Chapter 29 Mad at Me?

Eleanor approached Aaron's car and reached for the rear passenger door.

His voice was deep and detached: “Who do you think is the driver?”

In all of Nan City, let alone the whole country, who would dare to treat Aaron as just a driver?

Eleanor paused, a harmless smile playing on her lips, “As long as the second sister-in-law doesn’t mind.”

Aaron’s gaze swept over her face, capturing her feigned smile and all.

She opened the passenger door and slid into the seat.

The hem of her long dress swayed as she sat down, revealing ankles that were badly swollen.

Aaron asked with a stern face, “Do you have a death wish?” Driving with an ankle like that.

“It doesn’t hurt,” Eleanor said, shifting her leg and making sure her ankle was covered by the hem of her dress.

Suddenly, his presence closed in, and his warm hand grasped her calf, lifting it gently.

Eleanor instinctively tried to protect the hem of her dress, losing any chance to pull away.

As Aaron gently moved her ankle, her face turned pale with pain, a cold sweat formed on her forehead, and her eyes reddened as she involuntarily cried out, “Be careful!”

“Thought it wasn’t hurting,” Aaron mocked and released her.

Biting back the pain, Eleanor remained silent, stubborn as an ox.

“I have some ointment for sprains at home. It would be less trouble if Brother could just take me back,” she said, keeping her gaze forward and straightening her dress.

Aaron didn’t respond and instead drove straight to the private hospital.

...

Ashton rushed to the examination room. Aaron stood tall and imposing by an armchair, his coat hanging open, and behind him sat a woman, her white high-heeled shoes on display.

His first reaction was relief that it wasn’t Aaron who was injured, then annoyance thinking the woman might be Vincent. But his frown deepened when he realized it was Eleanor.

“What's happened?” he glanced at Aaron.

“She sprained her ankle. Take a look,” Aaron stepped aside, making space.

Ashton wanted to retort that for a sprained ankle, one should see an orthopedist, he wasn’t the expert. But the look in Aaron’s eyes silenced any protest.

He knelt before Eleanor and gently tested the movement of her foot.
Eleanor winced, and Aaron furrowed his brow in concern. "Can you handle it?"

"You think I can't? What about you?" Ashton shifted his approach and looked up at Eleanor. "Does this hurt?"

She shook her head.

"It’s not a fracture. Just need to apply some spray. Avoid any strenuous activities for a while." Ashton stood, signaling to the nurse to fetch the medicine.

Eleanor slipped on her shoes, and Ashton frowned. "Ditch the heels for now; wear flats, something with a soft sole."

Eleanor loved to look her best but was also willing to listen. "Sure, Court Physician, Dr. Evans..."

She paused, abruptly realizing she had accidentally used the private joke she and Grayson shared for Ashton. Ashton treated the Quinn family, who were the pinnacle of power in Nan City. With Aaron as the 'crown prince' of the Quinns, that made Ashton the, well, 'court physician'.

She touched her nose, embarrassed. "Uh, can I wash my feet though?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"Yeah, you didn't break the skin." Ashton made a sound of acknowledgment, slipping into character with a playful tone. "Is there anything else this humble servant can assist the young mistress with?"

Eleanor couldn't hold back a giggle. "Sorry." She wanted to add that only maids or eunuchs served at foot-washing, but looking at Ashton’s handsome face made it hard to suppress her laughter. She pinched herself discreetly to stop.

"So, what's so funny?" Aaron's voice suddenly loomed over her, and she instantly stopped laughing.

The man had approached unnoticed, dropping a brand new pair of white, soft-soled slippers by her feet.

Caught off guard, her hand brushed his trousers. In a flash, he and Ashton stepped out of the examination room, and the nurse came in to treat her wounds.

Ashton lounged in the office chair, "I heard from Wesley that Eleanor was nearly bullied?"

Aaron lit a cigarette. "Busybody."

He grumbled, "You're not getting anywhere with your silence. Wesley's reliable, like a walking surveillance camera. Captured everything, huh? That Edward, quite the protector for Eleanor."

"Tricks," Aaron flicked the lighter onto the desk dismissively. "Old news, just amusing little girls."

Unperturbed, Ashton replied, "Business is your forte, not understanding girls. A guy like Edward knows how to win a girl's heart. If I were a woman, I'd be totally smitten."

"With that attitude, I might just ship you off to Thailand overnight." Aaron glanced at him coolly. "Edward will be waiting for you."

"Come on!" Ashton threw his hands up. "I was just making a point!"
He glanced over at the silent Aaron and yawned. "You seem awfully concerned about her, huh?"

Aaron flicked the ash off his cigarette, heard Eleanor's thank you to the nurse outside, and snuffed out his smoke. "Let's go."

Nurse helped Eleanor to her feet, and as she looked up, Aaron was already there, offering his arm for support. She reluctantly took it, aware of the several pairs of eyes that watched them.

"Thanks, bro," she murmured.

Aaron looked down at her, noting the resolute look in her eyes and the effort she was putting into holding back her emotions.

In the car, Aaron didn't immediately start the engine. The private hospital was on Mid-Mountain Road, a discreet place where married men often brought their mistresses for care—secluded and high-end.

The silence was profound, with a breeze rising in the mountain night.

His voice was deep and resonant. "Are you mad at me for stopping you from hitting Vincent at the hotel?"

"No," she replied too quickly, clearly not being honest.

"Tell me the truth."

"No."

A brief silence.

Aaron chuckled softly. "Good. Now tell me, should I choose a future wife or a sister who's always trying to set boundaries with me?"

"You made the right choice."

He gripped her chin insistently. "You can joke with Ashton, but with me it's always this tone, Eleanor. Look at yourself, getting all worked up!"

"What do you want me to say, Aaron? That if I ask you to take my side, you'll actually do it? I understand my situation perfectly well."

"You better."

Eleanor chocked as a wave of sadness surged within her. She fought to contain it, not wanting to show Aaron any vulnerability.

Taking a deep breath, she said, "If tonight's incident was orchestrated by Vincent, maybe even lured me into a trap, would you still choose her?"

He let go of her chin. "Where's the proof?"

Eleanor blinked back frustration, regretting not recording the conversation on her phone. But even if she had, would Aaron have believed her?

No, he had made it clear—he would choose his fiancée.

"It was just a hypothetical."

Aaron tapped out a cigarette from the case, about to light it, when he caught a glimpse of her cold profile. She had always found it hard to trust someone, and that distrust showed on her face.

Tossing the cigarette and lighter back into the storage compartment with a clatter, he started the car and said indifferently, "Don't let it happen again."