Tangled Temptations

His words sent a flutter through Eloise's heart. She had a hunch that he had regained his memory but was keeping mum, wanting to surprise her. After all, there was something about a little mystery between grown men and women that was tantalizing.

Even after years of marriage and with a baby on the way, Eloise still craved romance and intrigue. Who could resist such a delicious feeling?

Late at night was perfect for pillow talk. Inevitably, the conversation turned to Orlena's marital prospects.

Snuggled against Harvey's shoulder, Eloise murmured, "Another birthday, another year older. You know how much I've always wanted my uncle to find happiness, but it's just not fair to Orlena."

In the darkness, Harvey gently stroked her face. He didn't say a word. As Orlena's older brother, he felt their father was right—if Brett couldn't make Orlena happy, no one else stood a chance.

...

A week later, Aliza called Eloise. Her voice was subdued, but you could hear the unrest. "Eloise, Jeffrey's surgery was a success! Thank you, and thanks to Mr. Horigan."

Eloise was at home, brewing spiced cider and surrounded by a gaggle of adorable kids. Kindergarten was closed because of the snow, and Orlena had sent Daniel over.

Daniel clung to Eloise's leg, careful not to bump her belly. He was eager for a little sister.

Eloise looked down at him, then tenderly stroked his hair. She told Aliza, "Jeffrey saved me; it's the least I can do. And there will be a few surgeries left. Thank you for taking care of him."

Aliza choked up. Her feelings for Eloise were complicated.

Finally, Aliza whispered, "Thank you for telling Ms. Olea to warn me about Ravenna."

Eloise smiled faintly.

After hanging up, she focused on brewing the cider for the children. Daniel was all soft and cuddly. He asked, "Will the baby be as pretty as Linda?"

Eloise's eyes softened with warmth. She settled onto the couch, tousling Daniel's hair, and said, "She might look like your mom!"

Linda and Darrien both took after Eloise. She figured the third child would inherit the Horigan family genes. Daniel's mom, Orlena, was also a beauty.

Eloise kissed Daniel, feeling content. Whatever her child looked like, they would be blessed with good genes-though she wouldn't brag to Harvey about that. It would only make him more conceited.

The kids went out to build a snowman.

Eloise was unable to join in due to her pregnancy. She had the maid watch over them, and after their frolic, she served them ginger tea.

...

The weather cleared up for Christmas. Harvey was away on business but promised to be back that night.

Eloise was now four months pregnant and preferred to stay in. However, Orlena had been feeling down lately, so Eloise accepted Veronica's invitation, and the two were off to a dinner party.

The hostess was a skilled socialite from the Miles family, who had organized a masquerade ball.

A glittering crowd was in attendance.

Eloise, nestled in a cozy corner with acquaintances, soaked up the festive spirit. Her movie investment had grossed over two billion.noveldrama

Ms. Olea had made a comeback. Several supporting actors were now well-known, and a bevy of hopeful young stars approached Eloise, seeking opportunities. She was there to enjoy herself and felt relaxed.

And in that setting, she thought of someone else. It was at a similar gathering where Max had sat next to her and spoken those words. If Max were still here, she wouldn't be thinking of him, but he was gone, and she occasionally did, with a touch of regret...

Orlena read Eloise's expression, guessed she was thinking of Max, and also felt a pang of sadness.

Just then, the Miles family lady, Katherine, approached. She was a woman of stature, known for her cunning, and clearly sought Eloise's friendship.

Leaning in, she whispered, "I didn't invite Ravenna, but she's outside, hoping to see you. Do you wish to meet her?"

Ravenna...

Eloise's lips curled into a faint smile. Eloise genuinely admired Ravenna's audacity. After all her misdeeds, she still had the nerve to show her face.

Others might have confronted Ravenna then and there, but Eloise preferred subtlety. She quietly told Katherine, "She's not a close friend, and if she lacks an invitation, perhaps it's best not to make exceptions."

Katherine understood perfectly. She sent an attendant to handle the situation.

The attendant, adept at reading the room, told Ravenna bluntly, "Our lady insists, no invitation, no entry. If you wish to see Mrs. Horigan, you should make another appointment."

Ravenna, in a red sequined dress with a tasseled clutch, pleaded, "I just want to say a few words."

The attendant looked her over and chuckled, "A few words won't do! Ms. Ravenna, you must have crossed Mrs. Horigan. She seems quite amiable, not one to make enemies easily."

