"Keep yelling like that, and everyone's going to come running," Jonathan said, his voice turning cold.

At once, Eleanor stopped.

Without another word, he carried her to the gazebo near Shawn's house and lowered her onto a bench.

Once she was seated, his hand moved to her ankle, and he pressed down with steady force.

"Ah!" Eleanor cried out.

The pain passed quickly. Her twisted ankle had been set back in place.

"Thank you..."

She couldn't pretend it meant nothing. He had carried her the whole way and even fixed her injury.

"Did it ever cross your mind that you could've died when you jumped?" After slipping her shoe back on, he lifted his gaze, and a faint smile touched his lips, though it carried no warmth.

"I..." Eleanor's voice wavered as she tried to continue.

Her hand tightened at her side, and her lashes lowered as she hid what she felt. "I didn't want to trouble you."

"So you thought about that. But when you walked into my room last night, you didn't think about causing trouble then?"

A short, mocking laugh left him as Jonathan dropped the antiseptic spray beside her.

"I was drunk," Eleanor said, frowning as she tried to explain.

"Drunk?" His eyes narrowed.

"What were you drinking for?" He leaned closer, his gaze steady, though something sharper hid beneath it.

Her heart sank.

She couldn't tell him the truth. She couldn't say she drank because of his engagement.

Whatever had happened between them could only stay in the past.

"Answer me."

When she stayed quiet, Jonathan's hand reached out and caught her chin, forcing her to look at him.

Keeping her lips pressed tight, Eleanor hesitated briefly before speaking in a low voice. "Shawn wasn't doing well last night. He lost his temper, and I wasn't feeling good either, so I ended up drinking too much."

The moment she finished, his grip on her chin grew stronger, and the pain made her frown.

A short, cold laugh left Jonathan as he let go and pulled his hand back.

"So that useless man can affect you this much. You really know how to surprise me, Eleanor."

He took out a silk handkerchief and wiped his hand, as though touching her had left something behind.

"If you're going to drink next time, stay where you are. I'm engaged. If you keep ending up in my bed like that, my fiancée won't take it well."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked off, his back stiff and distant.

As she watched him leave, it felt like something tightened around her chest, making it hard to breathe.

It took time before she steadied herself. When her eyes dropped to her ankle, now red, a faint, bitter smile formed on her lips.

She and Jonathan should've been strangers a long time ago.

Pushing through the lingering pain, Eleanor got to her feet and made her way back to Shawn's house.

The gate opened with a soft push, and she saw Shawn seated near the entrance. His face looked dark, and even though his eyes showed no focus, they pointed straight toward her.

"Where were you last night?"

The question came without warning, and her chest tightened.

She lifted her head toward him. Even knowing he couldn't see her, she still adjusted her clothes before answering after a short pause, "Last night... I stayed in the lab. I was working on something new. It might help your legs."

She tried to keep her voice steady, but the faint roughness in it gave away how drained she was.

It sounded believable.

Shawn's face didn't change, yet the heaviness in him eased a little.

Then, without warning, he gave a low scoff, and the tone that followed turned darker. "It better."

After a brief pause, his voice dropped further. "If I find out you went looking for another man, Eleanor... you already know what happens."

Hearing that, Eleanor almost laughed.

He and Jenna were two peas in a pod. They thought the same way.

A slight curve formed on her lips as she answered slowly, "Shawn, I'm not like you. I don't waste time on things like that. Believe me or don't, it doesn't matter. Let's eat."

Eleanor didn't wait after that and walked straight to the table.

She failed to notice that his face darkened even more at her words.

Once she reached the table, she began laying out the breakfast, setting each item in place.

There was plenty of food.

But it was meant for one person.

She wasn't surprised. No one in this house had ever thought about her. Not even enough to set aside something as simple as breakfast for her.

Holding back what stirred inside her, she finished arranging everything and then turned to bring Shawn over.

"Shawn, it's time to eat."

The moment she spoke, Shawn's face turned cold, and his hand lashed out.

The hot porridge splashed across her arm.

"What do you think you're doing, Shawn?" Eleanor asked.

The heat spread across her arm at once, turning it red. Pain slipped out in a soft cry as she looked at Shawn, her voice filled with confusion.

Even after hearing her gasp in pain, he showed no reaction. He followed the sound of her voice, lifted his hand, and struck out again.

"Eleanor, have you forgotten your place?" he said, his voice turning sharp and cold. "Since when do you speak to me like that?"

The hand came toward her, but she didn't react right away. A faint, cold laugh left her before she stepped back without saying a word.

His strike didn't land. Instead, he lost his balance and tipped forward, falling out of the wheelchair.

His body hit the floor with force.

He tried to push himself up, but his legs didn't respond.

Left on the floor, he could only lie there, unable to move.

Humiliation rose in him all at once.

