Gina leaned in, curiosity lighting up her eyes. "You know about this?"


    "Of course I do!" Serena replied enthusiastically. "A medical expert named Faye."


    Eleanor paused, ncing up at Serena. Sensing the attention, Serena lowered her voice, putting on a conspiratorial air. "Mom, why don''t you try guessing who this Faye really is?"


    Gina chuckled. "Oh, I''d never guess. Just tell me already!"


    Serena''s face brimmed with pride. "She''s Vanessa''s half-sister—a brilliant young medical prodigy."


    Eleanor''s heart skipped a beat. Faye was Vanessa''s half-sister?


    Gina gasped. "Really? Both sisters are that talented?"


    "This new drug is the first of its kind in the world—a real breakthrough! And theb that developed it? Our big brother''s investment!" Serena gushed, her admiration obvious.


    Gina shot her son a look of approval, then her gazended on Eleanor, who sat quietly at the table. For a moment, something like mild disdain shed across Gina''s expression.


    There were so many aplished young women out there. Why had her son settled for a wife who brought nothing to the table? If only he were getting married now, he could do so much better than someone as ordinary as Eleanor.


    "Ellie, what have you been up to these days?" Magdalen asked, turning the conversation.


    "I''m studying at Ashford Medical University," Eleanor answered.


    "What? You''re still in school at Ashford?" Serena''s eyes narrowed.


    "Yes. I n to finish my degree," Eleanor said with a nod.


    "So, you''ll be twenty-eight by the time you graduate! And what''s the point of half- baked medical training, anyway? That Faye I was talking about-she developed a breakthrough drug by twenty-five!"


    Eleanor smiled faintly. "Are you sure she was the one who developed it?"


    Serena scoffed. "She was on national news, being interviewed! If it wasn''t her, was it you?"


    Eleanor just smiled, saying nothing.


    "That''s enough," Magdalen interjected. "It''s a good thing your sister-inw is able to go back to school."


    By then, dinner was ready. Everyone moved to the dining room. After eating, Eleanor wanted to take her daughter home, but the little girl was persuaded by Gina to stay the night at Goodwin Manor.<fnb0ac> Discover more novels at find·novel</fnb0ac>


    Eleanor couldn''t force her daughter to leave. By half past eight, she left on her


    own.


    In her car, Eleanor called Joy. "Are you free tonight? Mind if I crash at your ce?"


    Joy was delighted. "Of course! I''m officially single now-my ce is all yours."


    Eleanor had just pulled up in front of Joy''s apartment building when her phone rang. The screen showedn''s name.


    "Hello?" she answered, her voice cool.


    "Where are you?"n asked.


    "I''m staying at a friend''s ce tonight." Without waiting for a reply, Eleanor hung up.


    Upstairs, she barely had time to sit down before Joy pounced with questions. "Wait, wasn''t that drug your invention? Why is Faye the one being interviewed on TV? Now everyone in the country thinks she did all the work!"


    Eleanor sighed and exined the situation with her daughter''s school. Joy shook her head, indignant. "You missed your chance at national fame, and now Vanessa''s sister gets all the credit. What a steal."


    "Faye is Vanessa''s half-sister," Eleanor said quietly.


    Joy''s jaw dropped. "Wait, so this massive win goes to Vanessa''s own sister? Ugh, that''s insufferable."


    Eleanor gave a wry smile. "Yeah, I only found out tonight that they''re rted."


    Joy pulled a bottle of whiskey from the kitchen. "Come on, we have to drink tonight, or I''ll never get over this."


    Seeing Joy''s determined mood, Eleanor didn''t protest. "Alright, we''ll have a couple of drinks—then straight to bed."


    "It''s Saturday tomorrow, we can sleep in aste as we want."


    Eleanor took a sip from her ss, and the two settled in, chatting and drinking together.


    "To be honest," Joy said, swirling her drink, "when I metn in person at the hotel, I''ve seen all kinds of men, but he''s the most maic of them all." She made a face. "Shame he''s such a jerk."


    Eleanor, meanwhile, was lost in thought.


    No matter whether it was theboratory investment or the special research projects, everything pointed to one thing: Ian was doing everything he could to save Vanessa''s life.


    Suddenly, Eleanor''s phone buzzed with a new message. She picked it up and saw it was from Joel.


    Attached was a report about Vanessa''s stem cell treatment at the hospital.


    "I looked into it for you. Vanessa started a stem cell regimen at the hospital a few


    days ago. The personn wants to save is definitely her."


    Eleanor took another sip of her drink and replied, "Thank you."


    At dawn, Eleanor was roused by the sound of her phone ringing. She nced at


    the screen-Joel again—and answered, "Hello?"


    "Sorry if I woke you. I''m heading out to Marlowe Vige this morning for a field visit. Would you like toe along?"


    Eleanor woke up a bit more and sat up. "Sure! I''ll join you."


    "I''lle pick you up," Joel said.


    Eleanor sent him her location and went to tell Joy.


    Joy had just ordered breakfast. They ate together, chatting over coffee and toast.


    "There''s an unexined illness in Marlowe Vige near Soutke Reservoir?" Joy asked, surprised.


    "Yeah, it''s a localized outbreak. We suspect the water or maybe the fish have been contaminated."


    "Oh! I heard there''s a chemical nt over there. Do you think they''re dumping toxic waste into the water?" Joy said, frowning.