Chapter 198

Eleanor's POV

I froze, staring straight at him. A storm of emotions churned inside me as the implications of his words shook me to my core. We'd always had this playful, casual friendship, and now...

"What's your account number? I'm transferring the money right now," Drew insisted, his voice firm. There was an intensity in his eyes I'd never seen before, making me want to look away.

"Drew, you don't have to go this far for me. I know you're loyal to your friends, but I'm in trouble with the Harringtons now. Getting involved with me means making enemies with one of the most powerful families in Manhattan. I don't want you to-" My words were cut off by a sudden warmth against my lips.

I stared at him wide-eyed, my brain still trying to process my unfinished sentence while my body froze at this unexpected intimacy. My heart hammered in my chest, threatening to break through some invisible barrier.

He had kissed me, silencing my protests. His presence overwhelmed my senses-the faint scent of his cologne mixing with traces of cigarettes, his signature scent that I'd grown so familiar with. This close, I could feel the slight tremor in his breath.

My mind went completely blank. All thoughts suspended, leaving only the warmth of his presence slowly breaking down my defenses. Memories flashed through my mind in fragments-Drew getting into a fight defending me outside that bar in downtown, his goofy smile during our late-night drinking sessions at Murphy's, that moment he offered me a cigarette when I was at my lowest point after losing my role.

We'd known each other for years, and I'd always seen him as a brother, a best friend. Now, with his lips suddenly on mine... I couldn't describe the feeling. Shock, confusion, panic, and something else-a flutter I couldn't quite name. All these emotions tangled together in my heart like a knot I couldn't untangle. That clear line we'd always had between us suddenly blurred into something undefined and intimate.

Jace's POV

I stood under the streetlight, watching two silhouettes in the car. An invisible hand seemed to clutch my heart, making it hard to breathe.

Their heads were close together. I wished I was blind. Yet every detail was etched into my vision with cruel clarity.

I couldn't see their expressions, but somehow, I understood everything perfectly. My mind desperately tried to deny what I was seeing, but reason cruelly insisted this was reality.

I turned away silently. A bitter taste rose in my throat, as if I'd swallowed the entire winter's chill.

I walked away quietly. Each step felt like walking on broken glass, and not just because of my injuries.

Walking was difficult. Whether from the beating or the weight crushing my heart, I couldn't tell.

I always lose her. I'd repeated these words countless times in my mind, but they'd never cut so deep before. From childhood, there had always been an invisible barrier between us, and now that chasm was finally, painfully visible.

I slumped down in an alley, out of their sight. I wanted to cry, but the tears seemed frozen, refusing to fall.

The wounds covering my body didn't hurt at all. How could the Harrington family's punishment compare to this heartache? Those bruises almost felt like redemption, proof that I'd at least tried to do something for her.

A shadow fell over me. I almost thought it was a hallucination. I looked up at Lucas Harrington. His presence was both unexpected and inevitable.

"Let's go," Lucas said. Two simple words that carried volumes of unspoken understanding.

*Obviously, he'd also seen Eleanor with Drew together.*

I just got a call from Serena - Eleanor is thinking about doing adult films to make some money. I completely lost my mind. I'd gone crazy, trying to burst out of the mansion, only to be stopped by the butler. I was like a caged animal, not caring what dangers lay ahead.

"Jace, if you go out, you're no longer part of the Harrington family!" Father's threat still echoed in my ears.

"You already know my choice," I'd said, my face contorted but my heart surprisingly calm.

Father had threatened me in many ways, but I remained unmoved. His words fell flat, like punches thrown at cotton. Finally, we'd reached an agreement - if after three months I still insisted on leaving the Harringtons for Eleanor, he wouldn't stop me.

I'd agreed, as a final show of respect to him. Though I knew those three months would be tough, I was willing to wait. But I never imagined Eleanor would...

"Jace, when Dad took you in, it was out of pure kindness. Now you're turning against the Harringtons for some bastard? How dare you bite the hand that feeds you?" Clara's voice trembled with rage.

My throat tightened at her words. The familiar shame of being the charity case, the outsider, threatened to overwhelm me.

I let out a bitter laugh. "Funny you should mention that. Wasn't I just another bastard child myself?"

The words tasted like poison on my tongue, but God, it felt good to finally say them.

"Enough!" Howard's fist crashed onto the mahogany dining table. I noticed Milo and Stella flinch at the sound, their small bodies frozen in their chairs.

"Watch your mouth, Jace," Howard's voice carried a clear threat. The same tone he'd used countless times before, when I'd stepped out of line.

Clara pressed on and was about to go for the kill. "Jace, don't you understand? Dad can take away everything he's given you just as easily as he gave it. Do you want to end up like Eleanor Yates?"

Eleanor's name hit me like a physical blow. Memories of her tears, her broken dreams, the way the Harringtons had systematically destroyed her.

"I'm willing to share Eleanor's fate," I replied without hesitation.

I watched as Clara's face turned an unhealthy shade of red, her blouse rising and falling with her rapid breathing.

"So be it." Father's voice was arctic. The same tone he'd used when he'd cast Eleanor out. "Paul."

"Yes, Mr. Harrington." The butler's response was formal, but I caught the slight tremor in his voice. Paul had been here longer than I had, had seen more family secrets buried than anyone.

"Have security escort him out. And make a public announcement - from this day forward, Jace Gillard has no connection to the Harrington family."

I caught Paul's hesitation, saw the apology in his eyes. But under father's steel gaze, he could only respond, "Right away, sir."

The security team's "escort" left me battered and bloody, but I didn't make a sound. Each blow felt like penance. Once they were done, I immediately got to my feet, tasting copper in my mouth. Lucas followed me out. I heard Clara trying to stop him, but father held her back.