Tangled Temptations

Harvey arrived home as the clock was nearing midnight. A single lamp bathed the hall in a warm glow, and the silence of the house echoed around him.

He crept upstairs to check on the children, then loosened his tie and retreated to the master bedroom, where Eloise was already asleep. The room was lit only by the soft moonlight.

Harvey stood at the foot of the bed for a moment, then headed to the bathroom. He discarded his outerwear, a shirt carrying the scent of smoke and whiskey, into the laundry hamper.

After a shower, he slipped into bed behind Eloise. Her breathing was steady, but he knew she was awake, and simply choosing not to speak to him.

Harvey kissed her nape and whispered, "Aren't you going to ask?"

Eloise remained silent, her body stiffening slightly.

He thought of the jibes from the people tonight, and Eloise's suggestion that he find someone younger, and his resentment flared. He pulled her closer, his hand gripping her slender waist.

Their lovemaking was different that night, wordless from beginning to end, as though it was a silent form of release. Thankfully, he remembered to use protection. Afterward, Eloise didn't even get up to shower. She had just fallen asleep, her body still positioned sideways.

Harvey rose from the bed, pulling the covers back. While showering, he wondered, "How did things get to this point?"

He didn't see her reaction. Instead, the sex had only worsened his mood.

In the morning, Eloise stayed at home, doing household chores. She put Harvey's discarded clothes from the night before in a laundry bag, intending to have the maid send them to the dry cleaner, when she picked up his shirt and noticed a hint of perfume. It was a fragrance favored by young women.

Eloise froze. Had Harvey allowed a woman to get close to him last night? Was it his way of retaliating or declaring war?

She checked again, but there were no lipstick stains on his shirt. However, when she was putting away his coat, she found a scented business card in the pocket. Galaxy Entertainment-Tiara.

Half an hour later, Tiara's profile was presented to her. Tiara was 21 years old, a rising starlet, young and beautiful with good acting skills.

Eloise held the photograph.

Tiara bore a strong resemblance to her, down to the traces of cosmetic surgery. It was clear that Harvey was Tiara's target. And to make it worse, Harvey had brought the scent of her perfume home. Perhaps he had been aware when Tiara slipped her card into his pocket. Maybe he just wanted to gauge Eloise's reaction.

Eloise slowly burned the documents.

"Galaxy Entertainment is a new company. The boss is... Ravenna," Natalia reported in a hushed tone.

Eloise watched the flames, her slender fingers gently propping up her head.

Natalia hesitated, then suggested, "Ms. Laurent, why don't we secretly teach her an important lesson? She's just a newcomer. She won't pose much of a threat."

Eloise asked slowly, "Should we kidnap and beat her, or hire someone to make an adult movie with her?"

Natalia clapped in agreement.

Eloise shot her a glance. After a moment, she said quietly, "I won't harm her. On the contrary, I am going to promote her."

If a female star wants to be famous, why not help her achieve that?

"I will use my connections to provide her with good resources and make her famous in the shortest amount of time. Oh, and investigate her plastic surgery records and her past." Eloise told Natalia, her face calm.

Natalia, staring at her boss' serene face, swallowed hard. She immediately set off to carry out the orders.

That day, Tiara received an invitation to a popular variety show. She assumed it was due to Harvey's influence and wanted to call to thank him. She didn't have his private number, so she called his company.

After a few transfers, a woman named Denise answered her call and politely said, "I'll pass your message to Mr. Horigan."

Tiara thanked her profusely.

Ravenna was besides Tiara, waiting. Smoking a slender cigarette, Ravenna said leisurely, "You're still too naive to compete with Eloise. You think being young is enough, but you lack her sophistication. You can't compete with the aura of a woman raised in high society like Eloise. However, once you become a top-tier actress, you won't be inferior to her."

Tiara was her trump card. Ravenna was willing to invest heavily to make her a star. Any man would know how to choose between a young and beautiful lover and a disobdient wife.

Ravenna left the office building. To her surprise, she received a call from Max. It took her a while to recover. Finally, she answered, her voice sharp. "Mr. Velona, why is there a sudden interest in calling me? I thought you had forgotten all about me."

"Let's meet."

...

