Eleanor spoke up.
"Shut up! It's not your turn yet!" she coldly interrupted, startling everyone slightly. Then, she looked at Emily again. "Just tell me, yes or no."
Emily's eyes flickered slightly, and she smiled awkwardly. "Sister, I don't know why you're asking this, but like I said earlier, everyone knows about it."
"You have no shame. How can you still ask such a question?"
Rebecca was furious and snapped, "Go back and get a divorce. Our Harrison family can't afford a daughter-in-law like you."
Eleanor ignored her and nodded, then turned to Thomas. "You just said that I took the initiative to ask you out and wanted to continue our past relationship?"
She emphasized the last four words with a hint of sarcasm.
Thomas, sensitive to her tone, quickly responded, "Ele, if you're not comfortable saying it in front of the Harrison family, I can wait for you."
As he spoke, he tried to hold Eleanor's hand again, but since Charles had already stopped him once, how could Eleanor let him succeed this time?
She took a step back, looking at the ugly expressions on Charles and Rebecca's faces before smiling lightly. "Alright, since you've answered, it's my turn to speak."
Rebecca sneered. "What else do you have to say?"
"Sister, the most urgent thing is to save Thomas first..."
Eleanor didn't respond. Instead, she took out her phone and played a recording. Emily's anxious voice immediately echoed through the air.
"Thomas plotted against me first. Even if I save him for your sake, I can't do it for nothing..."
"You can have the land, but you must save him... The contract is here. Hurry up and call someone to release him..."
The clear, undeniable recordings played from Eleanor's phone.
She actually recorded everything?
Realizing this, Emily's face turned pale as she looked at Eleanor in disbelief.
Charles' expression flickered. He was shocked—but beneath it, there was an imperceptible trace of joy.
Rebecca was also stunned. She turned to Emily. "What is going on?"
"Mom, don't you understand yet? Thomas is my 'good friend,' and Emily promised to give me a piece of land in exchange for releasing him. It wasn't an easy task."
Eleanor clicked her tongue and slid her finger across the phone screen. Soon, another recording played—this time, Thomas' call to her.
From the recording, it was evident that Thomas had asked to meet Eleanor. Though his words were ambiguous, it was clear that he was the one taking the initiative. There was no mention of any private meetings or affairs between them.
Thomas was better at hiding his emotions than Emily, but he immediately tried to explain. "Ele, why did you record the call? And you only rescued me because your sister persuaded you to. This matter—"
"Enough." Eleanor cut him off with a sneer. "Don't act as if you don't know Emily. Do I need to spell out the nature of your relationship for you?"
She glanced at him mockingly. "With how things stand, you two really do seem alike. Both of you know how to act. No wonder you could team up so well."
"What?" Rebecca was shocked. "Eleanor, are you saying they have a relationship?"
"Mom, they used you today. Emily persuaded me to release Thomas from prison, and the moment I met him, she couldn't wait to bring you here to 'catch us.' Her timing was impeccable, wasn't it?" Eleanor smirked and looked at Thomas with contempt.
"But you overestimate yourself. I'm not interested in a weak man who only knows how to rely on women. I used to be polite to you because of Emily, but now that you two have teamed up against me, I have no reason to entertain this game anymore."
Charles' gaze burned as he looked at her. Unlike before, when he had his suspicions, now he felt a mixture of joy and guilt.
"Sister, you misunderstood me!" Emily's face was full of grievances as she met Rebecca's suspicious gaze. She was about to explode with frustration.
She never expected Eleanor to pull a stunt like this. When had Eleanor become so cunning?
Emily didn't know.
All she knew was that if she couldn't provide a reasonable explanation today, she would completely lose Rebecca's trust.
"Misunderstanding?" Eleanor looked at her with a sly smile. "I always speak with evidence. I don't mislead people."
With that, she picked up her bag, pulled out a chair, and turned to leave.
"Eleanor!"
Just as she took a few steps, Charles caught up with her and grabbed her hand.
Eleanor instinctively struggled but couldn't break free. She turned around and said coldly, "Let go."
Instead of letting go, Charles pulled her into his arms. "Let's go together."
His strong presence enveloped her, the scent of familiarity overwhelming her senses. She involuntarily softened in his embrace.
She pursed her lips, forcing herself to suppress her emotions.
She couldn't let go so easily.
Charles hadn't trusted her, and that was always a problem between them. Now was the perfect opportunity to settle it.
Between husband and wife, love alone wasn't enough.
There had to be trust.
Without it, even if they resolved this situation, other problems would arise in the future.
Thinking of this, Eleanor looked up at him, her expression filled with sadness and disappointment.
"You knew I sent him to jail last time. You knew I had nothing to do with him. But you still believed a few words from your mother and Emily?"
Charles' face turned pale. "I'm sorry."
"I don't accept it," Eleanor replied.
She wiped away nonexistent tears, her eyes turning red as she successfully put on a heartbroken appearance. Then, she wrenched herself free from Charles' grip and ran off.
"Ele!"
Charles' eyes widened in panic as he hurried after her.
Outside the cafe, he stopped her and looked at her seriously. "Come back with me."
His tone was firm, almost as if he would carry her away if she refused.
Eleanor shook her head. "I'm not going."
Charles frowned.
"I'm not angry about what your mother said about me, but your attitude disappoints me." Eleanor's voice was calm but heavy with emotion. "I was confused before, but I'm trying to change. You just don't want to give me any trust."
She looked at him, her expression full of exhaustion.
"I don't want to see you for now."
After that, she walked away.
This time, Charles didn't stop her.
Eleanor took a taxi straight to her grandfather's house.