Chapter 6

Eleanor's POV

I didn't return to the apartment. Instead, I went straight to the hospital.

With Sebastian's promise, I could finally relax a little.

I worked through the night handling my father's transfer procedures, coordinating with the medical team for tomorrow morning's jet.

As long as I made it through tonight, I could leave with my father.

At 2 a.m., I returned to the apartment to retrieve some of my father's important medical records and documents.

As soon as I pushed open the door, a heavy smell of alcohol and acrid cigarette smoke hit me.

The living room lights were off. In the darkness, a tall, ominous figure sat on the sofa.

"Where were you?"

Tobias's voice was hoarse, filled with barely suppressed mania.

I flipped the switch at the entrance. Harsh light flooded the room. Tobias's eyes were bloodshot, his shirt buttons undone, his tie thrown carelessly on the floor. He stared at me, or rather, at the oversized suit jacket I still wore.

Sebastian's jacket.

"Mr. Reed, instead of fawning over Vivian in the middle of the night, what are you doing here losing your mind?"

I removed the jacket and carefully draped it over a chair back without even glancing at him, heading straight for the study.

"Stop right there!"

Tobias shot up like a crazed predator, charging over and slamming me against the wall.

He roughly gripped my chin, his strength nearly crushing my jawbone.

"What, now that you're with Sebastian Holt, you can't even be bothered to look at me?"

Tobias ground his teeth, his rapid breathing reeking of alcohol washing over my face.

"No wonder you've been so defiant these past few days, not even caring about your father's life! Turns out you've already lined up your next man! Eleanor Hart, do you have no shame? Sebastian Holt, that ruthless capitalist. You think he could actually be interested in you? You're nothing but a tool he's using to get at me!"

I was forced to tilt my head back, looking at this man before me, distorted beyond recognition by jealousy and rage. I suddenly felt unbearably sad.

This was the man I'd loved for five years. Not only cold-blooded, but arrogant beyond redemption.

"Tool, plaything. Whatever."

I laughed coldly.

"At least Sebastian gives me dignity, instead of grinding me into the mud beneath Vivian Sullivan's feet like you do! Tobias, what exactly are you so angry about? That I didn't kneel before you like a dog and beg, or that your pathetic control over me has failed?"

"You think you can escape?"

Tobias suddenly lowered his head, trying to bite my lips.

I turned my head away in disgust. His lips scraped heavily across my cheek.

"Don't touch me. You disgust me."

I coldly spat out those words.

Tobias's movements froze abruptly.

He stared at me, his chest heaving violently.

After a long moment, he suddenly laughed. That smile cold and cruel to the extreme.

"I disgust you? Fine, Eleanor. You've got guts."

Tobias released me and stepped back, straightening his disheveled shirt, resuming that superior, domineering posture.

"You think Sebastian Holt can save your father's life? All the clinical data from that overseas specialist is in my hands! Without my approval, no one can take that targeted therapy drug! Even if you fly your father to heaven, all he can do is wait to die!"

My heart clenched sharply.

"Vivian Sullivan is at my villa right now. One word from her, and all those projects you fought tooth and nail for become hers. And you'll forever be nothing but a stand-in hiding in the gutter, never seeing the light of day!"

He stepped closer, leaning near my ear, his voice soft yet venomous.

"Eleanor, whenever Vivian needs something, you'll have to step aside. I'm giving you three days. Break it off with Sebastian. Come back to me obediently and kneel to beg me. Otherwise, I guarantee your father won't see tomorrow's sunrise."

With that, Tobias turned and strode out of the apartment.

The door slammed shut with a deafening bang.

I leaned against the cold wall, my body trembling uncontrollably.

Not from fear, but from bone-deep cold.

I knew Tobias too well.

What he said, he would do.

He was a madman. To clip my wings, he would do anything.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down.

I walked into the study and pulled out the transfer agreement I'd prepared long ago from the bottom drawer.

An assignment I'd secretly applied for through the company. A brutal overseas market in Africa. All to escape Tobias.

If he could control everything here, then I'd disappear completely.

As long as the medical jet took off tomorrow, I would never be threatened by anyone again.

I picked up the pen and signed my name without hesitation.

My pen pressed hard into the paper. Every stroke was final.