Chapter 265 A Line Drawn
As expected, Henry stepped out of the car.
But he wasn’t the same boy from before.
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Now, he carried himself with quiet authority–the kind of polished confidence that came from growing up around wealth and influence. He looked every bit like someone who belonged at the top of high society.
As Nolan stepped out of his house, he came face–to–face with Henry.
Henry didn’t even flinch. He stepped forward, took Eliza’s hand gently, and smiled–completely ignoring Nolan’s presence.
“Eliza,” he said warmly, “Halbert asked me to come pick you up.”
Halbert? Eliza blinked. Since when were Henry and Halbert connected? She didn’t have time to ask. Henry opened the car door for her with a casual ease and gestured for her to get in, not giving her a chance to question it further.
Nolan watched the whole thing, his expression growing darker by the second.
Henry glanced at him, raising a brow. “Mr. Hayes. Didn’t expect to see you living around here. Pretty low- key of you.” Then, as if just remembering something, he added with a cool smile, “Eliza and I are having our engagement party at the end of the month. If you’ve got time, you should stop by. Bring your fiancée too- since we were once close, I’ll make sure you get a front–row seat.”
And with that, Henry got in the car beside Eliza, and they drove off.
Nolan stood there, fists clenched, watching them disappear down the road.
In the car, Eliza turned to Henry with a frown. “Engagement party? And how did you even know I was here?”
“Halbert was worried you might be in a tough spot. So he asked me to come check on you.”
“You two know each other?”
“Why wouldn’t we?” Henry kept his tone casual. “In this world, anyone our age who’s part of this circle tends to know each other. Some are close, some aren’t. That’s just how it works.”
“I remember a very different version of you,” Eliza said, eyeing him.
“I haven’t changed,” Henry replied. “I was always this way. Just… not around you.”
Back then, they were in high school.
He wasn’t leading the Foster family yet, so he never had to think about leverage or consequences.
But now… everything had changed
He had grown. He had responsibilities. The entire Foster legacy rested on his shoulders.
That meant thinking differently. Calculating risks. Knowing when to move and when to hold back.
“Eliza,” Henry said gently, brushing a hand over her hair, “everything I told you before–I meant it. I never wanted to hurt you. I didn’t want to hurt Nolan either. But we all have our own paths. The Foster family’s
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Chapter 265 A Line Drawn
future doesn’t align with his. And now that you’re my fiancée, it’s my job to protect you.”
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For a moment, Eliza saw a glimpse of the Henry she used to know–back in the classroom, back when life was simpler.
But when she looked a little closer, she could see the difference.
That warmth in his eyes–it was gone.
This Henry, even when saying all the right things, looked cold. Calculated.
“I never intended to be your real fiancée,” Eliza admitted. “I just didn’t want Tristan to be put in a tough spot. And…”
She didn’t finish her sentence.
But Henry understood.
“You also wanted to piss off Nolan,” he said knowingly.
Eliza didn’t say a word–but her silence was all the confirmation he needed.
Henry leaned back against the seat, letting out a quiet breath. “Sometimes… I envy him.”
He envied Nolan’s boldness–how he never hesitated, always did exactly what he wanted, and never held back when dealing with anyone in his way.
And more than anything, he envied the fact that Eliza had once loved him.
Henry glanced over at her profile, quietly taking her in.
He’d had feelings for Eliza for a long time–long before any of this started.
Back when they were still in school, he was the quiet one in Class 6, watching from a distance while Eliza’s heart belonged completely to Zayden.
She had never noticed him.
Eliza didn’t know what was going through Henry’s mind. She looked out the window and said, “Maybe Nolan’s the one who’s jealous. You’ve got the picture–perfect family he never had.”
Henry gave a dry laugh. “In this world? A perfect family doesn’t really exist. Most of them are just putting on a show. Some families,pretend better than others. And some… don’t even bother pretending anymore.”
The car rolled to a stop in front of Claire University.
Halbert’s people were already waiting at the gate.
Halbert stepped forward and opened the car door for Eliza. Henry stepped out slowly and said, “She’s all yours.”
“Mr. Henry, care to join us for lunch?”
“No need. I’ve got other things to take care of,” Henry replied coolly before getting back into the car.
Eliza could tell Halbert’s invitation wasn’t genuine. There was definitely something behind those words. He
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had no intention of actually having lunch with Henry. The way he said it, it was clearly just for show.
Besides, who’d invite someone like Henry to cat in the school cafeteria?
She turned to Halbert. “You don’t seem to like Henry very much.”
“I wouldn’t say that.”
“Then why have him pick me up? Why not just do it yourself?”
Eliza found it kind of strange. Halbert could’ve done this himself. Why pass it off to Henry?
Halbert shrugged. “I thought it might be good for your golden boy Nolan to feel a little pressure for once. A little competition never hurts. Men only start paying attention when they think they’re losing something.”
Eliza narrowed her eyes. “Nolan’s not like that.” .
He let out a dry laugh. “Already defending him, and you haven’t even married into the family yet?” Halbert raised an eyebrow. “Don’t forget–you’re engaged to Henry now. He’s my future brother–in–law. So, stay away from Nolan. The Hayes family is a mess, and we’re not getting involved.”
“That’s still my decision to make,” Eliza said quietly.
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