The name we had chosen together long ago when we had still dared to dream of a child of our own.
Even the meaning behind the name, Charles had given it away without hesitation as if it had never belonged to us.
Was he truly this determined to carve out my heart?
"Charles… how could you take the name we chose together and give it to a child you had with someone else?"
The moment the words left my lips, Charles's expression darkened.
"Natalie! Watch what you're saying!" he scolded in a low, sharp voice.
The suddenness of it jolted me back to reality. I watched as he hurriedly turned to Eleanor, his voice dropping into a rushed explanation. Only then did I notice how pale she had gone, her face drained of color.
A lump tightened in my throat, instinct urging me to step forward, to explain.
But then I saw it.
The wariness in Charles's eyes, cold and sharp, like a silent warning, stopped me in my tracks.
Eleanor remained frozen for a long moment before tears welled in her eyes. When she finally spoke, her voice trembled with pain.