm and walked into the main hall. The minute she passed Matthew, she fixed her eyes on him and remarked, "Your real face looks better. That awful look from earlier made me feel sick."
"Pardon me for making you sick, Your Highness." Matthew's attitude changed. He turned to Liam and said, "Prince Liam, please come in."
Liam knew that Matthew had been in disguise, but he was still astonished by Matthew's actual looks. "Have you always been this good-looking? Eleanor was right—you were hideous before."
He stared straight at Matthew, inching closer to take a better look and even reaching out to touch Matthew's face to verify the fact for himself.
Before he could do so, Matthew slapped his hand away and warned, "Do you still want your hand intact?"
With lips twitching in anger, Liam complained to Eleanor, "Eleanor, look at him! He wants to cut my hand off!"
She lifted a brow in amusement and shrugged with her palms up. "You did that to yourself." Then, she wrapped an arm around Veronica's neck and said, "Let's go upstairs. I have something to talk to you about."
"Sure."
"Hello? Eleanor? Are you going to ditch me? Am I still your 'Big Bro Liam'?" Although Liam was younger than Eleanor, she sometimes called him 'Big Bro Liam' to honor a bet from their childhood, and it became a habit.
She stopped in her tracks and turned around, after which his frown turned into a grin. "I knew you wouldn't leave me behind."
To his disappointment, she merely pointed at Matthew and said, "Master, Goddess Veronica has promised me your homemade dinner as a thank-you for saving your life. Don't renege on your words."
"No problem." Matthew shoved his hands in his pockets as his unfriendly expression softened. Even though his face looked as indifferent as before, Eleanor sensed that he had warmed up to her. Seeing that, she believed that all her past efforts were worth it.
She turned around and went upstairs with Veronica. In the room, Veronica told her, "Take a seat. I'll get you some tea." She walked to the side and started making tea, saying, "I've heard about you. Your mother waterboarded you for two days. To be honest, I admire you and feel grateful to you."
Eleanor was dressed in the same breathtaking red dress with her long hair flowing behind her. The silver jewelry on her fingers chimed with lovely sounds as her legs moved. She rested her chin on her hand and smiled brightly. "How do you plan to thank me? How about giving up your husband?"
"You can ask for anything except for Matt." Veronica walked up to her and handed her a cup of tea. "Our two kids are waiting for Matt and me to come home to Bloomstead. Eleanor, I know you love Matt, but a relationship has to be a two-way street to work."
Eleanor let out a heavy sigh. "You know what? I've sorted things out after the incident. I do love Matthew, but my one-sided love won't work. I only regret that he's not an ordinary man. No other man would turn me down, considering my position."
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