No Love, Only Contract

Eleanor Bennett’s marriage to Ethan Grant started as a transaction, a mere exchange of benefits. In this game of pretense, Eleanor unknowingly found herself mired in emotional turmoil, giving her heart to Ethan. However, Ethan remained indifferent throughout, showing her no affection whatsoever. Eleanor’s long and hopeless one-sided love ultimately shattered when Ethan demanded she go to the hospital for an abortion. She humbly set aside her pride, begging him to keep their child, only to be met with Ethan’s cold and ruthless response, "You’ve broken our agreement." But after the baby was born, Ethan locked her away in a dark corner, his voice low and hoarse as he pleaded, "Elle, don't leave. I was wrong." ***** Eleanor gripped the pregnancy test, staring blankly at the two red lines for what seemed like an eternity without reacting. She sat in the small stall of the bathroom, mentally retracing when it could have gone wrong. 'It has to be from last month.' She had gone on a business trip to Silverpine with Ethan. They’d used up all the precautions in the hotel room. After the hot springs bath, she felt lightheaded. When Ethan pinned her to the bed, her mind was still foggy. That was a night of passion. The next morning, when Eleanor woke up, Ethan was already dressed in his suit, adjusting his tie. Before leaving, he reminded her, "Remember to get the pills." It wasn’t that Eleanor had a bad memory. She’d just been so caught up in work over the past few days. The thought of the pills had completely slipped her mind. Life with Ethan wasn’t easy. He was strict, expecting perfection in everything, leaving no room for personal feelings. By the time Eleanor remembered, several days had passed, and it was already too late to take the morning-after pill. Later, she still entertained the hope that it wouldn’t be so easy to get pregnant. But luck wasn’t on her side… She was pregnant. After recalling all of this, Eleanor snapped back to reality. Without expression, she tossed the pregnancy test into the trash. She walked out of the stall and splashed cold water on her face at the sink, trying to clear her mind. After washing her face, Eleanor looked up at her reflection in the mirror—her face blank, unsure of what to do next. Before she could make her next move, the new assistant rushed in, her face filled with urgency. "Miss Bennett, what should we do? Miss Hart is here to cause trouble again." "Miss Hart?" Eleanor repeated, "I heard she was Mr. Grant's ex-girlfriend. But after less than a month, he dumped her. She must not be able to accept it. She’s been running to the company every now and then, causing a scene, but Mr. Grant never meets her. She’s always thrown out before even getting the chance to see him. Mr. Grant clearly doesn’t want to see her." Eleanor rubbed her face. She used to handle the messes surrounding Ethan’s with ease. But today, she felt inexplicably irritated. Yet, given her position now, she suppressed her frustration and said, "I’ll handle it." Walking in her high heels, Eleanor approached Olivia. She looked at Olivia with a touch of pity—perhaps that sympathy was meant for herself as well. The women who loved Ethan never had a happy ending. If they were after his money, they might just get what they wanted. But if they sought his heart, it was nothing but a pipe dream. Ethan was generous to every woman who had been with him. He was extravagant, never holding back. Even when they broke up, he wouldn’t leave them empty-handed. Eleanor had personally handled one such breakup. She had given the woman a large flat in the city center, priceless jewelry, and a generous sum of cash. "Miss Hart, Mr. Grant isn’t in the office. If you need to speak with him, why don’t you call him directly?" Olivia had come to the company because she couldn’t reach him. Who would let go of a rich man like Ethan Grant? "I’ll wait for him here." "You should know Mr. Grant’s temperament," Eleanor said patiently. "He likes obedient people. If you piss him off, it won’t end well for you." She sighed, adding, "And if I’m being honest, the breakup compensation was already very generous. There are countless fish in the sea, why embarrass yourself for Ethan?" Olivia weighed her options. Ethan appeared gentle on the surface, but underneath, he was as cold as ice. If she pissed him off, it wouldn’t be worth it. He could easily take back all the gifts he'd given her. She pursed her lips. "Alright, I’ll contact him myself!" Eleanor felt a weight lift from her chest, and had the assistant escort Olivia out. In the secretary's office, the staff were gossiping. Charlotte couldn’t resist whispering in Eleanor’s ear, "Our Mr. Grant is really quite the heartthrob. I wonder which girl will be able to tame him. But even if she becomes Mrs. Grant, life won’t be easy. She’ll have to deal with all those women throwing themselves at him." Eleanor couldn’t help but agree. As Ethan’s wife, she felt suffocated. She had been married to Ethan for almost six months now. Looking back, it all seemed so dramatic. They had ended up in bed due to alcohol, a spur-of-the-moment decision. And luck had been on their side—or perhaps against them. Ethan’s mother had caught them. Eleanor had walked out of Ethan’s bedroom, wearing his shirt, and had been mistakenly assumed to be his girlfriend. Ethan’s mother had always been worried about her son’s marriage. That day, she invited Eleanor to dinner at the Grant estate. Ethan, tired of his mother’s endless matchmaking, had simply proposed marriage—one devoid of any emotional foundation. She needed money. He needed a woman in his house. So, they became husband and wife. Ethan gave her extra money every month, as well to cover her mother’s high medical bills. All she had to do was play the role of a wife in front of Ethan’s mother—and never fall in love with him. Because Ethan’s heart belonged to someone else. Eleanor had known this from the beginning, but she had never wanted to face it. Every time she thought about it, her heart ached like a thousand needles stabbing her. She had seen Ethan at his most passionate, at his most carefree. All of that love had been given to another girl. "Miss Bennett, Mr. Grant asked you to bring him a cup of coffee." Eleanor went to the break room and brewed a cup of black coffee. She knocked on the door and entered. Ethan was dressed in a black shirt with the cuffs rolled up, his face unreadable as he glanced up at her. Eleanor placed the coffee down, but the words "I’m pregnant" felt stuck in her throat, impossible to say. Ethan raised an eyebrow, sensing something. His dark eyes fixed on her. "Is there something else?" Eleanor swallowed her words. "No. I’ll leave now." Ethan gave a soft hum, not asking any further questions. ***** That evening, when she got home. Eleanor had taken a long shower and lay in bed for what felt like forever, unable to fall asleep. In the middle of the night, Ethan entered the bedroom, carrying the faint scent of smoke—soft, not overwhelming. Ethan stepped out of the bathroom with his hair still half-dried. He casually wrapped his arm around her waist, his long thumb pressing against her back, his fingertips lingering with a hint of intimacy, as he leaned down to kiss her. Eleanor couldn’t avoid his strong scent. She pushed him away with all her strength, her face turning as red as an apple, gasping for breath. "Mr. Grant, I don’t want this tonight." Ethan slowly withdrew the smile from his lips, gazing at her thoughtfully. "Are you angry?" Eleanor shook her head. "No, I’m just not feeling well." She wasn’t sure if Ethan truly believed her, but she was certain that tonight, he wouldn’t touch her again. Ethan never forced anyone. He liked it mutual and consensual. He stared at her for a while, then casually said, "Is this because of Olivia?" Eleanor didn’t respond. Perhaps the pregnancy made her emotions more volatile. She didn’t want to say anything, too tired even to pretend. Ethan didn’t intend to explain further. He and Olivia... actually had nothing going on. He felt a bit stifled inside but didn’t show it on his face. He pursed his lips. "You should rest early." Eleanor pulled the blanket tighter around herself and stopped him as he was about to leave. "I dreamed last night that I was pregnant. What do you think we should do if I really am?"