Chapter 4: A New Friend.

"Ha ha ha!" The restaurant reverberated with Eleanor's gentle laughter. Her eyes gleamed, revealing a genuine chuckle, and her gleaming teeth bared themselves.

She hadn't felt this carefree and light in a long time. "You're hilarious, Sebastian!" She cried out.

The young man who approached her in front of Liam's father's residence, introduced himself as Sebastian.

He was somewhat like Liam, although he was more laid-back and open. Similar to Liam, Sebastian had green eyes, but his hair was blonde. Liam was taller than him, but he's more endearing.

"I'm glad I could make you laugh," he said with a smile. "You're worthy of a smile," he remarked.

Eleanor shook her head and sipped her coffee, finding solace in the familiar bitter flavor.

Eleanor's amused eyes were fixed on Sebastian. She felt the weight of her recent life lessen for the first time in a long time.

His smile, his kind words, and presence were like a soothing balm to her troubled soul.

He couldn't help but wonder what had pushed this beautiful woman to such a state of unrest.

The conversation flowed easily between Eleanor and Sebastian. They discovered that they had similar passion and experiences, hinting at a deeper connection.

Sebastian's eyes remained warm and friendly, the kind of look that beckoned honesty and confidence. However, she was still cautious about disclosing too much about herself to this close stranger.

As they finished the coffee, Eleanor caught Sebastian glancing at her wedding ring. A moment of awkward silence passed between them as the reality of her marital status set in. Her face cheek flushed red, she stared at the table, avoiding his face.

"Don't let a piece of jewelry stop you from enjoying your life," Sebastian remarked, grinning disarmingly.

He continued, "You deserve to be happy, Eleanor. And if I can help you in any way, I will." He said as he handed over his business card to Eleanor.

Eleanor's lips curved into a small, hesitating smile. She stood up ready to leave. She stared outside, noticing that the night was getting darker.

"Thank you, Sebastian. It was a pleasure to talk to you." She held out her hand in a gesture of farewell, her eyes briefly meeting him.

"Maybe we'll run into each other again sometime." 

Sebastian took her hand, his fingers lingered onto hers for a moment. "Yes, perhaps we will," he replied.

"Be nice to yourself. Don't let anyone make you feel less of yourself, Eleanor."

Eleanor's heartbeat raced, she turned on her heels and walked out of the coffee shop.

"Where are you coming from?" Liam's cold voice echoed through the siting room as Eleanor stepped in. 

Her heart skipped a bit, startled, she threw her head towards the direction the voice came from.

She saw Liam sitting on a sofa, his face expressionless. He was putting on the suit he wore to dinner at his father's house, which meant he had just returned.

His eyes blazed fire, "Where have you been?" He barked.

Eleanor unconsciously stepped back, and her back hit the door behind her. She swallowed, "I.. Was w..with a friend." She stammered.

"Slap!" Liam's hands landed on Eleanor's cheeks. "You left me humiliated at my father's house, and went out with a friend!, huh?" He thundered.

Eleanor's cheeks were in a burning pain, as if a thousand needles pierced her skin. She stood motionlessly, struggling to process the sudden violence as tears rolled down her eyes.

Liam scoffed. "Guess you lost your voice, didn't you?" He shook his head and left for his room, leaving Eleanor standing there in a gaze.

Eleanor stood there for a moment, her heart pounding. Finally, she sighed, gathering her composure.

Eleanor's throat began to feel parched after a while. She decided to head to the kitchen for a glass of water. Just when she was done and was ready to go back to her room, she heard a voice, which was not so loud from where she stood.

Curious and worried, she followed the sound. As she walked forward, the voice only fueled her.

Eleanor pressed forward until she came face to face with Liam's door. From how low his voice sounded, she could tell he was on a phone call.

"Everything is going as planned." She distinctly heard Liam say.

The curiosity she had before only tripled.

With a newfound determination, she pushed his door open with shaking hands. 

"I need to talk to you."

Liam quickly ended the call and looked at Eleanor with his eyebrows furrowed. "I'm stressed, Eleanor, and you're not making it any better," he cuts her off.

"Can we… Maybe talk later then?" she said, her voice steady.

Liam slowly began to glare at her. "Listen, it's bad enough that you ruined my day. Whatever it is, stop bothering me." He fired. "Get out!"

Eleanor's eyes began to water, not because of what he said, but because this is her life now, and she'll find a way to make it work.

Eleanor's retreating footsteps echoed as she walked to her room and slumped onto her bed.

Each event played painfully in her head, making it more difficult to sleep. Her head throbbed, throwing a million questions and accusations until she decided that she had had enough.

She needed a distraction from her thoughts. She looked around, luckily her phone was within reach.

She grabbed it and checked the time. It was 9pm, and she knew Sebastian would be home. She never wanted to bother him, but she needed to pour out her heart to someone. A sad smile appeared on her face as she dialed his number.