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584 Words
Eleanor's leg injury was relatively minor and didn't require hospitalization, so she followed Sampson home.
Sampson shoved her towards a servant. "Keep an eye on her. Don't let her be seen by anyone."
Eleanor looked fearfully at the unfamiliar environment and reached out to grab the hem of Sampson's shirt. "Brother..."
Sampson was already too tired to correct someone he deemed "mentally deficient." He pried her fingers open with a force that nearly felt bone-breaking, then turned and walked away without a backward glance.
A servant stepped forward. "Miss Bai, please come with me to the guest room."
Due to the extremity of Eleanor's past actions, even though they were not yet divorced, Sampson had explicitly forbidden everyone from calling her Mrs. Han. Thus, everyone could only address her as 'Miss.'
Eleanor blinked her teary eyes and asked pitifully, "What about brother?"
She was naturally petite and cute with fair, translucent skin. Although no longer a child, this pitiful act surprisingly didn't seem out of place on her.
The servant was momentarily stunned, finding it hard to feel any dislike towards Eleanor, but she didn't dare say more, afraid of being driven away by Sampson. So, she helped Eleanor into the guest room, settled her in a chair, and quickly left.
The moment the door closed, Eleanor's entire body relaxed. The pitiful, childish expression on her face vanished instantly, replaced by a look of sheer exhaustion.
She rubbed her aching temples and muttered to herself, "Playing dumb is exhausting."
But it was the only method she could think of. The moment she regained consciousness after the car accident, she understood that facing Sampson as her old self would only intensify his hatred. Only a complete transformation could possibly break the deadlock.
She walked to the mirror and looked at the familiar yet strange face reflected back. The owner of this face had once been so willful and spoiled, yet now she had to rely on pretense to grasp a sliver of hope.
"One month," she whispered. "I must make him see my change within this month."
This was what the doctor had privately told her—Sampson had already hired a lawyer to initiate divorce proceedings, which would likely be finalized in about a month. Once divorced, she would forever lose the chance to atone for her mistakes.
Eleanor was not one to retreat in the face of difficulty. Even during the most challenging times, she had managed her father's company, proving her capability. Now, facing this seemingly impossible task, her fighting spirit was ignited.
She began recalling all the information she had about Sampson. Before their marriage, she had thoroughly investigated his background, likes, and dislikes. Now, this information would become her only weapon.
Sampson, born into poverty, relied on his own efforts to get into a top university and built his company from scratch. He was calm, self-controlled, valued responsibility above all, and detested deception and coercion—precisely the two tactics the former Eleanor had most frequently employed.
"I must completely change his perception of me," Eleanor resolved.
She knew how difficult this path would be. In Sampson's eyes, she was the enemy who killed his mother; that hatred would not easily fade. But she had no other choice. She could only persevere and prove her remorse through her actions.
The night deepened. Eleanor lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Tomorrow would be a new beginning. A gamble with her genuine feelings as the stake was about to commence.
- Writer
