From His Wife to His Uncle's Wife novel Chapter 180

Max caught the quick spark of surprise in her eyes and couldn't help but feel a bit smug. He motioned to the chair, his tone easy. “Have a seat.”

Eleanor took a steadying breath and sat at the dining table, trying not to look nervous.

Max’s smile was warm, his eyes lighting up. “Congrats, by the way. Linden said your case finally wrapped up yesterday.”

Eleanor smiled, a little shy. “Yeah, it’s settled. We actually won. I have to thank Mr. Sidler for that.”

She hesitated, realizing she’d left something out. “And thank you too, Mr. Clarkson. If you hadn’t given me that key piece of evidence, I probably wouldn’t have gotten sixty percent in the settlement.”

Max brushed it off like it was nothing. “It was no big deal. Really, don’t mention it.” He glanced at her, a hint of mischief in his voice. “So, what’s with the sudden decision to move? You tired of living next door?”

He leaned in, close enough that she could see the way his muscles tensed beneath his shirt. “If it’s because of me, I should apologize.”

Eleanor laughed awkwardly, rubbing her nose just to hide how flustered she felt. “No… it’s not that.”

“Then why move?” Max wasn’t letting up. “Or did you forget you still owe me dinners every night?”

Eleanor went silent. She’d actually forgotten about that. With Max busy at business dinners and her own time off, she’d let their arrangement slip. Cooking dinner was supposed to cover her rent.

She kept her eyes down, twisting her fingers nervously. “Mr. Clarkson, it’s just… Now that the court decision is final and I’m getting a decent payout, I want to buy my own place. As for the rent I owe, just let me know how much and I’ll pay you back. Is that alright?”

Max finally understood. She was trying to end things with money.

He paused for a moment, his words hanging in the air. “Go ahead and leave, Ms. Rolland. My stomach’s a mess anyway. I’ll survive missing a few more meals.”

Eleanor just stared at him, caught between amusement and disbelief. Was she really that important to him? Or was she just his ideal chef?

And about that health issue… Was it what she thought it was?

She suddenly felt a bit sorry for him. “Alright, fine. How about this, Mr. Clarkson? Are there any other apartments available in your building? If I buy one nearby, it won’t be too hard to come by and cook for you once in a while. But I can’t promise every single day…”

“There is one. The place right next door is available. I can sell it to you today. Why not call Billy and take the day off? We’ll go sign the papers.”

Eleanor blinked at him in disbelief. He sounded way too cheerful, like they were about to get married, not just finalize a real estate deal.