Eleanor walked into the living room, purse in hand. The moment she heard the car in the driveway, Evelyn came dashing out, her face lighting up. "Mommy! Mommy!" she called, bounding toward her like a little bird.


    Eleanor knelt down, arms open. She scooped her daughter up and nted two kisses on her cheeks,ughing as she did.


    Inside, Gina was standing with one of the housekeepers, giving quiet instructions. She nced over when Eleanor entered.


    "Mom!" Eleanor called out.


    Gina replied with a nonchnt, "You''re here."


    Magdalen had already gone to rest in her room upstairs. Eleanor settled onto the wide living room sofa with her daughter. One thing about Evelyn-she could entertain herself for hours,pletely lost in make-believe with her toys.


    "Come on, kids! Eat up!" Evelyn said, her voice high and bright as she moved three little figurines onto a toy bed and draped a tissue over them like a nket. "When you''re done, you get to go to sleep with Mommy. Daddy''sing to bed too."


    Then she picked up another figurine and knocked on the toy house door. "I''m the auntie. Can I sleep with you tonight?"


    "Of course you can! Come on in!" Evelyn replied for her toys, squeezing the new figurine into the crowded bed.


    Eleanor watched this scene unfold, her heart softening. She smiled and gently corrected, "Sweetheart, guests sleep in the guest room, remember? Auntie''s a guest."


    Evelyn paused, then solemnly moved the figurine to a separate little bed. "You''ll sleep here from now on. You can''t stay with us-you''re a guest."


    Eleanor ruffled her daughter''s hair. There were things Evelyn was still too young to understand, but Eleanor knew she''d learn in time.


    Just then, footsteps echoed down the stairs. Serena appeared, effortlessly fashionable as always. She barely nced at Eleanor before calling out toward the kitchen, "Mom, I''m heading out!"


    "But dinner''s almost ready. Where are you going?" Gina called after her.


    "I''ve got ns with friends." Serena shot a brief, unreadable look Eleanor''s way, then let herself out without another word.


    She didn''t need to say anything. Eleanor knew Serena had no intention of staying for dinner-not once she found out Eleanor would be there.


    She suspected the only reason she''d been invited at all was because the matriarch insisted. No one else in this house wanted her around.


    Eleanor''s expression tightened for a moment as she nced at her daughter. If she could, she''d take Evelyn and leave the Goodwin family behind without ever looking back.


    But it wasn''t time-not yet.


    That evening, the olddy was in high spirits, chatting with Eleanor about her experiences sinceing back home. Before long, it was nearly half past eight.


    "Ellie, why don''t you stay here tonight? There''s no need to drive back," the matriarch suggested.


    Eleanor smiled and shook her head. "Thank you, Grandma, but I''d better take Evelyn home. She gets restless and I don''t want her to disturb you or Mom."


    "Nonsense! This house is lively because of her-she''s our little sunshine," the olddy said fondly, insisting, "Stay the night, both of you."


    Eleanor hesitated. Ian wouldn''t being home to Goodwin Manor tonight. Perhaps it wouldn''t hurt to let Evelyn spend a night here.


    "All right, Grandma," she agreed softly.


    By nine-thirty, Evelyn had finished her bath and Gina carried her off to her room. Eleanor, not wanting to argue, allowed one of the maids to lead her upstairs. "Ma''am, this is your room for the night."


    Eleanor nodded politely. But when she stepped inside, she froze the closet held a row of men''s suits and coats. She realized she''d been shown inton''s master bedroom.


    She hurried to the door, but the maid was already gone.


    With a sigh and a furrowed brow, Eleanor conceded to fate. The spacious room was dominated by arge bed, and near the balcony there was a row of sofas. It was just for one night; she could manage.<fnbbda> Find the newest release on find{n}ovel</fnbbda>


    She didn''t bother with a shower. Instead, she turned up the air conditioning, wrapped herself in her coat, and curled up on the sofa, soon drifting into a restless sleep.


    In the early morning hours, the door creaked open. A man entered quietly, his gaze settling on the woman curled up on the sofa. He frowned, then shrugged off his jacket, revealing a vest that emphasized the long, lean lines of his frame.


    Eleanor, a light sleeper, stirred the momentn hung up his coat. She sat up, tense and wary, eyes fixed on the unexpected figure who had just entered the


    room.