Tangled Temptations

Eloise was flustered. Clearing her throat, she whispered, "Weren't you supposed to come by this afternoon?"

Harvey strode toward the hospital bed. Pauline stepped aside to let him sit down. Harvey tenderly stroked Eloise's face, saying outright, "Couldn't wait any longer; I had the doc give me a shot to ease the pain and here I am. Eloise..."

He cradled her face in one warm palm.

Their eyes met.

They had shared a dream, and seeing each other now felt different. There was so much to say, yet it was hardly the place, especially with little Linda staring wide- eyed from the bedside.

But Harvey couldn't help himself. Whether it was their parents or children, what did it matter? He wanted to kiss her.

Leaning in, he kissed his wife gently. She resisted instinctively at first and was surprised, but then Harvey took her hand, holding it gently before deepening the kiss.

Parker was losing his composure. Were young folks always this forward? He blushed, motioned to his wife, and ushered the kids out, including the curious Linda. The room quickly quieted down.

After a long kiss, Harvey buried his handsome face in the crook of Eloise's neck. In a low voice, he asked, "Has the doctor been by? How's the baby doing?"

"The baby's fine."

Eloise gently caressed his arm, feeling the muscle loss, then moved to his neck and chest. Harvey caught her hand, his voice husky. "Even if you want it, I can't."

Her delicate fingers paused on his lips. Her husband loved her, but was never quite serious.noveldrama

Their eyes locked. Finally, Harvey let it out, "Eloise, I've missed you so much!" Those seven days she was unconscious felt like an eternity over flames to him. How could Eloise not know? He had lost weight. Dhe could see it, and it pained her. But sentimental words weren't her style. She only remembered that Harvey had pulled her from the abyss at great cost to himself.

Gently, she pulled him onto the bed. Her voice trembled slightly. "Harvey, take care of yourself. When you're better, let's go visit the apartment."

He agreed.

And then they lay side by side, heads touching.

By lunchtime, Harvey's leg was giving out again. The doctor had to attend to him urgently, and... well, he was temporarily in a wheelchair, needing at least a month to recover fully.

Eloise's health, too, was improving day by day. Particularly, the baby was strong and resilient.

In the afternoon, Eloise stood before Harvey and let him caress her swollen belly. She suddenly asked, "Are we really going to call her Stephanie?"

Harvey smiled slightly. "Don't you like it?"

As his hand moved, he became even less appropriate. Eloise could feel it. She couldn't help but remember the dream where, at 20, she'd had sex with him. Even

if it was only a dream, that sensation lingered in her body.

She blushed and held his hand. "Ease up, Harvey."

Harvey truly desired her. With her condition and his frostbitten leg, they had limitations, but there were always other ways.

He was coaxing her as he peeled back her gown. Her slightly rounded belly was not unsightly; it only added to her womanly charm.

Eloise wouldn't let him touch her but hugged his neck and whispered softly, "The 20-year-old version of me is prettier, isn't she?"

All was well. Harvey couldn't resist a flirtatious thought. Besides, those dreamy encounters were worth reminiscing.

He pressed against her ear, murmuring hotly, "An innocent 20-year-old can't compare to you, Ms. Laurent. That's just an unripe young lady, hardly as in sync as us."

Familiar with his shamelessness, Eloise stopped caring about her attire and simply snuggled into him, exploring his body. He'd lost weight, and it pained her. Finally, with her cheeks aglow, she gently unbuckled his belt.

"Eloise!" Harvey's voice was a bit hoarse.

She whispered against his ear, "Quiet, Harvey, I want to take good care of you."

They were husband and wife. He was lustful and enjoyed sex, so she would indulge him. Anything he liked, she was willing to do.

In the hospital room, passion was in the air.

Afterward, an hour passed before Eloise playfully complained about his greed.

In the bathroom, Harvey wrapped his arms around her from behind, asking tenderly, "Is the baby okay?"

Eloise blushed. They hadn't gone all the way, but she'd had her pleasure, and surely the baby felt something. She said nothing, and Harvey understood. His hand rested on her belly, chuckling. "Quite the delicate one."

Eloise wouldn't let him continue, insisting he sit in the wheelchair. "The doctor said it's best for you to stay in the chair for a quick recovery."

Harvey didn't take it seriously.

...

At half-past two, Harvey lay down with Eloise for a nap.

The bodyguard entered, "Mr. Horigan, some folks from the production crew want

to see Ms. Laurent."

Harvey was inclined to refuse, but Eloise was awake and propped up, smiling faintly. "Let them in."

The bodyguard went to fetch the guests.

Harvey smoothed Eloise's hair, saying, "Why bother with visitors during recovery?"

Eloise gently replied, "I know you want me to rest, but they've come all this way. It would be rude not to see them. Besides, was that chandelier falling really an accident?"

