The next morning, Victoria woke to find her daughter still sound asleep beside her.


    Her whole body ached, as if she''d spent the night tied up in knots. Nothing felt quite right.


    Downstairs, the tter of tes and silverware drifted up from the kitchen-house staff busy setting the breakfast table. A nce at the clock told her it was already seven.


    She noticed there was no sound of a car engine in the driveway. Did that mean McNeil hadn''t left yet? He always made a point to leave for the office before seven, especially if she was home-he never took Gwh to school himself, so his mornings started early. In fact, Victoria couldn''t recall thest time he''d actually had breakfast at home in the past six months.


    She rushed through her morning routine, washed up, and hurried downstairs.


    Sure enough, the staff were setting out three ce settings in the dining room- McNeil nned to eat with them.


    "Good morning, ma''am," the staff greeted her in turn. Victoria nodded, and just then, Xenia appeared at the stairs with Gwh in tow.


    Victoria had barely taken her seat before Gwh scampered over, climbed into herp, and snuggled close.


    She''d intended to finish breakfast alone-anything to avoid sitting at the same table as McNeil.


    "Mommy, I want some toast," Gwh said, her words clear and confident, unlike her mumbled speech yesterday.


    Victoria noticed the swelling in her daughter''s face had gone down, her features back to normal.


    "Alright, but did you brush your teeth?"


    Justst night, while checking Gwh''s teeth, she''d found two cavities. Thankfully, her daughter was almost at the age to lose her baby teeth, so it wasn''t a huge worry yet-but Victoria had started supervising Gwh''s brushing much more closely.


    "Ma''am, Miss Gwh asked to brush her teeth all by herself this morning," Xenia chimed in, beaming. "She even squeezed out the toothpaste on her own."


    Clearly, Gwh''s resistance to brushing her teeth was no secret among the staff.


    For a moment, surprise flickered across Victoria''s face, but it quickly faded, reced by a look of approval for her daughter.


    "You''re growing up, Gwyn. I''m proud of you."


    She praised her without holding back.


    "Mommy, I promise I won''t eat candy before bed or skip brushing my teeth anymore," Gwh whispered.


    Victoria ruffled her hair affectionately and helped her with breakfast.


    Time was ticking. After this, she''d need to drive Gwh to school before heading to work at Quantum Core Technologies.


    After five minutes at the table with Gwh, McNeil finally came downstairs.


    He was dressed in a sharp ck suit, his broad shoulders and athletic frame a testament to years of discipline and hard work.


    "Good morning, sir," Xenia greeted him.


    McNeil nodded and sat down at his usual spot.


    Victoria didn''t spare him a nce, her attention focused entirely on their daughter. McNeil quietly ate his own breakfast.


    The silence between them was broken only by Gwh''s asional chatter. There was no exchange at all between Victoria and McNeil.


    "I''ll drive you two this morning," McNeil finally said his only words to Victoria.


    She looked up at him, her tone cool. "That''s not necessary. If I need a car, I''ll call Maynard."


    She''d already arranged for Maynard to pick her up once before.


    McNeil nodded. "Alright, as you wish."


    He called Maynard himself, instructing him toe by.


    "Mr. Langford, should I bring the file you asked me to look into regarding Mrs. Langford?" Maynard asked quietly on the phone. McNeil nced at Victoria, who kept her eyes on Gwh, ignoring the conversation.


    "Yes, bring it," McNeil replied, tucking away his phone and finishing his meal.


    Maynard arrived at the door in less than ten minutes.


    McNeil told him to take the same Rolls-Royce asst time, but Victoria refused. She insisted on a discreet Audi instead; she had no intention of making a showy entrance.


    Last time, Maynard had shown up in the luxury car on his own initiative.


    McNeil watched them with a neutral expression, saying nothing. He walked over, scooped up Gwh, kissed her on the cheek, and handed her to Victoria.


    "I''m heading to work. Call me after you drop her off."


    Victoria answered with a nomittal "alright."


    Their chilly exchange didn''t go unnoticed-Xenia couldn''t help but shake her head, having hoped the couple might finally be on better terms. But clearly, they were still "polite as strangers."


    Each headed for their own car.


    Gwh waved goodbye to her father. This time, she didn''t ask him to take her to school, nor did she ask if he''d pick her up with her mom after school. She worried he might bring Violet along, and she didn''t know what to do—she liked both Violet and her mom.


    After dropping Gwh off at school, Victoria had Maynard return the car. She hailed a cab back to thepany.


    On the way, she texted McNeil to let him know Gwh had arrived at school safely. She didn''t call, and he didn''t respond.


    Today was her official first day in the tech department.


    To her surprise, the department manager himself greeted her at the entrance, with the entire team assembled for her arrival.


    Victoria knew George, the manager, had always been critical of her. Seeing everyone gathered made her feel unexpectedly moved-she''d braced herself for a cold reception.


    George weed her with a formal sense of ceremony, but his expression was far from warm.