Chapter 2 The Love Affair
Then it hit her–his schedule had listed a weeklong business trip about two months ago.
Eliana gripped her phone, her knuckles turning white.
“So he’s cheated?” she thought.
Their marriage had been kept secret, and as his secretary, she had never once heard rumors about him seeing another woman.
The nurses kept chatting. “Mr. Hogan must really love his girlfriend. Who is this lucky woman? I bet they’ll make
they’ll make it official soon.”
“I already looked her up. Here, is this her?”
The nurse pushing an instrument trolley glanced at her colleague’s phone and gasped. “Oh my god, yeah! Karina Norton, second daughter of the boss of Norton Realty. With her family background and looks, she and Xavier are a perfect match. It’s like they were meant to be.”
Their voices faded as they walked away.
The name Norton Realty stuck in Eliana’s mind..
Even after leaving the hospital and settling into the MPV Irene sent, she still felt uneasy.
The window was half–open, letting in fresh air, while her phone cast a dim glow over her pale face. She had searched everything she could think of but found no connection between the Norton and Hogan families.
For these powerful families in Steelville, that was unusual.
Chapter 2 The Love Affair
When Eliana arrived at the Hogan’s mansion, the living room light was still on.
Her sister–in–law, who always despised her, was out. Only Irene was waiting, leaning on her cane. “Ellie, my sweetheart! You’re the lucky one. I nearly had a heart attack when I heard about the crash.”
“I’m fine, Irene.” Eliana forced a smile.
After offering an excuse, she started toward the stairs. “It’s been a long day.”
“Alright, go get some rest. I already had someone call Xavier. He’ll be back soon,” Irene said.
The same hurt washed over Eliana, draining the color from her face.
Only now did she realize Xavier had been avoiding her.
Irene thought Eliana was just upset because Xavier hadn’t been around.
She had no idea the image of him with that woman was still burning in Eliana’s mind, like a wound that refused to heal.
Every effort Eliana had put into this marriage suddenly felt pathetic.
Xavier didn’t return until long past midnight the next night.
The bedroom was pitch black. He flipped on the light, and the dim yellow glow made the irritation on his face clear. “Still awake? Why didn’t you turn on the light?”
Eliana had been lying in bed all day, not eating or drinking.
The meal the butler had brought sat cold on the bedside table.
“Where have you been?”
She lay facing away from him, looking thin, and her voice hoarse with exhaustion.
Xavier had just shrugged off his suit jacket when her question made him pause. Frowning, he glanced over at her.
In three years, she had never asked where he had been like this.
“There was an issue at the Sagewick branch. I went to handle it,” he answered flatly.
Irritated, he yanked his tie loose and headed toward the bathroom.
“Is that so?” Eliana let out a quiet, bitter laugh and added weakly, “I asked Micah. There’s no record of you flying to Sagewick.”
The sarcasm in her voice was impossible to miss.
“What are you trying to say?”
Xavier stopped at the bathroom door.
Even without meeting his eyes, Eliana could feel the tension building.
She knew this silence. He was about to explode.