Ravenna's face soured. As the attendant left, Ravenna leaned against the wall, pondering if Eloise knew something.

Impossible! She had been meticulous, leaving no trace. And the drink Max had-it was just for fun. If he chose to end it all, she couldn't be blamed!

...

Ravenna loathed the idea of bowing to Eloise, but the harsh truth was Eloise's absence left her floundering and humiliated.

Ravenna's projects were falling through. Things got worse.

On a bitter winter night, Ravenna waited outside the hotel. She was waiting for someone.

Around 10 p.m., a sleek black Maybach pulled up. Harvey stepped out, fresh from a business trip, rushing from the airport to meet Eloise.

The ten-hour flight hadn't taken its toll on him. If anything, he looked more dashing than ever. Ravenna had known many men, and she knew how to read them. Harvey looked like a man well cared for, in love and in health.

Eloise had given him so much. And Ravenna was green with envy. But beyond the green monster of envy, there was something far more pressing on her agenda - a plea for mercy.

Ravenna figured that no man could resist a beautiful woman in distress. Even if Harvey was head over heels for Eloise, all Ravenna needed was to strike a pitiful pose, and his heart would surely melt. Perhaps she could even drive a wedge between them.

Ravenna approached him with a tentative, "Mr. Horigan?"

Harvey had spotted her from a mile away, and at the sound of his name, he paused in stride. Fishing out a cigarette, he lit it with a practiced flick of his lighter. "Ms. Ravenna, is there something you need?"

His tone was polite but distant. Ravenna wasn't deterred. She put on a heart- wrenching look and whispered, "Call me Ravenna, please! After all, Eloise and I go way back."

Under the cloak of night, Harvey's smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

Without missing a beat, Ravenna continued, "Harvey, I think Eloise might have gotten the wrong idea about me!"

Harvey's brow furrowed. He cut straight to the chase. "Only Eloise gets to call me Harvey! Ms. Ravenna, show some self-respect."

Ravenna was momentarily at a loss for words, but she had a thick skin and managed a strained smile. "You two seem so close! Mr. Horigan, I need to ask you something. I think Eloise might have misunderstood me. She's taken to having me followed everywhere I go, and it's quite inconvenient!" Harvey's gaze was piercing. The mature intensity in his eyes made Ravenna's knees weak.

Then, Harvey let out a soft chuckle, "Is Eloise being that terrible?"

Ravenna couldn't quite gauge his sentiment.

Harvey spoke with feigned seriousness, "Ms. Ravenna, that's not my department.

If I meddle and Eloise gets upset, it could harm our marital bliss."

Ravenna was stunned.

Harvey's gaze darkened. "Ms. Ravenna, you should first ask yourself what you've done. When you're lost in your nightmares, don't you ever see Max?"

Midnight nightmares...

Ravenna turned ashen.

Observing her expression, Harvey scoffed. He tossed his cigarette aside, snuffed it out, and added indifferently, "Ms. Ravenna, Eloise has already had a brush with death, and the truth hasn't come out yet. Let me leave you with this. If anything happens to Eloise again, I will show no mercy. Watch yourself."

His words were cryptic, and Ravenna couldn't decipher his true meaning, but she knew better than to cross Eloise again.

As Harvey walked away, Ravenna stood there shivering in her evening gown, frozen to the bone.

About ten minutes later, Eloise emerged from the hotel lobby with Harvey. They looked utterly besotted with each other.

Harvey's wool coat was draped over Eloise's shoulders, buttoned up snugly and securely. He even had his arm wrapped around his wife's waist. Ravenna mused that perhaps absence did make the heart grow fonder.

As Eloise was about to get into the car, Ravenna called out from a distance, "Eloise!"

Eloise turned around. At that moment, Ravenna truly felt defeated. In a rash moment, she had tried to eliminate Eloise, but Eloise had survived against all odds, leaving Ravenna scrambling to cover her tracks. Now, with the Horigan family's stance clear as day, Ravenna was, to some extent, hoping to curry favor with Eloise.

Eloise didn't get into the car right away. She watched Ravenna approach, curious about what she would say.

The night air was bitingly cold. Leaning on Harvey's shoulder, Eloise observed the pale woman drawing near.

Ravenna lowered her pride. "Let's bury the hatchet, Eloise," she said, her voice feigning nonchalance.

The suggestion of reconciliation repulsed Eloise, but she didn't show it. Eloise smiled softly, "Ravenna, we've never had a conflict to begin with, so what's there

to reconcile?"

