"Evelyn?"


    "Are you here to have dinner with us?" Evelyn asked, her eyes full of curiosity.


    Serena nced toward the grand living room, and suddenly, everything clicked. No wonder her brother hadn''t bothered buying the penthouse upstairs-of course, he''d settled for this sprawling apartment. Eleanor lived on the top floor!


    "Evelyn, who are you talking to?" Eleanor''s voice floated in from the hallway. Hearing her daughter chatting with someone, she strode quickly to the front door, only to lock eyes with Serena.


    Serena froze, momentarily stunned at the sight of Eleanor.


    Eleanor, however, remained perfectlyposed, her expression frosty. "Miss Goodwin, is there something you need?"


    "This is your ce?" Serena blurted out, unable to hide her surprise.


    "Yes, this is my home," Eleanor replied coolly.


    A dozen questions finally made sense in Serena''s mind. She knelt to meet Evelyn


    at eye level. "Evelyn, your aunt lives just downstairs. Come visit me whenever you''d like, okay?"


    Eleanor''s brows tightened. Serena really was Evelyn''s aunt, so she couldn''t exactly tell her off, not in front of her daughter.


    "Okay!" Evelyn nodded enthusiastically.


    "Evelyn, go tidy up your toys, please," Eleanor said, ncing at the scattered mess in the hallway.


    Evelyn scampered off obediently.


    Standing in the doorway, Eleanor turned to Serena. "If you have no reason to be here, I''d appreciate it if you didn''t disturb us."


    Serena''s face hardened. "You think I want to bother you? I only came up here because I heard Evelyn lived upstairs and thought I''d stop by."


    "In any case, I have custody of Evelyn. I''d appreciate it if you stayed away from her," Eleanor warned, her tone leaving no room for argument.


    Eleanor knew exactly how close Serena and Vanessa were.


    Serena scoffed. “If Evelyn weren''t part of the Goodwin family, do you really think we''d want anything to do with you? Trust me, I have no desire to see you, either."


    "That''s for the best," Eleanor said, shutting the door in her face.


    Out in the hallway, Serena gritted her teeth. Eleanor really was getting more and more full of herself these days.


    She cursed her brother under her breath-why had he given Eleanor control over so many of the family businesses? No wonder she acted like she owned the world


    now.


    Storming back to her own apartment, Serena fumed. Then, suddenly, she realized something: Why was Eleanor living at Cloudcrest Manor, anyway? Was she trying to cozy up to Xavier? Damn it—so Eleanor really was scheming to marry into the Vaughn family.


    Saturday was just around the corner. Eleanor remembered her promise to Mrs. Ellington about attending the charity g. She''d have to manage her time carefully and get some extra work done at home.


    That evening, Vanessa stood before her bedroom mirror, delicately tracing her fingers over the snowke-shaped pink diamond ne around her neck. She smiled at her reflection, already picturing how perfect it would look with her champagne-colored evening gown tomorrow night.


    On Saturday evening, Eleanor arranged for Joslyn to stay home and look after her daughter, then drove herself to the charity g.


    The mayor''s wife''s annual charity ball was always a highlight of the social calendar, drawing the city''s elite-and plenty of media attention. Getting an invitation was considered a mark of honor.


    Tonight, Eleanor wore a pale blue mermaid gown, her hair falling in loose waves down her back, entuating her slender neck. As one of the evening''s honored guests, she was careful to strike the perfect bnce-elegant, but never ostentatious.


    She pulled up to the hotel entrance, where a valet in a crisp uniform hurried over. "Good evening, ma''am. May I park your car for you?"


    "Thank you," Eleanor replied, giving him a polite nod.


    A red carpet stretched alongside the entrance for the high-profile guests willing to be interviewed by the press. For those wishing to avoid the spotlight, there was a quieter side entrance leading directly to the ballroom.


    Eleanor chose thetter, slipping discreetly through the side hallway. Once inside the grand hall on the second floor, she saw that many of the city''s most recognizable faces were already there-tonight''s performers, she realized. It dawned on her that this "fundraiser" was, in fact, a private concert for the elite.


    "Miss Sutton! Your seat is in the second row!" Mrs. Ellington''s sharp-eyed assistant spotted her and hurried over to escort her to her ce.