The CEO's Unspoken Love Novel

Chapter 13 Eleanor POV "Daniel," I replied with a practiced smile. "What a pleasant surprise. How are you?" He cleared his throat, adjusting his tie in a nervous gesture I'd seen countless times at Wells family gatherings. "Good, good. Didn't expect to see you here. Are you... alone?" "No, I'm with my friend Olivia. She just went to the restroom." I gestured vaguely toward the back of the bar, studying Daniel's face for any hint of why he seemed so uncomfortable. "Right, of course." He nodded a bit too enthusiastically.

His blonde companion gave me a quick once-over before whispering something in his ear. "Well, I should get back upstairs. Nice seeing you." He didn't invite me to join him. The omission hung in the air between us, awkward and telling. We exchanged a few more pleasantries before he retreated toward the staircase, taking the steps two at a time as if eager to escape. I turned back to my drink, puzzling over his strange behavior when Olivia appeared beside me, slightly breathless. "Your husband!" she hissed, gripping my arm tight enough to leave marks.

"He's here!" "What?" I felt my heartbeat quicken despite my best efforts to remain calm. "Upstairs in the VIP section. With good company, I might add." Her eyes flashed with indignation. "I saw him with several very elegantly dressed women when I was coming back from the bathroom." I took a deliberately slow sip of my drink. "And?" "And?" Olivia looked at me incredulously. "Aren't you going to do something?" "Like what? Create a scene?" I raised an eyebrow. "Don't mind him, Liv. Drink your cocktail." She mumbled something uncomplimentary about Derek under her breath and ordered another round.

The band transitioned to a sultry rendition of "Summertime," and I found myself tapping my finger against the bar in rhythm, pretending that the knowledge of Derek's presence just one floor above didn't affect me at all. Twenty minutes later, Olivia stood up abruptly. "I need to use the restroom again." I eyed her suspiciously. "Your bladder seemed fine five minutes ago." "I have two, and they're both in perfect working order," she shot back with a mischievous grin.

"Back in a flash." 1/2 Before I could stop her, she was weaving through the crowd, but instead of heading toward the restrooms, she made a beeline for the staircase Daniel had ascended earlier. I watched with growing dread as she disappeared up the steps. I considered following her immediately but decided against it. Whatever confrontation Olivia was planning, I didn't need to be part of it. Derek was free to socialize with whomever he pleased. Our marriage had always been a business arrangement, nothing more. At least, that's what I told myself as I ordered another drink.

The commotion started about ten minutes later. Raised voices floated down from the second floor, followed by the unmistakable sound of Olivia's indignant tone cutting through the music. A security guard moved quickly toward the stairs. With a resigned sigh, I placed some bills on the bar and followed. By the time I reached the top of the stairs, Olivia was engaged in what appeared to be a heated exchange with a bouncer twice her size who was blocking entry to a private room. "She's with me," I said, stepping forward with as much dignity as I could muster.

"I apologize for the disturbance." The bouncer looked skeptical but stepped aside when someone from inside the room called out, "Let them in, James. This might be entertaining." The VIP room was everything I expected of Derek's taste-sleek, modern, and excessively expensive. Crystal decanters of bourbon and champagne bottles in silver buckets dotted the tables. The lighting was low but strategic, highlighting the room's occupants rather than the décor. And there was Derek, lounging on a black leather sofa, one arm stretched casually along its back.

Next to him sat a stunning woman in a red dress. Around them were half a dozen of Boston's wealthiest young heirs and an equal number of beautiful women whose names I would never know or care to remember. Comments 18 Write Comments « SHARE 2/2 Ruby Walker Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish.

Ruby's writing style is bold and irresistible-perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.