Next,n bid on an antique vase. Eleanor guessed it was a gift for his grandmother, since Magdalen had a passion for collecting them.


    After the auction wound down, the dinner party drew to a close. Eleanor said her goodbyes to Mrs. Juliette Grayson and made her way to the lobby.


    She''d had a few drinks that evening and didn''t feel like driving, so, since Joy''s ce was nearby, she called a cab and spent the night at her friend''s house.


    Later, Eleanor was in the middle of a face mask session with Joy when her phone buzzed. She nced at the screen and froze for a moment.


    "Who is it?" Joy leaned over, curious.


    “It''s from Mansfield Ellington.” Eleanor held up her phone. The message read: "Happy New Year''s, Miss Sutton."


    "Oooh, Mr. Ellington!" Joy teased.


    Eleanor quickly typed back, "Happy New Year''s."


    Joy grinned, waggling her eyebrows. "So, how far have you two gotten?"


    Eleanor shook her head with a sigh, just about to respond when her phone buzzed again—this time, it was a call fromn.


    Both women fell silent.


    Joy''s eyes widened. "Your ex-husband? What''s he calling for thiste?"


    Eleanor shrugged, but she answered anyway-her daughter was staying with him, after all. "What is it?"


    "That''s really none of your business," Eleanor replied coolly.


    "Evelyn''s running a fever,”n said simply.


    Eleanor''s expression changed in an instant. "How high? When did it start?"


    "One hundred and two. Noticed it about half an hour ago. The family doctor''s here already."


    A wave of anxiety hit Eleanor. "I''ll be right there."


    She hung up. Joy was already grabbing her keys. "I''ll drive you."


    Twenty minutester, Joy pulled up in front of Goodwin Manor.


    A housekeeper came out to open the door. Eleanor hurried inside, and as she rounded the staircase, she nearly collided with Vanessa, who was just leaving the guest rooms.


    Vanessa was wrapped in a silk robe, her hair still damp from a shower. She didn''t seem at all surprised to see Eleanor. Smoothing her hair back, Vanessa turned to the housekeeper. "Could you bring a cup of warm milk to my room, please? Thank you."


    "Of course, Miss Shannon. Right away."


    Eleanor hurried upstairs to Gina Quinn''s room. Ian was sitting by the bed, gently wiping Evelyn''s forehead with a damp cloth.


    Gina hovered nearby, worry etched on her face. When she saw Eleanor, she exined, "She was perfectly fine this afternoon. The fever came out of nowhere."


    Eleanor went straight to her daughter. Evelyn''s cheeks were flushed, and she reached out with tiny arms. "Mommy, hold me..."


    Eleanor scooped her up, feeling the heat radiating from her skin. She turned ton. "We need to take her to the hospital."


    Together, they rushed Evelyn to the ER. After registering and running a few tests, Eleanor nced at the blood work and quickly recognized it as a viral infection.


    The memory ofst year shed through her mind-Evelyn had suddenly spiked a high fever, caught a host of nasty viruses, both lungs turned opaque on the scans, and she''d needed a lungvage to pull through.


    Since then, Eleanor had been extra vignt whenever Evelyn got sick.


    Pediatrics, inpatient unit.


    Evelyn was admitted for observation.


    Eleanor sat by her daughter''s bedside, tense and exhausted. Ian crouched nearby, coaxing Evelyn to drink some water.


    "Mommy, Daddy...can you both stay with me tonight?" Evelyn asked, her voice small.


    The next morning, Joslyn arrived by cab to help. Ian was pacing the hallway on his cell phone, clearly busy with something. Joslyn watched him disappear down the corridor and sighed.


    She remembered the ordeal a year ago when Evelyn''s illness was so severe that Eleanor lost all faith in her husband. Now they were divorced, and Eleanor couldn''t rely on him anymore.


    Joslyn stayed with Eleanor and Evelyn as patiently as she could, but she worried; Eleanor looked utterly drained.


    "Ma''am, let me watch Evelyn. You should get some rest."


    "I''m fine." Eleanor tried to sound reassuring, though it was clear she hadn''t slept all night.


    "Maybe you should call Mr. Goodwin back in to help with Evelyn?" Joslyn suggested. “He is her father, after all. You''d rest easier."


    "That won''t be necessary." Eleanor hugged her daughter close. She would manage.


    An hourter,n and Gina returned to the hospital room. As Eleanor stood up, she saw Vanessa''s silhouette at the door.


    Her face immediately frosted over.


    Vanessa walked straight ton''s side. "Ian, I brought some fruit for Evelyn..."


    "Out." Eleanor''s voice was quiet, but carried an unmistakable authority.


    Gina frowned. "Eleanor, Vanessa just wants to see how Evelyn''s doing."


    Vanessa bit her lip and said softly, "I''m sorry, ma''am. I only heard that Evelyn was in the hospital and got worried..."


    Eleanor cut her off, icy and unyielding. "My daughter doesn''t need concern from a stranger. Please leave."


    Vanessa nodded obediently. "Alright. I won''t intrude."


    But as she turned to leave, Eleanor noticed her eyes were rimmed with tears.


    After Vanessa left, Gina sighed. "Eleanor, Vanessa is—"


    "Who she is doesn''t matter to me," Eleanor replied coldly.


    Gina looked at Eleanor''s determined face and said nothing more.