n," Xavier said softly, "if you still care about her, let her live her own life."


    "I am," Xavier answered without hesitation.


    After more than twenty years as friends, it wasn''t hard to guess what the other was thinking.


    They locked eyes for a moment beforen nodded. "I''ll respect any choice she makes."


    With that, he grabbed the overcoat slung over the back of his chair and draped it over his arm. "Take care of yourself and get some rest. I''ll check in on you again in a couple of days."


    At the door, he paused. "But this concerns the safety of my child''s mother. I''ll have someone look into that driver."


    Xavier was caught off guard. Before he could say anything,n had already pushed open the door and left. Xavier frowned, thinking to himself: Ian keeps saying he respects Eleanor''s choices, yet he can''t help interfering in every part of her life.


    Meanwhile, Eleanor was resting at home, still an hour away from picking up her daughter. Joslyn, the housekeeper, noticed Princess-Eleanor''s golden retriever -whining at the door, as if sensing someone familiar outside.


    There weren''t many people Princess weed so enthusiastically; Joslyn had a pretty good guess who it was. Right on cue, the doorbell rang.


    Eleanor was resting upstairs, and Joslyn didn''t want to disturb her, but she figured she ought to greet Mr. Goodwin herself.


    She grabbed an umbre and stepped outside. When she opened the door, she foundn standing in the rain, drenched from head to toe, looking far more exhausted than usual.


    "Is Eleanor home?"n asked.


    Joslyn was startled. He looked worn out, the rain darkening his hair and suit, the usual sharpness in his eyes dulled by fatigue.


    "Mrs. Goodwin is resting upstairs. Mr. Goodwin, do you " Joslyn hesitated, unsure whether to invite him in.


    "I need to speak with her."n nced up toward the second floor.


    Joslyn, feeling a pang of sympathy, nodded. "Pleasee inside and get out of the rain. You''ll catch a cold standing out here like this."


    He slipped off his wet coat, and Joslyn, out of habit, took it and hung it in the entryway.


    Upstairs, Eleanor half-heard the voices below. Still groggy, she sat up and started down the stairs, calling, "Joslyn, who''s here?"


    Joslyn hurried to the banister. "Ma''am, it''s Mr. Goodwin."


    Eleanor''s expression hardened instantly. She clutched her cardigan closer, her


    voice colder than the winter rain outside. "What do you want?"


    Eleanor paused, her hand tightening on the railing. She walked down the stairs slowly, thinking for a moment before replying, "What are you trying to say?"


    "I just want to make sure the ident wasn''t anything but that—an ident."


    Eleanor''s gaze turned icy. Whether the incident was deliberate or not, Xavier was already investigating. "Xavier is looking into it," she said tly.


    "If you need anything, I can "


    She cut him off sharply. "I trust him."


    Those words "I trust him"-made something inn''s expression darken. His jaw tightened, and when he spoke again, his voice was rough. "I only want to make sure you and Evelyn are safe."


    Eleanor turned away. "Joslyn, show Mr. Goodwin out."


    Joslyn barely had time to fetch an umbre for him before Princess darted past her, chasing aftern. He was just about to open his car door when he noticed Princess crouched behind him, looking up at him with watery eyes. Rain streamed down his face as he turned and knelt beside her, rubbing her head gently. "Back inside, girl."


    Princess tilted her head, tail wagging, but didn''t budge.


    "Go on,"n said, his tone firmer.


    Looking dejected, Princess finally retreated behind the gate. Ian closed it behind her and nced up at the second floor, lingering for a few seconds in the rain. Then he slid into his ck sedan and drove away, his car vanishing into the storm.


    Upstairs, Eleanor''s phone rang at that very moment. Xavier was calling-he''d just received the police report.


    It had been an ident after all. The driver was a rookie, licensed for barely three months, who''d just picked up his new car. Excited and careless, he''d run a red light at excessive speed, causing the crash.