His chest heaved as he lifted his head, about to speak, but his body suddenly jerked.

The shift caught Eleanor off guard.

She snapped back to focus and crouched beside him, laying him flat before starting first aid.

The noise brought a servant running in from outside. The moment he saw them, his expression changed.

"Something's wrong! Mr. Fletcher's having an episode!"

The news spread quickly and reached Lynne. The calm she usually carried disappeared. She rushed toward Shawn's house.

Right behind her, Robert followed without delay.

As they crossed the garden, Jenna caught wind of it and hurried after them.

All three arrived in a rush. Lynne took in the scene, the mess on the floor and Shawn convulsing, and panic took over. "What happened to Shawn? Eleanor, what were you doing? How did this happen?"

With everything happening at once, Eleanor stayed focused on helping Shawn and didn't respond.

Even so, Lynne didn't stop. Her voice kept cutting through the room, sharp and accusing.

For a brief moment, Eleanor's hands slowed, but she didn't stop what she was doing.

From the side, Jenna let out a cold laugh. "Mom, look at the food all over the floor. They must've gotten into a fight. That's why this happened."

After a short pause, something seemed to click in her mind. A dark look passed through her eyes as she went on.

"I saw her outside earlier," she added. "Who knows where she went this early. Maybe Shawn found out something, and that's why they argued."

"What?" Lynne snapped. "Eleanor, what did you do?"

She was already upset because of Shawn's condition, and Jenna's words only pushed her further.

Robert's face darkened as he listened.

Eleanor said nothing, and to him, that silence felt like an admission.

"Eleanor!" he said. "We didn't bring you into this family so you could live comfortably! You need to explain right now what happened to Shawn!"

The way they spoke made it sound like she had done something unforgivable.

By then, Shawn had stopped convulsing and slowly settled.

Only after that did Eleanor rise to her feet. "He fell out of the wheelchair. It was an accident. He's fine now."

The moment she finished, Lynne pushed her aside and hurried to direct the servants to move Shawn onto the sofa.

"An accident? Eleanor, do you think I'm blind? How does someone just fall like that? You must've done something," Lynne said.

Jenna followed right after.

Robert's gaze stayed fixed on Eleanor, cold and searching.

Shawn mattered too much to him. That was the only reason he had gone through the trouble of bringing her into the family.

Not one of them noticed the burn on her arm.

A faint smile touched her lips, though from behind, her frame looked unsteady.

Outside the house, Jonathan stood at a distance, watching everything.

Something dark lingered in his eyes.

After a moment, he stepped inside at an unhurried pace.

"Jonathan? Why are you here?" Lynne's tone shifted at once, and surprise flickered across her face.

She knew how to change her attitude.

A quiet laugh left Jonathan as his gaze moved toward the sofa. Seeing Shawn still breathing, he let his lips curve slightly. "I came to check why he's still alive."

The instant those words left Jonathan's mouth, the restraint Robert had been holding onto broke. He turned toward him, his expression turning dark.

"Jonathan! How can you say something like that? Shawn is your brother!"

His words cut off as a thought struck him. The look on his face shifted at once. He added, "Jonathan... did you do this?"

A low laugh slipped from Jonathan, though his eyes showed nothing. The mockery in his voice was unmistakable.

"If I had done it, he wouldn't have lived this long." There was no attempt to soften it. The words came out with clear malice.

Robert's eyes flickered with disbelief. He hadn't expected that kind of answer.

"Jonathan! You—"

The rest never came out. A harsh coughing fit overtook him as his anger surged.

Lynne wasn't any better at holding herself together.

For a split second, her composure nearly slipped, and bitterness flashed across her clenched teeth. Then she noticed Robert's darkened expression from the corner of her eye, and her attitude changed immediately. The anger faded, replaced with a soft look of concern.

"Robert, please don't get upset. Jonathan just came back, so it's understandable if he feels resentment toward Shawn. You shouldn't let this affect your health."

Lynne's soft tone failed to ease Robert's mood. Instead, the way he looked at Jonathan turned even colder.

Those words only stirred up his thoughts again. He was reminded that he had been the one who forced Jonathan out, and that Jonathan now held deep resentment toward the Fletcher family.

That was exactly what Lynne had intended.

A trace of satisfaction flickered in her eyes before she quickly hid it. Soon after, she resumed her worried expression and approached Jonathan.

"Jonathan, try to calm down. Shawn is in a difficult situation, and your father and I are both concerned. What you just said... Don't you think it's too hurtful?"

She paused and sighed, preparing to continue, but Jonathan cut her off before she could go on.

"Stop pretending. It disgusts me."

Those blunt words stopped Lynne in her tracks.

Shock flashed across her face, but it quickly shifted into a concealed sense of delight.

Jonathan really made things easy for her.

"Jonathan... How can you speak to me like that? Everything I'm doing is for your sake."

