Chapter 234

Eleanor stayed quiet, her chest tight with feelings she couldn't quite put into words.

Family. Parents. Those wwere the things she had dreamed of for so many lonely nights, the things she had wished for more than anything else.

And now, with the truth finally laid out in front of her. A connection that should have been hers twenty years ago, she felt... nothing. Not joy, not relief. Just a strange numbness, like watching life happen from the outside.

She couldn't shake the memory of Jeff doting on Lainey and taking her side even when she made mistakes

The way he had loved Lainey used to make Eleanor ache with envy.

But it wasn't real love; it was favoritism disguised as affection. It ignored reality, blurred the lines, and excused behavior that shouldn't have been excused. 。

After a long pause, Eleanor finally lifted her eyes.

"Mr. Benton," she said softly, but there was a firmness that couldn't be ignored. "I'm not coming back to your family. I can't respect the way you favor certain children. If reconnecting means turning a blind eye to what's right, I won't take part. And as for who I am... please, don't tell anyone."

She bowed to Jeff and his wife, deliberately and with finality.

When she stood up, she didn't look their way again and walked straight out of the church.

Nolan, without a second thought,followed her.

Jeff and Hilda didn't deserve respect not until Eleanor could forgive them. If it weren't for them,she wouldn't have been through all this.

The church was heavy with silence. Hilda's sobs stopped, leaving her staring blankly at the door, drained to the bone.

Jeff remained frozen, unable to move.

Eleanor's words hit him like a series of crushing blows.

She was right.

That was exactly how he had treated Lainey.

He thought he was making up to her, but in truth, he had sided with a villain and pushed his own daughter away.

If they forced Eleanor to accept them now, it wouldn't be love. It would just be another demand,proving her point and further ruining their bond.

He and Hilda exchanged a look, seeing the sorrow mirrored in each other's eyes.

A distance had grown between them and Eleanor.

They were filled with regret, strong regret, but it was too late.

From that moment on, all they could do was give everything, hoping she might one day turn back and notice them.

At the church entrance, Eleanor paused as if hearing his footsteps.

Her figure, framed in light, seemed smaller than before, lonely in a way that made the air around her feel still. "You knew they were my real parents?" she asked.

Nolan's gaze dropped, and he stepped closer. He didn't try to hide it and replied honestly, "I found out the day of our engagementparty."

Eleanor stayed there, silent.

After a moment, she turned just a little, glancing at the man beside her, confusion flickering in her eyes.

"Am I heartless?" she asked softly. After all, Jeff and Hilda were her biological parents, the ones she had waited for over twenty years.

And yet, she couldn't bring herself to accept them.

The way they spoiled Lainey, their blind favoritism, made her feel like she couldn't face them.

This long-overdue family bond... she simply couldn't embrace it yet.

Nolan's chest tightened at the sight of her struggle.

This stubborn girl always blamed herself.

Did she ever stop to consider the pain others had caused her?

He lifted his hand and softly touched her face, his fingers grazing her soft skin. "Eleanor, you've always been the best."

She had been lost in her own thoughts when his words came out of nowhere, leaving her momentarily speechless.

She felt like laughing at the absurdity of it all.

Pushing his hand away, she was ready to walk away, but Nolan didn't let her go. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, his chin resting lightly on her shoulder.

His hug was warm and filled with a quiet reassurance. "Don't worry," he murmured. "You'll always have me."

Slowly, the tension in her body eased.

She wasn't alone anymore.

Not really.

She had Nolan.

And whether she accepted the Bentons or not, she wasn't facing life by herself.

Just then, hurried footsteps broke through the moment. Erick came rushing from the corner, with papers in hand. He froze when he saw the two of them locked in an embrace at the entrance.

His heart sank.

Had he come at the worst possible moment?

Would Nolan throw him out in anger?

Ah,he wished he could disappear on the spot.

Standing there awkwardly, neither able to step forward nor retreat, he finally cleared his throat.

"Boss, Lainey's been caught. She's just been handed over to the police."

Eleanor's cheeks turned bright red as she quickly pulled herself out of Nolan's arms.

The warmth of the moment broke, Nolan's face turning cold as his eyes cut sharply toward Erick.

That look alone made Erick shiver.

"I see." Nolan's voice carried a chilling edge. "Hire the top lawyers. Lainey must answer for what she's done,and make sure the punishment is death."

"I'm on it, sir!" Erick practically salivated at the relief of being spared.

Clutching the documents, he hurried off in a rush, as though escaping from disaster itself.