Max hung up the phone. He was in his office, playing with a protective amulet. Eloise returned his birthday gift without a word. He didn't understand why she wouldn't consider him, given her current situation.

Max looked up, his gaze landing on the video on his laptop. It was footage from the school reunion. He had watched it countless times over the past few days, but Eloise remained unmoved.

About ten minutes later, Max left to meet Ravenna.

In a luxurious suite, Ravenna sat in a seductive silk nightgown, sipping red wine.

Her figure and demeanor were undeniably captivating.

When Max entered, she chuckled lightly, "What's the matter, here to plead for your beloved?"

Max sat across from her, pouring himself a glass of red wine without any formalities.

Ravenna watched him.

In her twenties, she had felt inferior to him because of her relationship with Gunner. Even after she hooked up with him, she was still a secret lover.

But things were different now. In their world, those with money held the power. After a couple of drinks, Max said, "Tell your people to stop messing with Eloise's family."

Ravenna laughed until tears streamed down her face, then asked, "Does it hurt your heart? Are you afraid she'll secretly cry?"

She leaned into his embrace, her slender finger tracing his lips. "Max, how many times do I have to say it before you believe me? Eloise isn't the pitiful little girl she once was. Why else do you think she's able to hold her position in the Horigan family so securely?"

"You shouldn't provoke her."

"But how can I not? She's the reason my husband Stuart got into trouble. My wealth was cut in half because of her. How do you expect me not to hate her?"

Ravenna gritted her teeth. "One day, I will surpass her."

Max had been through thick and thin. He had a taste of the ruthlessness of the Horigan family and Brett. Even when Eloise was the one running Everest Technologies, he had suffered at her hands. He never believed that Ravenna could be a match for Eloise.

But Tiara... Max thought she could hurt Eloise.

Ravenna held his handsome face, her voice trembling slightly. "Max, sleep with me tonight, and I won't let Tiara near Harvey."

Max wasn't naive, but he didn't mind sleeping with Ravenna. He was in the hotel anyway, almost for the same reason. Being the despicable man he was, he still found himself matching well with Ravenna. He didn't need to pretend in front of her, he could vent his frustrations without any shame.

After hours of passion, his feelings of loss were somewhat filled.

The sky darkened. Max leaned on the couch, smoking, while Ravenna was hugging his waist, whispering, "Stay here tonight." But he pushed her away and started dressing. Their relationship was nothing more than that, just sex.

Max left, leaving Ravenna frustrated and throwing pillows in anger.

...

Downstairs in the hotel, Max sat in his car. His body was satisfied, but his heart felt empty. He could never have what he desired.

Eloise. Eloise...

Max drove his black sports car, in a trance. He never believed in reincarnation, but right now, he wished there was a next life. If there was, he would cherish Eloise... He wanted to make her happy, to ease her suffering.

On a late autumn night, in the drizzling rain.

Max's car passed by Eloise's villa, where the warm lights were on. He imagined Eloise inside, teaching the kids piano, and baking cupcakes for them.

On the way home, Aliza called him, talking about household chores and his sister's unhappy marriage.

The windshield wipers swung back and forth, but the rain was getting heavier, and

he couldn't see the road clearly.

Max was holding his phone, distracted, not noticing a large dump truck overturning from the left. After a sharp brake sound, the massive truck crushed his sports car.

Blood slowly flowed from his forehead, blurring his vision. He could feel pain everywhere. His body could hardly move, and he was surrounded by darkness. He knew he wouldn't make it.

Max unbuckled his seat belt with difficulty. His bloody hand reached into his pocket, where a soft cloth wrapped a lucky amulet. He took it out with trembling hands. The amulet was still intact. It was a blessed sacred amulet he had gotten for Eloise. Thankfully, it wasn't broken.

Max never knew how much he loved Eloise until the day he realized his feelings,

at the school reunion. He sat next to the girl he missed out on, and she was not doing well.

Then, he realized it was his punishment.

Eloise...noveldrama

"As a despicable man, I couldn't ask for you to cry for me, I just want you to accept my feelings... Perhaps you won't believe it, but I have truly loved

someone."

Darkness slowly engulfed him. In the last moments of his life, he remembered that

night. When he came home, and opened the door to a warm light. Eloise was waiting for him, with dinner ready...