Ravenna's face contorted. "So you won't forgive me?"

Eloise studied her carefully. All Eloise saw on that face and in those eyes, was the embodiment of malice!

Max, Jeffrey, Veronica... and Eloise, had all been plunged into misery because of this malicious woman. For her own ends, Ravenna had stopped at nothing. And now, with a mere word of reconciliation, she hoped to erase it all.

Eloise suddenly smiled. "I'll think about it! You know, Ravenna, you're right. It's better to have another ally than another enemy."

Ravenna was surprised.

Eloise gently wrapped her arms around Harvey's waist, her smile a mix of sweetness and ice. "But don't you dare make a play for my husband!"

Her tone was tender yet chilling. "Otherwise, I might just get angry!" Ravenna did find Harvey appealing, but she knew he was out of her league. She had lost that battle.

If this foolishly kind woman, Eloise, was willing to reconcile, Ravenna would be looking for opportunities to use her. Once she climbed the social ladder using Eloise's connections, those little spats from the past would mean nothing.

Back in the car.

The interior was warm, and Eloise slowly slipped off her coat.

Harvey tenderly stroked her stomach, murmuring, "Why force yourself to deal with

her?"

Eloise shook her head softly. After a moment, she whispered, "I heard you on the phone that night. Gathering evidence is hard!"

Harvey caressed her belly again. "We'll crack the case eventually!"

Eloise gazed at the city lights ahead, lost in thought. "I'm just afraid of the 'what

if.""

If the law couldn't punish Ravenna, she'd find another way.

Eloise and Harvey were of one mind; he knew her thoughts as if they were his

own.

As they talked it through, the car came to a stop, and Eloise looked outside, surprised. "Why did we come here?" It was the apartment they had once lived in together.

Her expression was a mix of joy and astonishment.

Harvey unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned in to kiss her. His voice was warm and

gravelly. "Didn't we agree to spend Christmas here? I've taken care of everything

with the kids. My parents took them early, so we can have the whole night to ourselves."

Eloise knew him well after all these years of marriage. She understood his desires, but she had been concerned about the children. Furthermore, there were things he had yet to confess. With these thoughts, her face showed a tender vulnerability.

Harvey cradled her cheeks, delving into her lips, and kissing her with a mix of intensity and tenderness.

He always had a way with words, the kind that turned conversations between spouses into something that made hearts race and cheeks flush. "What do you want me to confess? How about we share our confessions tonight, hmm?" Eloise's face burned hotly. She was still dressed in her evening gown, and here he was, breaking all the rules of decorum. Her voice was sweet and alluring. "What kind of man are you, acting like this? You're 35, for heaven's sake. Show some restraint."

Harvey chuckled softly. He whispered in her ear, his voice gentle yet provocative. "Eloise, is this like revisiting old times?"

There was a playful double meaning in his words. How could Eloise not catch his

drift? She tilted her head back, her eyes brimming with emotion as she murmured, "Harvey!" Harvey was clearly struggling to keep his composure, but Eloise was pregnant, and a car was no place for what he had in mind.

By the time they reached their apartment, they could barely contain themselves.

In the foyer, the light cast a warm golden glow as they embraced and kissed passionately, as if trying to merge into one another. Harvey felt Eloise's arousal and his dark eyes were locked on her breathless form. "Eloise, it's been a while

since you've been this aroused."

Eloise started to unbutton his shirt. The deep blue fabric parted to reveal two buttons undone, exposing a stretch of toned muscles. He was handsome, and his physique was even more impressive.

Eloise, moved by desire, kissed his chin and murmured hazily, "Harvey, only I know about all your best qualities, right?"

Harvey looked down at her intently. In that moment, he saw the Eloise of the past,

the one who had just moved in with him. Back then, she always yearned for his embrace.

Her admiration for his body satisfied his masculine pride. He cradled her face and whispered, "Yes! Eloise, from the beginning to the end, it's only been you!" Eloise kissed him even more fervently. With a swift motion, Harvey scooped her

up and carried her to the piano. The piano trembled with notes.

Like a reunion after days apart, the intimacy unfolded naturally, and Harvey finally

fulfilled his wish. In their apartment, he made love to Eloise once more.

As emotions peaked, they both fell into a silence, an unspoken understanding

between them.

He was the Harvey of the past. He was back...

Finally, Eloise crumbled, caressing her husband's face and whispering softly,

"Harvey, is it really you? Have you truly come back?"