Eleanora cracked the door open just an inch. The sound of hushed, strained arguing drifted down the empty VIP corridor from the waiting area.
She stopped, pressing her ear to the gap.
Her father, Richard Kensington, was pacing. She could hear the heavy thud of his shoes on the marble floor. He yanked at the knot of his custom silk tie, his chest heaving.
Victoria, her mother, sat on the leather sofa. She was pressing a silk handkerchief to her face, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.
"She took pills, Richard," Victoria cried, her voice cracking. "She almost died. We cannot force her to marry that Mcdowell monster. I won't let you sacrifice her happiness for a merger."
Richard let out a harsh, frustrated growl. "It is not just a merger, Vicky! It's a multi-billion dollar acquisition on Wall Street. We are bound by contracts. We can't just back out because she threw a tantrum!"
"We have enough money!" Victoria stood up, her voice rising in hysteria. "The Kensington wealth is enough for Eleanora to spend for three lifetimes! She doesn't need to be tied to a cold-blooded machine like Heinrich!"
Richard stopped pacing. He rubbed his face, looking suddenly very old. "She is spoiled rotten, Vicky. You know it and I know it. The wolves in this city will eat her alive the second we are gone. Heinrich is ruthless. He is the only man strong enough to protect her from herself and everyone else."
Behind the door, Eleanora's throat tightened. A thick knot formed, making it impossible to swallow. In her past life, she had heard this exact conversation and thought her father was a tyrant selling her for stock options. Now, she heard the desperate, heavy love of a father trying to secure his daughter's future.
Richard let out a long, defeated sigh. "Fine. I will go to Heinrich myself. I will apologize. I will pay the breach of contract penalties. We will cancel the engagement."
Victoria let out a wet gasp of relief. She wiped her eyes, turning toward the hallway to check on her daughter.
Eleanora knew that if Richard walked out of this hospital and canceled that contract, the Mcdowell family would pull their capital. It was the first domino that led to the Kensington family's bankruptcy.
She pushed the heavy double doors open. Her heels clicked sharply against the marble floor.
Richard and Victoria froze. They stared in absolute shock as their daughter, who was supposed to be bedridden and weak, walked toward them with her back straight and her chin held high.
"Ella!" Victoria gasped. She practically ran across the corridor, her arms outstretched, ready to coddle her fragile child.
Eleanora's eyes burned. She stepped forward and threw her arms around her mother's neck, burying her face in Victoria's shoulder. She breathed in the scent of her mother's expensive perfume. It was real. She was warm. She was alive.
"Mom," Eleanora whispered, her voice cracking with genuine emotion. She hugged her tighter, her fingers gripping the fabric of Victoria's dress.
Richard frowned. His jaw tightened. He assumed this was just another manipulation tactic.
"Enough of the theatrics, Eleanora," Richard said, his voice stern and uncompromising. "The show is over. I said I'm going to cancel the engagement. Now get back in that bed before you collapse."
Eleanora pulled back from her mother. She stood up straight. She looked directly into her father's eyes. There was no petulance, no anger, no tears.
"No, Dad," Eleanora said. Her voice was calm, steady, and rang clearly through the quiet corridor. "Do not cancel the prenup."
The air in the hallway instantly solidified. Victoria's hand, which had been stroking Eleanora's hair, stopped mid-air.
Richard stared at her. His eyes narrowed. "Did the stomach pumping damage your brain? What are you talking about?"
Eleanora closed the distance between them. She reached out and grabbed Richard's large, calloused hand. She squeezed it hard.
"I will fulfill the prenuptial agreement," Eleanora stated, enunciating every word. "I am going to marry Heinrich Mcdowell."
Victoria let out a short shriek. She reached out and pressed the back of her hand against Eleanora's forehead. "She's delirious. Richard, call the doctor!"
Eleanora gently pulled her mother's hand down. "I am not delirious. Brushing past death clears the mind, Mom. I was stupid. Heinrich is the best choice for me, and for this family."
Richard studied her face. He searched for the familiar signs of a lie-the shifting eyes, the pouting lip. He found nothing. He only saw a dark, bottomless maturity that sent a slight chill down his spine.
"Do you understand what you are saying?" Richard asked, his voice dropping to a low rumble. "This is a lifelong commitment. There is no backing out once the ink is dry."
The corner of Eleanora's mouth lifted into a faint, serene smile. "I have never been more awake in my entire life."
Before Richard could respond, the elevator at the far end of the hall let out a loud ding. The metal doors slid open, shattering the heavy silence.
