Eleanor had barely been gone two minutes when a ringtone sounded from the seat beside hers. Evelyn immediately slid off her chair and rummaged through Eleanor''s handbag.


    She found Eleanor''s buzzing phone and, reading the name on the screen, called out, "Daddy, who''s calling Mom?"


    His gaze cooled. Just then, Eleanor returned and, seeing the phone in her daughter''s hand, hurried over.


    "Mom, someone''s calling you," Evelyn announced.


    Eleanor nced at the screen and smiled. "Let me take this call, sweetheart."


    "Okay!" Evelyn thought it was just another work call.


    Eleanor stepped out into the hallway, phone pressed to her ear.


    "Happy Thanksgiving, Eleanor," came Mansfield Ellington''s hearty voice.


    "Happy Thanksgiving to you too," she replied warmly.


    "Have you had dinner yet?"


    "I was just having dinner with Evelyn."


    "Has the little one grown taller?" he asked.


    Eleanorughed. “Not just taller—she''s a little chubbier too."


    Mansfield let out a good-natured chuckle. "Chubby kids are adorable." Then, as if remembering something, he added, "My request for the autumn holidays got approved-five days off."


    "That''s great news! You''ll finally get a break," Eleanor congratted him.


    "Would you like to meet up during the holidays?" he asked, then hurriedly rified, "Just as friends! A casual dinner, nothing more."


    Eleanor hesitated, thinking of the new drug trial she was overseeing. She wasn''t sure she''d have the time.


    She exined her situation, and Mansfield didn''t press. "No worries, let''s y it by ear."


    "Alright," Eleanor agreed.


    At that moment, the private room door opened andn appeared, holding Evelyn''s hand. He paused, noticing how cheerful Eleanor sounded on the phone. His gaze lingered on her.


    So, she wasn''t just busy with work in Kingston-she had men lining up for dinner, too.


    "Mommy, my hands are sticky. Daddy''s taking me to wash them," Evelyn announced.


    When Eleanor returned to the room and reached for her dinner, a phone began to vibrate on the tabletop.


    It wasn''s phone.


    She nced at the screen-Vanessa.


    The call buzzed for a good ten seconds before stopping, only to be followed by four or five message alerts in quick session. From the looks of it, Vanessa was sending him photos.


    A little whileter,n returned with Evelyn. He didn''t touch his phone, but Eleanor was already itching to leave.


    "Evelyn''s sleeping with me tonight. I''ll take her home now," Eleanor said, grabbing her bag and getting up.


    "Mommy, can we go shopping before we go home?" Evelyn pleaded, hoping to dy bedtime.


    "Of course! Let''s go," Eleanor agreed, smiling.


    "No need," Eleanor replied curtly. She didn''t want to owe him any favors.


    "It''s for Evelyn''s safety,"n insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument. Kingston was a safe city, but Eleanor couldn''t deny her daughter''s safety was her responsibility. She relented and carried Evelyn ton''s car.


    Asn and Evelyn waved goodbye, Eleanor caught a glimpse of his phone-yet another call wasing in.


    The driver pulled away, and Eleanor directed him toward the nearest shopping mall.


    She took Evelyn to Kingston''s biggest mall and let her pick out a new toy, making up for all the time she''d missed with hertely.


    Once they''d chosen a gift and returned to the guesthouse, Evelyn was still brimming with excitement. She ran out onto the balcony to gaze at the moon, while Eleanor joined her, sharing sweet pastries and making the best of a holiday apart from home.


    The next morning, Eleanor took two hours off work to y with Evelyn on the outdoor basketball court. Around ten,n''s car pulled up in front of the guesthouse.


    "Daddy, are we going home?" Evelyn ran over, clutching her new ball.


    "Yes, sweetheart. Time to go,”n said gently.


    Evelyn''s shoulders slumped with disappointment, but she remembered her promise not to disturb Mommy''s work.


    "Evelyn, as soon as I finish up, I''lle home to you, okay?" Eleanor said, her voice tinged with guilt.


    Just then, Evelyn lost her grip on the ball and it rolled a few yards away.


    As Eleanor watched her daughter, a low voiceced with warning sounded behind her. "This is the critical stage of the trial. I hope you''re focused on your work." Eleanor spun around, meetingn''s icy stare. "What''s that supposed to mean?" "You know exactly what I mean," Ian replied coolly.


    Of course Eleanor knew. He was making another dig about Mansfield. She fired back, “Even if I had ten men on the line, that''s my business, not yours."


    Beforen could respond, Evelyn came running back with her ball. Eleanor knelt and hugged her. "Be good for Grandma, okay? I''ll be home soon." Evelyn nodded and stretched out her arms ton. “Daddy, I''m tired. Carry me?"n scooped her up, his expressionplicated. He looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he just carried his daughter toward the car in silence.