Tangled Temptations novel Chapter 181

All the experts Harvey had brought in were stumped by Eloise's condition. In the end, it was Eloise herself who woke up.

It was a beautiful spring night.

After his discussion with several experts, Harvey had just reached the door of the ward when he heard Eloise's voice. Weak as it was, it was unmistakably her voice.

His heart skipped a beat. He had never been so desperate to see someone. He hurriedly took a few steps, gently pushing the door open.

Eloise was sitting up in bed, talking to Michelle. She was thinner, her brown hair spread over her shoulders, looking pitiful. Upon seeing Harvey, the smile on her face faded.

The atmosphere became a bit awkward.

Michelle stood up uncomfortably and said, "You two talk!"

But Eloise gently tugged at her sleeve, whispering, "Mom, I want to have some food!"

Michelle said lovingly, "I'll go get you something! Wait for me."

Harvey slowly walked into the ward, standing beside Eloise. Even though he was so close, he didn't dare to touch her. He felt a bit nervous, realizing that was how he felt at the moment.

Eloise calmly said to him, "I heard you found a doctor for me, thank you, Attorney Horigan."

"You're welcome." Harvey stared at her greedily, his voice hoarse almost beyond recognition.

Eloise was looking at him too. Then she slowly said, "Actually, there's really no need for all this between us. You don't have to take what Veronica said to hear. It's all in the past. From the moment we broke up, none of this matters to you anymore."

Harvey was a lawyer, a top-notch one. He was sharp-tongued in court, but at this moment, he didn't know what to say. He had broken up with Eloise, thinking he had done it in a dignified way, but in reality, he had caused her pain.

Harvey left the ward. He didn't leave the hospital, and just sat in his golden Bentley, quietly smoking.

...

His feelings for Eloise started from mutual sexual attraction, not the pure heart-throb of young love. He had always managed to control these feelings. He liked Eloise, but he didn't think he was in love with her. At least when they broke up, he had easily handed her a check.

But when Eloise took that check and walked out of his life, he realized the thing he could least accept was the possibility of her belonging to someone else one day. She would love someone else, just like she loved him.

Harvey leaned back in his seat, tilting his head back slightly, his Adam's apple tensely bobbing. He once said Eloise couldn't handle loss, but now it was he who couldn't handle it.

Harvey sat in the car the whole night. As the sky was getting light, he stubbed out his cigarette, got out of the car, and walked up the steps to the ward.

Eloise was awake, sitting up, taking her temperature, looking particularly pitiful in her loose hospital gown, like an injured little animal. Seeing him come over, she looked indifferent.

Harvey came over, gently removed the thermometer, and took a look. It was 36 degrees.

Eloise looked up at him. In a hoarse voice, Harvey said, "Come with me somewhere."

Without waiting for her response, he lifted her up and carried her straight out of the ward.

Eloise was stunned. When she snapped back to reality, she started hitting his shoulders. "Harvey, what are you doing? Put me down!" He let her hit and kick him, and the pain was nothing to him.

The nurse came over to collect the thermometer and was surprised by the scene. "Mr. Horigan, where are you taking the patient?"

Harvey didn't answer. He swiftly carried Eloise to his car downstairs, fastened her seatbelt, and locked the car doors.

Eloise finally lost her cool. "Harvey, have you lost your mind!"

Harvey slowly buckled his seatbelt. His eyes were focused on the road ahead, and his voice was gentle. "I'll bring you back."

Harvey kissed her fingers, his voice hoarse, "Eloise, I spent a week convincing that Italian antique dealer to sell me the piano. If your leg never recovers, we'll just play piano at home. I’ll serenade you. Eloise...I'm asking you to let me take care of you for the rest of our lives.

"Every year, I'll be with you on Valentine's Day.

"And Halloween, Christmas, New Year... we'll celebrate them all together.

"If you like kids, we can have a bunch of them."

…

He wanted to be with her, he wanted to settle down. He had never craved a marriage this intensely before. Harvey gently held her hand, slipping the magnificent diamond ring onto her ring finger, a perfect fit.

But Eloise pulled back. She didn't let him put the ring on her finger.

Harvey's body suddenly stiffened, slowly lifting his head.

Eloise calmly said, "I'm touched, really I am. A man willing to do so much for me, at least, shows he is serious. But, Harvey, your past infidelity makes it impossible for me to trust you again. You have too much baggage. It's impossible for us to continue, not because you love me or not, but... I don't have plans to love you anymore."

Harvey slowly rose to his feet. He looked down on Eloise from his height.

In the morning light, the fine fuzz on her face looked cute, but her expression was firm. "Please take me back to the hospital, I don't want to draw any attention."

Harvey reached out and gently touched her face. Suddenly, he grabbed the back of her head and planted a forceful kiss on her lips, slipping his tongue into her mouth before she could even react.

He wanted to kiss her intimately, wanted to evoke all her memories of him. He didn't believe Eloise could forget those beautiful memories.

Then, a slap landed hard on his handsome face. Eloise's eyes were teary. She panted. "Harvey, don't make me lose respect for you. There can never be anything between us again, not now, not in the future, do you understand?"