Before Magdalen could reply, Serena muttered under her breath, "Well, it figures. Now that Eleanor''s married into the mayor''s family, she''s probably forgotten all about how kind you were to her-"


    Magdalen shook her head and said firmly, "Ellie isn''t that kind of person."


    "Grandma, after all that''s happened, you''re still defending her? She''s lost every bit of conscience she ever had." No sooner had Serena finished than Magdalen''s


    tone grew stern. "Don''t you speak about Ellie that way."


    "Grandma! I mean-" Serena was practically fuming.


    How could everything that had happened still not open Grandma''s eyes to how fake Eleanor was?


    Magdalen ced the freshly polished vase back on the shelf, then turned and asked, "Why don''t you ask Vanessa-wasn''t it this vase that Eleanor bought at the auction today?"


    Serena blinked, ncing at the vase her grandmother had just set down. Words caught in her throat.


    "Grandma, are you saying this vase—?"


    "This is the very one Eleanor won at the auction today. She just had it delivered to me!"


    "That''s impossible! Wasn''t she nning to give it to Mildred?" Serena waspletely taken aback.


    Magdalen removed her reading sses, her tone gentle but instructive. "Serena, you''re not a child anymore. You can''t just believe everything you hear when will you start thinking for yourself?"


    Serena''s face flushed scarlet as she stammered, "But... but Vanessa clearly told me="


    Magdalen''s brow creased. "You ought to spend less time with Vanessa. That girl''s not as pure-hearted as she seems."


    Serena protested, "Grandma, you can''t just say that about Vanessa because you like Eleanor more! How is Vanessa not pure-hearted?"


    Magdalen only shook her head, refusing to argue further.


    Just then, a thought struck Serena. She couldn''t keep quiet. “Grandma, why would Eleanor give you a million-dor vase? Is she trying to butter you up so you''ll help her get back together with my brother?"


    Magdalen gave her a look. "And wouldn''t that be a good thing?"


    Honestly, she''d love for Eleanor to want a reconciliation! Buttely, her grandson was so busy he was never home, and Eleanor hadn''te around the Goodwin house in ages. The whole idea seemed less and less likely.


    "Grandma, no way! My brother doesn''t even like her, why should they get back together? I''m totally against it," Serena huffed.


    Magdalen shot her granddaughter a stern look. "Stay out of it."


    Serena stormed out, frustrated. So much for making Grandma dislike Eleanor- now Eleanor had just won her over again.


    Back in her room, Serena immediately called Vanessa to report what had happened. On the other end, Vanessa sounded genuinely surprised and apologized quickly. "Serena, I''m so sorry. I had no idea Eleanor bought that vase for your grandma. She''s not mad at you, is she?"


    "It''s all Eleanor''s fault, misleading you on purpose. She just wants to look good in front of Grandma," Serena fumed.


    Vanessa sighed. “Serena, I really didn''t mean for things to turn out this way."


    "It''s not your fault. Eleanor''s just so maniptive. And now Grandma''s actually hoping they''ll get back together!" Serena grumbled, still fuming.


    “Serena, we ran into Xavier and Eleanor at the golf course today," Vanessa said, lowering her voice. "Xavier was giving her hands-on lessons. The two of them looked really close, andn was there too."


    "What?" Serena shot up from the couch, livid.


    Vanessa rushed to calm her down. "Serena, don''t get upset. Maybe Xavier and Eleanor are just friends..."