From His Wife to His Uncle's Wife novel Chapter 72

Eleanor blinked, thrown off by the warmth in his voice. “What?”

Max’s smile was subtle, barely there. “I said, I want to buy this tie.”

Her ears burned red beneath her hair. “You don’t have to buy it, really. Just take it.”

He accepted the tie without missing a beat, lips curving into a quiet smile. “Alright. Thank you for the gift. I’ll keep it.”

Eleanor wasn’t sure how this had suddenly turned into her giving him a present. She could only stare, a little dazed.

Tim shot his nephew a sideways look. Was this kid always this weird?

Before the awkward silence could stretch, Laura’s voice called them to dinner, saving everyone.

“Eleanor, eat a bit more, will you? You look thinner than last time.”

Eleanor gave a small laugh. “Thanks, Laura.”

It was always like this when she saw relatives she hadn’t met in a while. They’d say she was too thin. She hadn’t weighed herself, but after the miscarriage, losing weight was only natural.

Laura’s voice was gentle as she kept piling food on Eleanor’s plate. “A little extra weight would look nice on you.”

Max watched, quietly noting which dishes she liked most.

Eleanor ate quietly, keeping to herself. Tim never liked talking during meals, and Max was never chatty either. The only voices in the room belonged to Laura and Eleanor.

When dinner was done, Eleanor moved to help clear the table, but Laura waved her off.

“Let the men do it. Come on, Eleanor, let’s go talk outside for a bit.”

Eleanor glanced at the men Laura had volunteered for dish duty. One was her old professor, the other her boss. Could they really be trusted with the dishes?

Max rolled his sleeves, showing off lean arms. “Uncle, just relax. I’ll handle the dishes.”

Before she could react, Laura had already led her into the little garden.

“Eleanor, Tim told me you’re planning to get a divorce. Is it already in motion?”

Eleanor nodded. “Yes.”

“If you two really aren’t a fit, then splitting up is for the best. But are you sure you don’t want to take your daughter?” Usually, daughters stayed with their moms.

Not long ago, that question might have made Eleanor hesitate. Now, she just shook her head.

“Laura, my daughter doesn’t even like me. Does that make me a terrible mother?”

Most little girls loved their moms. Eleanor didn’t know what she’d done wrong, but in her own house, she always felt unnecessary. Her daughter craved strength and probably saw her as weak, so maybe her dislike made sense. Still, as her mother, Eleanor couldn’t accept that the girl she’d raised was so ungrateful. She couldn’t sacrifice herself anymore. All she could do was let go.

Laura let out a soft sigh. “I’m not trying to change your mind, I just wanted to ask. Tim and I will back you up, no matter what you decide.”

“Honestly, life might be easier if you’re on your own. Whether you want to remarry someday, or stay single, not having a child with you might be for the best.”

Eleanor gave a tired smile. “Laura, I’m done with marriage. Once was more than enough. It hurt too much.”

Just as he finished, Laura and Eleanor returned.

“Tim, it’s getting late. I want to visit my brother, so I should head out,” Eleanor said.

Tim nodded, remembering her brother was battling leukemia. “Any luck finding a marrow match?”

Eleanor’s eyes dimmed. “Not yet.”

“It’s tough. A bad match can be worse than nothing. I’ve been checking around for you. Hang in there.”

“Thank you, Tim. I’ll get going.”

Laura suddenly asked, “Eleanor, did you take a taxi here?”

“Yeah.” She had a feeling she knew where this was going.

Sure enough, Laura turned to Max. “Max, if you’re heading into the city, can you give Eleanor a ride?”

Tim looked like he wanted to say something, but stopped himself.

Max nodded. “No problem. I need to go into the city anyway.” His eyes held a quiet, playful glint as he looked at Eleanor. “Let’s go, Ms. Rolland. Consider it a thank you for the tie.”

Eleanor was speechless. The more he spoke, the more loaded it sounded.

She managed an awkward smile. “Okay.”