Lynne dabbed at her eyes, putting on a deeply wronged look.

Jenna had never liked Jonathan in the first place. Seeing him speak to her mother that way pushed her past her limit. "Jonathan! Who do you think you are? That's your family, too! How can you..."

Jenna's voice cut off all at once.

Jonathan's cold stare had already landed on her.

Without saying anything, the threat in his presence was already clear.

A shiver went through her, and she stepped back without thinking.

Her reaction only drew a hint of contempt from Jonathan. He let out a faint, mocking smile and spoke slowly, without any rush. "Jenna, if you had kept your mouth shut, I might've thought you were already gone. But since you insisted on speaking, let me remind you, as your so-called older brother. Instead of wasting your energy defending your fake, two-faced mother, you should focus on keeping yourself in check. Otherwise, you might catch something filthy out there and pass it on to Shawn. And next time, he might not survive."

Shock spread across Jenna's face as her eyes widened.

Fear and panic surfaced instantly.

How could he possibly know about what she'd been doing behind everyone's back?

Her body shook with a mix of anger and fear, yet she didn't dare respond.

Pathetic. A silent scoff crossed Jonathan's mind as he watched Jenna's reaction. Then his gaze shifted toward Eleanor.

Their eyes met briefly. In that instant, he noticed a faint trace of amusement in her expression.

For reasons he couldn't explain, the pressure in his chest seemed to lift.

A slight smile touched his lips before he looked away. He gave a quiet scoff and turned around, leaving as though nothing had happened.

Eleanor watched him go, her thoughts tangled with mixed emotions.

Jonathan's arrival had come at just the right moment. It almost felt like he had stepped in deliberately to help her out.

But... That didn't make sense.

Jonathan wouldn't come all this way just for her.

A faint, self-mocking smile appeared on her lips.

Luckily, the others were too consumed with their anger toward Jonathan to notice her expression.

Lynne couldn't accept that he had openly insulted her and walked away without consequence.

Irritation showed in her eyes, and even the smile she forced looked strained.

"Robert..."

With a wronged tone, Lynne reached out and lightly grasped Robert's sleeve.

"There's no need to worry. Just wait and see. He won't stay arrogant for long."

Robert's eyes narrowed, and a cold, ruthless edge surfaced in his expression.

The sight made Eleanor's chest tighten.

Jonathan was clearly his own son, yet there wasn't a hint of protection in Robert's gaze.

All that remained was pure rejection, as though he were staring at someone he despised.

Even though displeasure lingered beneath the surface, Lynne hid it well and nodded without hesitation. "Okay, I understand, Robert."

After a brief pause, Robert turned his attention to Shawn, whose breathing had finally stabilized. "Make sure Shawn is properly looked after," he said to Eleanor.

With that, he left without another word.

Only once he was completely gone did Lynne drop her smile. She looked back at Eleanor, her voice now carrying open disgust. "I'll let it slide this time. Just focus on taking care of Shawn, and remember your place. If anything happens to him again, you won't get away with it."

Eleanor lowered her eyes, concealing every bit of emotion, and nodded faintly.

Satisfied, Lynne left with Jenna.

When the room finally emptied, Eleanor released a long breath and sank into the sofa, exhaustion evident across her face.

If Jonathan hadn't appeared at that exact moment and stirred up the entire family with a few words, she would've endured Lynne's scolding for far longer.

Whether he intended it or not, he had stepped in and helped her. She needed to go thank him.

She pressed her lips together, her eyes showing a quiet determination.

Still, something crossed her mind. Her gaze dropped to her clothes, and a hint of distaste flickered in her eyes.

Changing first would be better.

Standing in the bathroom, Eleanor looked at the marks left on her body as scenes from last night played clearly in her mind.

Heat crept up her face, and she quickly went through her routine.

Once she finished, Eleanor headed toward Jonathan's quarters, her steps guided by familiarity.

However, she paused the moment she arrived.

Coming here like this... Was she being too bold?

But it was only to thank him. After this, they wouldn't cross paths again.

She exhaled slowly, firming her resolve, and then lifted her hand and knocked.

"Come in."

Almost immediately, Jonathan's voice came from inside, as if he had been expecting her.

His tone gave nothing away. Eleanor pressed her lips together, a hint of tension settling in her chest as she pushed the door open.

Silence filled the room so completely that even the slightest sound would stand out.

Seated at the center of the sofa, Jonathan crossed his legs and casually flipped through a newspaper.

Even that simple action carried a natural sense of refinement.

Eleanor found herself staring, a faint daze slipping into her gaze.

The man in front of her felt different from the one she remembered.

After waiting for a while with no response, Jonathan's brows drew together as he lifted his head.

When he noticed the way she was looking at him, something unfamiliar stirred within him.

Then he spoke, his voice cool and tinged with sarcasm. "Mrs. Fletcher. What exactly do you want from me?"