Jude Shaw’s face was filled with helplessness as he reached out and pulled her over. "If you want to act crazy, do it at home. Stop making a scene here!" Claire Shaw’s eyes turned red when she heard him describe her as making a scene. "Come on, let’s go back!" Jude Shaw dragged her to the door. If they didn’t leave soon, Hugo Quinn would really lose his temper. He’d known Hugo for so many years and knew him well enough that despite his unbothered appearance, once someone crossed his line, he wouldn’t show any mercy. After Claire Shaw was forcefully taken away, the scene fell into an awkward silence. Finally, Julian Sterling spoke. "Eleanor, don’t take what Claire did to heart. We’ve all seen how much she likes Hugo over the years. She’s always had a smooth life, but only facing setbacks in love, so it’s hard for her to feel balanced inside." Eleanor Hollis felt warmth in her heart and was about to respond when she felt a hand hold hers. "I’ll explain everything to Old Master Quinn. I won’t have any dealings with her in the future." He knew it was hard for her because Claire Shaw had known him for so long, and despite her spending most of her time abroad, childhood friendships were hard to ignore. She gave Hugo Quinn a small smile, yet deep inside her, a wave of uncertainty spread. Her relationship with Hugo lacked the blessing of family—how far could it go... It seemed no one was in the mood to drink anymore, and they ended the evening early, heading home. In the car, Eleanor Hollis didn’t say a word, nestled in Hugo Quinn’s arms, as her mind was a mess. When they arrived at the villa, she immediately took a shower. Seeing her reflection in the mirror, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⚫𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⚫𝘯𝘦𝘵 When she was married to Nathaniel Quinn, she didn’t sleep well and looked terrible. It was still the same now because the relationship felt too ephemeral, as if it could vanish at any moment, making her worried and unable to sleep. From past to present, her life seemed never to have changed. She sighed, put on her nightwear, and went out, finding Hugo Quinn already waiting outside. "You sleep first, I’ll go take a shower too." Hugo Quinn patted her head, opened the bathroom door, and went in. Eleanor Hollis lay on the bed, her mind still in turmoil, until a warm embrace encircled her from behind. Since returning to the villa, she had been having nightmares, so Hugo naturally stayed with her. Hugo Quinn left a kiss on her forehead. Eleanor Hollis smiled, "Okay." She nestled in his arms, though they slept in an embrace, she felt miles away from him, so much so that his silhouette was barely visible. The next morning, she was just about to freshen up and head to Grandeur when she heard Old Master Quinn’s voice from downstairs. Old Master Quinn actually came... Her movements slowed instantly, not wanting to go downstairs to face him. "What did you do to Claire Shaw last night? I heard she was crying a lot when she went back. Hugo, do you really not like her? She used to play with you often when you were young. I thought you liked her." Old Master Quinn’s face was full of assumption, having already considered Claire Shaw as his future daughter-in-law in his heart. "You know who I like, Dad." Hugo Quinn’s words made Old Master Quinn’s face turn black, and he heavily tapped his cane. "Anyone but Eleanor Hollis! Do you want our Quinton Family to become a laughingstock? Hugo, no matter how persistent you are about this, it’s not up for discussion!" Old Master Quinn was very against Eleanor Hollis. His expression soured just at the mention of her. "Dad, you should go back. I won’t have any meetings with Claire Shaw from now on as well." Old Master Quinn was so angry that he almost swung his cane at Hugo, wondering why he was so stubborn! But seeing his son’s resolute attitude left him speechless. Continuing would only cause him more frustration. After Old Master Quinn left, the living room returned to silence. Hugo Quinn turned his head and saw Eleanor Hollis standing on the stairs in her professional outfit. He assumed she wasn’t aware Old Master had been there, so he pretended nothing had happened. But Eleanor Hollis could still sense that his mood wasn’t good. This relationship seemed to be nothing but a burden for the both of them, causing her some distress, but she had to pretend everything was fine. Soon, they arrived at Grandeur, where their relationship was an open secret, so when they entered the top-floor office, nobody hid anything. As expected, the colleagues around them started to gossip again, and Eleanor Hollis pursed her lips, looking for Gloria Galloway during lunch. Gloria Galloway was doing well in the company, being really capable, and thus appreciated by the higher-ups now. "You say you’re tired? Eleanor, are you okay?! That’s Hugo Quinn we’re talking about! How can you feel tired being with Hugo Quinn? Oh my, if it were me, I’d cling to him every day!" Gloria Galloway complained while eating. Eleanor Hollis sighed, stirring her plate with a fork but never taking a bite. "I just feel it’s not easy for him. Bearing such great pressure just to be with me, I suddenly don’t know what to do." Perhaps women are just this sensitive—they love him but don’t want things to be so difficult for him. "Are you silly? He works so hard to be with you because if he lost you, he’d be a thousand times more miserable than he is now. Eleanor, his family doesn’t understand him already, if you even think about leaving, Hugo would really be pitiable." Gloria Galloway hadn’t been in many relationships, but her words were wise and woke Eleanor from her daze. She stared at Gloria for a moment before suddenly feeling enlightened. Indeed, Hugo was working hard for their future, while she was talking about giving up. If he found out, it would only make him sadder. "Eleanor, do you know Julian Sterling is shooting a new movie soon? The poster just came out, he looks so handsome! I’ve already printed it out and put it up at home." Gloria Galloway started gushing about Julian Sterling, reminding Eleanor that they both were die-hard fans of his. "Well... actually, I met Julian Sterling recently." Gloria Galloway’s eyes widened with surprise and delight. "Where?! Where? Is he good-looking in real life? How tall is he, and is the official height true?" Eleanor Hollis felt a little squeezed and took a few breaths before slowly speaking. "In person, he looks a hundred times better than on the screen and he’s incredibly gentle. Last night, when Hugo took me to meet his friends, Julian Sterling was among them. I didn’t know at the time and excitedly asked for his autograph." Mentioning this, Eleanor Hollis felt like crying, as if hearing her idol’s signature song calling her again.