It was hard not to be suspicious.


    His gaze darkened as he stared at the fading red mark on Eleanor''s neck, and his grip on his daughter''s hand tightened unconsciously.


    "Dad, why are you squeezing so hard?" Evelyn pouted in protest, wriggling her tiny fingers out of his grasp.


    Snapping back,n quickly loosened his hold, forcing down the tangle of emotions inside. He crouched down, looking Evelyn in the eye. "Daddy just remembered he has some work to finish up. How about you stay with Mom for a bit, okay?"


    Evelyn''s face fell. "Will youe y with me tomorrow?"


    That finally drew a smile from her, and she nodded. "Okay! You can go now!"


    Asn stood, he nced across at Eleanor. When he turned to leave, his steps were brisker than usual.


    He knew exactly whose mark that was—and he knew why it was left in such a tant spot.


    Any man would recognize it for what it was: a clear sign of another man staking his im.


    Just then, Byron hurried over. "Mr. Goodwin, the evening meeting''s about to start." "Do you have a cigarette?"n asked.


    "I do." Byron produced a pack and a lighter from his pocket.


    "We''re doing it now."n exhaled a cloud of smoke, ncing back toward the cottage before striding off with Byron in tow.


    Back in the cottage''s living room, Eleanor was gently rubbing bug repellent on Evelyn''s arms. She paused, remembering the spot on her own neck where a mosquito had bitten her earlier, and applied some to herself as well.


    "Let''s go find some fireflies!" she suggested, taking Evelyn''s hand.


    Together, they wandered around the grassywns, searching. Evelyn''s keen eyes caught a faint glow in a nearby thicket. "Mom, look-there are so many over there!"


    Following her daughter''s pointing finger, Eleanor spotted the tiny lights flickering in the shadows. She joined Evelyn, helping her catch fireflies one by one and ce them in a ss jar.


    Above, the Milky Way zed across the sky. In the grass below, mother and daughter shared a rare, peaceful moment.


    Meanwhile, in the base''s conference room,n listened to a technical report, drumming his fingers on the table, his brows furrowed.


    "Mr. Goodwin," the tech lead asked cautiously, "do you have any feedback on the proposal?"


    A tense silence filled the room. Everyone could sense the storm in the air ever sincen walked in-no one dared guess why he was in such a ck mood tonight.


    After the meeting,n returned to his temporary quarters. His phone rang. ncing at the caller ID, he picked up. "Hello?"


    "Mr. Goodwin, Miss Shannon''s running a fever. I just took her to the hospital," Gavin Young said on the other end.


    "One-oh-three point five."


    "Get Dr. Harden to check on her."


    "I already asked. Director Harden''s off for the night."


    "Understood."


    Momentster, his phone buzzed with a new message. Vanessa had texted:n, don''t worry about me. I can take care of myself.


    Listen to Director Harden, he replied.


    Got it, she sent back.


    The next morning, Eleanor brought Evelyn to theb. After handing her over to an assistant, she spotted Byron leaving with a group of engineers.


    "Mr. Chase, are you all heading back?" she asked.


    "Yes, we''re returning to the city," he replied.


    "Did something happen at thepany?"


    "One of Mr. Goodwin''s friends was admitted to the ICU. He''s going back to check


    on her." Byron had overheardn making calls.


    There was only one personn would drop everything for: Vanessa. His feelings for her had always been obvious.


    "Alright, safe travels," Eleanor said, nodding.


    Just then, her phone rang-it wasn. She answered coolly, "What is it?"


    "I have to head back to the city. Do you want me to take Evelyn with me?"n asked.


    "No," Eleanor replied curtly and hung up.


    "Mom, was that Dad? Is heing to y with me?" Evelyn asked hopefully.


    "Your dad has to go back for work. We''re staying here a few more days."


    "Oh! I don''t want to leave yet-I want to y here forever!" Evelyn eximed. This ce had so many fun things to do, tasty food, and all sorts of bugs she''d never seen in the city.


    Eleanor smiled. "Alright."


    Withn gone, Eleanor felt the air was fresher, her mood lighter.


    After another long day, she returned to the cottage at dusk. Her phone buzzed with a new message.


    She opened it to find a photo and a single line: See? He''s always been mine.


    It showedn sitting on a sofa, scrolling through patient files. The message was from Vanessa.


    Eleanor let out a coldugh. Vanessa thoughtn hade to the base for her? That this was some desperate im of territory, draggingn back to her side?


    But Vanessa was wrong. Whatevern did, wherever he was, none of it mattered anymore.


    Eleanor tossed her phone onto the couch, blocked the number, and called out to her daughter, "Let''s go for a walk."


    Mother and daughter wandered out onto thewn. The evening sky was clear and deep; Evelyn pointed up at the stars. "Mom, that one''s so bright!"