She shook her head lightly. "Harvey, I don't believe it."

His heart felt heavy, but he pinched her cheek and said nothing.

Then, the door opened, and people began to enter. Ms. Olea, Tiara, the director, and a few newcomers.

Eloise wondered where Jeffrey was, but with so many people around, it wasn't the time to ask.

Ms. Olea had always been closer to Eloise. So when she arrived with a basket of ripe, succulent peaches and found a seat beside the hospital bed, she clasped Eloise's hand tightly and couldn't help but let out, "You're one lucky girl! Jeffrey, well he's..."

Eloise frowned slightly. "What about Jeffrey?"

Eloise felt like her mind had been scrambled, and was still fuzzy around the edges from a mild concussion. The details of the incident were slipping through her fingers like sand. All she

remembered was Harvey calling out to her. His voice was a steady

anchor in the chaos.

Harvey shot Ms. Olea a sharp look. Ms. Olea tensed, realizing she had let something slip that Harvey evidently didn't want Eloise to worry about. She began to hem and haw, avoiding the subject.

Eloise glanced between Harvey and Ms. Olea, and understanding dawned without another word being said.

Eloise felt weak and didn't press the matter. Soon, the room cleared out, leaving a heavy silence in its wake.

Eloise made her way to the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing out at the serene landscape. "What happened to Jeffrey?" she whispered.

Just then, Denise walked in, pushing the door open with a soft creak.

Harvey closed his laptop with a quiet snap and gestured for Denise to wait outside. Once the door clicked shut, he rose and approached Eloise from behind gently gripping her shoulders. "He got hurt trying to save you. His face...he's been

through the first round of

reconstructive surgery with one of

the best teams from abroad."

Jeffrey's injuries were severe. He was facing at least half a dozen surgeries, and

even then, there were no guarantees.

Eloise listened in a pained silence, her heart aching. After a long moment, she murmured, "The locket Max gave me for protection, it's broken too, isn't it?"

The locket, Jeffrey, Max...

Eloise's thoughts drifted to Max, who was now gone from this world. In her dreams, he had found peace and walked towards a different life, but in the harsh light of day, the reality of his absence was inescapable.

Eloise wasn't in a rush to see Jeffrey. Such a handsome young man would be holding onto his pride, and Eloise knew he wouldn't want anyone to see him with his face swathed in bandages.

However, she did want to see Max.

Before the day of her discharge.

Harvey was away, and Eloise asked the security detail for a car, claiming she needed to take care of something personal. The bodyguard hesitated. "I should

run this by Mr. Horigan."

Eloise didn't object.

After the phone call, the bodyguard informed her with a gentle voice, "Mr. Horigan says please don't stay out too long. It's going to snow later this afternoon." Eloise offered a faint smile. She dressed in somber black and had Natalia pick up a bouquet of daisies. This was Eloise's first visit to Max's grave.

The sky was a blanket of grey as she stepped out of the car, a sure sign of the impending snow. Since she was wrapped in a loose down jacket, her pregnancy was hardly noticeable. She approached Max's grave slowly, only to find a frail figure standing there-Ravenna.

Eloise had her suspicions about who was behind her ordeal, but since Harvey hadn't taken any action, the evidence must have been lacking.

A few steps away, Eloise stood still. Her gaze was fixed on Ravenna.

With four bodyguards and an assistant accompanying Eloise, Ravenna couldn't

help but feel their presence. She sneered, "Mrs. Horigan, you travel with quite the entourage, don't you?"

Eloise offered a light, unaffected laugh. The bodyguards stepped forward, gently moving Ravenna aside.

Eloise moved to the grave, her eyes resting on the photo of a young Max. It was the photo she had taken of him, perhaps his last wish.

The gloomy sky mirrored the sorrow in her heart. Bending down, she gently caressed the youthful face in the picture, whispering, "Why did you have to say those things to Jeffrey, Max? Whatever happened between us is in the past. Why couldn't you let go?"

If he had let go, perhaps he wouldn't have left this world so soon.

While Eloise didn't blame herself, the loss weighed heavily on her. Max had everything-looks, talent, and charm. He should have lived a life full of vigor and splendor, but it ended far too soon.

"Max, I can't tell if I ruined you or you ruined me," she murmured with a twinge of

heartache.

From the side, Ravenna burst out hysterically. "Eloise, you killed him! Why the pretense here at his grave?"

Eloise looked down, a wistful smile on her lips. "Is that so?"

She turned slowly to face Ravenna. "And what about you? What have you done?"

Ravenna felt a surge of guilt. It had been a snowy day like this when she tried to keep Max by her side, giving him some food that made him drowsy and unfocused. But he still left the hotel, dressed and determined.

On his way to Eloise's place, he met with an accident.