It was nine-thirty. Eleanor was soothing her daughter to sleep when, all of a sudden, Evelyn burst out of her bedroom. Moments later, she returned, pulling lan along by the hand. "Daddy, I want you to sleep with me and Mommy tonight."

Eleanor tensed instantly. Ian, unfazed, lay down naturally on the other side of the bed. Evelyn curled up in his arms, then reached out toward Eleanor. "Mommy, give me your hand."

With a resigned sigh, Eleanor offered her hand. Evelyn took it and placed it firmly into lan's palm. Hugging them both, she declared, "I want Mommy and Daddy to stay with me forever."

She nuzzled her small face against their arms, content and drowsy.

Eleanor tried to pull her hand back, but lan's grip suddenly tightened. He held on so firmly that she couldn't free herself.

Irritation simmered inside her. What on earth is he doing now?

With Evelyn right there, Eleanor couldn't exactly pick a fight. She had no choice but to grit her teeth and endure it.

"Mommy, you haven't kissed Daddy in a really long time," Evelyn piped up out of nowhere.

She remembered how, not so long ago, her mother would sometimes snuggle up to her father and squeeze Evelyn aside to tease her. Lately, though, she'd noticed Daddy hadn't hugged Mommy in ages, and Mommy hadn't hugged Daddy, either.

Eleanor pretended not to hear.

"Mommy, are you asleep?" Evelyn crawled up and pressed her face against Eleanor's chest.

Seizing the opportunity, Eleanor finally slipped her hand free and mumbled sleepily, "Mmm."

"Daddy, you should give Mommy a kiss!" Evelyn turned to her father, pleading.

lan just smiled, ruffled her hair, and kissed her forehead. "Daddy's going back to his room. You stay here with Mommy."

Evelyn puffed out her cheeks in protest but finally nodded.

Eleanor just hoped her daughter would fall asleep soon. The truth was, she couldn't sleep at all.

By ten-twenty, Evelyn had finally drifted off, using Eleanor's arm as a pillow. Eleanor gently slid her arm free and tiptoed out of the room.

She had barely closed the door when she nearly jumped out of her skin-lan was standing right behind her in the hallway, dressed in pajamas, looking like a wolf lying in wait.

Eleanor almost cursed out loud.

lan didn't say a word, but the look in his eyes told her exactly what he wanted. He wanted to be husband and wife again, in every sense.

"Dr. Langley agreed to let you join her research team." Ian's voice was low and calm.

The message was clear: Eleanor didn't need to study so desperately. Even if she failed her placement exams, he could pull strings and get her into the lab anyway.

Eleanor almost laughed. First, he'd thrown her out, and now he was using his connections to drag her back-like he expected her to be grateful for it. What a shameless man.

"Come to my room," lan said, and before she could react, his long arm wrapped around her waist. He leaned in, his sharp features closing the distance, about to kiss her.

A wave of revulsion surged through Eleanor. Without thinking, she slapped him hard across the face.

Smack!

The quiet hallway froze. Both of them-striker and struck-stood in stunned silence.

Eleanor, her palm stinging, glared at him with fury. "Let go of me."

lan stared at her in disbelief, covering the side of his face. His expression turned

cold, his gaze icy. "When did you learn to hit people?"

Eleanor stepped back, putting distance between them.

"We need to talk," lan said quietly, clearly intent on having some serious marital conversation.

"There's nothing left for us to say." Without another word, Eleanor turned and hurried upstairs.

She closed the door to her study and let out a shaky breath. Her hand was still throbbing. She hadn't planned to hit him, but he'd pushed her past her breaking point.

She would never let him touch her again.

Once she finished her placement exams, she was going to file for divorce-no matter what.