Chapter 35: Caught Between Two Hearts

Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Caught Between Two Hearts

The driver nodded. He already knew which upscale lounge Elisha preferred whenever he needed to get away and clear his head.

He closed the door, walked around to the driver’s side, and got behind the wheel. Moments later, the car pulled away, carrying Elisha into the evening traffic.

Meanwhile, Henry stared at his phone in disbelief as call after call went unanswered, Elisha rejecting every single attempt to reach him. Frustration and panic warring in his chest, Henry changed tactics and dialed Sarah’s number instead.

The phone rang twice before it connected. Sarah’s, professional voice came through the speaker. "Good evening, Mr. Griffin."

"Good evening, Sarah," Henry said, not wasting any time on pleasantries. "Is your boss still at the office?"

"No, sir. He left just a few moments ago," Sarah replied.

Henry rubbed a hand over his face, his anxiety spiking. "Do you happen to know if he went straight home or somewhere else?"

"I heard him instruct the driver to take him to a bar," Sarah said hesitantly. "But he didn’t specify which bar."

"Alright. Thank you, Sarah."

"You’re welcome, sir."

The line clicked dead. Henry stared down at his screen, his jaw tight as he immediately started searching his contacts for Elisha’s driver.

His thumb hovered over the driver’s name, ready to press call, before he stopped himself.

Wait—no. He knew the upscale lounge Elisha always retreated to whenever things went sideways. Calling the driver would only waste time. It would be faster to go there himself.

Henry locked his phone and tossed it onto his desk before raising his voice. "Cyrus! Get in here!"

The office door opened a second later as Cyrus hurried inside, immediately noticing Henry’s tense, hurried movements.

"Yes, Mr. Griffin?"

"Pack my things," Henry ordered, already standing and buttoning his suit jacket. "I’m leaving for the day."

Cyrus didn’t ask questions. He quickly gathered the portfolio, laptop, and briefcase Henry usually took home, moving with practiced efficiency.

Henry strode toward the office door, and Cyrus followed close behind, carrying his belongings.

Cyrus rushed ahead and pulled open the heavy oak door—only to stop abruptly.

Standing on the other side, her hand raised as if she were about to knock, was Eloise.

She blinked in surprise as the door swung open, revealing Cyrus and Henry standing right there. Cyrus quickly stepped aside.

Eloise’s face lit up with a bright smile as she looked past him.

"Babe," she purred, turning her full attention to Henry.

Henry froze, a flash of panic darting through his eyes before he forced a tight, welcoming smile.

He stepped forward quickly and shut the door behind him, blocking the office from view.

"You’re here already? I thought you said you wanted me to pick you up."

Eloise beamed as she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I wanted to surprise you. Wait—are you already done? Are you leaving the office now?"

Henry glanced back at Cyrus, who was still standing awkwardly with his belongings.

"Ah, yes. Just finishing up."

Eloise’s eyes narrowed slightly with suspicion as she looked up at him.

"Where are you even going? You look like you’re in an awful rush."

Henry stammered slightly, his mind racing to come up with an excuse. "I... I just wanted to quickly meet up with a friend before our date. But since you’re already here, we can just head out. I made reservations."

"Are you sure, babe?" Eloise tilted her head, still pressing him. "If it’s an important friend, we can go meet him together. I don’t mind."

"No, it’s fine," Henry said quickly. He gently loosened her arms from around his waist and gestured for Cyrus to take his things to the car. "I’ll just tell him I’ll catch him tomorrow."

"Alright, if you say so." Eloise smiled, seemingly satisfied.

She slipped her arm securely through Henry’s, and they started walking toward the elevator bank, with Cyrus following a respectful distance behind them, carrying Henry’s things.

When they reached the ground-level executive pickup area, Henry’s driver was already holding the rear door of the car open. Henry ushered Eloise inside first before sliding in beside her. The driver gently closed the door, hurried around to the front, and got behind the wheel.

A moment later, the engine came to life, and the car pulled away from the curb and into the evening traffic.

Inside the quiet backseat, Eloise immediately snuggled closer, wrapping her arm around Henry’s bicep and resting her head comfortably against his shoulder.

"I really missed you, baby," she murmured softly. "Did you miss me too?"

Henry forced a warm smile and gently patted her hand. "Yes, baby. Of course I missed you."

He said all the right words, but his mind was a thousand miles away. Every thought was consumed by Elisha, wondering what he was thinking right now, how badly he was overthinking everything, and what he might do while he was upset. Henry’s only concern was finding a way to leave the dinner early enough to get to Elisha and talk some sense into him.

Eloise kept talking beside him, telling him about her trip, her upcoming schedule, and everything that had happened while she was away. Henry nodded occasionally, but he barely heard a word she said.

The drive to the restaurant was short. When they arrived, the driver pulled up outside the entrance, and Henry and Eloise stepped out. They walked inside and were shown to a private VIP section, where a table had already been prepared for them. Soft instrumental music played in the background, adding to the quiet, romantic atmosphere.

Henry pulled out a chair for Eloise and waited until she was seated before taking the seat beside her.

A few moments later, the servers arrived with their courses. They carefully placed each dish on the table before quietly leaving the couple alone.

Henry gestured toward the food.

"After you," he said politely.

Eloise smiled and began eating. Henry picked up his fork a moment later, doing his best to look like he was enjoying the meal.

Throughout dinner, Eloise kept talking. Henry responded with little more than an occasional nod or quiet hum.

As they neared the end of the meal, Eloise dabbed her mouth with a napkin and smiled at him.

"After we leave here, I’m meeting up with some of my friends for a drink. I don’t know if you have anything else planned, but if you can spare a few hours, I’d really like you to come with me. It would be nice to have you there, babe."

Henry forced a small smile. This might be the opening he needed.

"Sure. I’ll go with you," he replied. "Finish your meal first."

"Alright, babe," Eloise said with a smile.

Once they finished eating, Henry paid the bill. He took Eloise’s hand and led her out of the restaurant toward the waiting car.

After they settled into the back seat, Henry turned to her, trying to sound casual. "So, which bar did you want to go to? I need to let the driver know."

Eloise named a high-end lounge downtown.

Henry’s heart skipped a beat. It was the exact lounge Elisha often visited.

A wave of relief washed over him. This was perfect. He could go with Eloise and find an opportunity to slip away from her and her friends, then make his way to Elisha before he did anything reckless.

The driver pulled away from the curb and headed toward the lounge...