The next morning, Eleanor led her daughter downstairs. As they reached the parking garage, she spotted a tall, striking figure leaning casually against a pir.


    "Daddy!" Evelyn squealed and ran straight into his arms.


    "Yay!" Evelyn nodded enthusiastically, then turned back to her mother. "Mom, are youing to school with us?"


    Eleanor handed her the backpack. "Not today, honey. I have to go to work."


    "Okay. Bye, Mom!" Evelyn waved, her face bright with excitement.


    Eleanor could feel a pair of intense eyes lingering on her, but she ignored it, opened her car door, and drove off.


    "Dad, let''s go!" Evelyn tugged on his big hand, impatient to be on their way.


    Around eleven, Eleanor received a call from York Windsor, asking her and Joel Kingsley toe to hisb-he had made a discovery.


    Without hesitation, Eleanor and Joel headed straight for Rhine Laboratories.


    Inside theb, both donned protective gear before entering. York had uncovered a new pattern in theb mice''s results.


    After they left theb, York immediately called for a meeting. Five people gathered around the table, deep in discussion about thetest experimental breakthrough.


    By noon, York ushered Eleanor and Joel out for lunch at a restaurant nearby. Since they both needed to return to theb that afternoon, they chose a quiet bistro just down the street.


    It was rare for Eleanor and Joel to have lunch out together. They''d just finished ordering when the door opened and in walked two young women-one of them unmistakably Serena Goodwin.


    Serena hadn''t expected to run into Eleanor and Joel either. She deliberately chose the table right next to theirs and said to her friend, "Let''s sit here."


    Her friend didn''t object, and after quickly ordering, Serena made sure her voice carried. "Didn''t you say you wanted to hear some stories about my brother?"


    Her friend propped her chin on her hand, eyes full of curiosity. "Come on, spill! My friends have been dying to know thetest gossip about him."


    Serena nced sidelong at Eleanor before continuing, "You know, ten years ago my brother was in a car ident and spent a whole year in aa. Guess what? Some med student started showing up at his hospital room uninvited."


    "Oh! Don''t tell me you mean your ex-sister-inw?"


    "Exactly. Then, when my brother finally woke up, she used the excuse of ''taking care of him'' to force him into marrying her. My brother, always the soft touch, married her out of gratitude. Talk about cunning, right?"


    Her friend raised her eyebrows. "That''s one way to marry into a fortune! No wonder your brother-so handsome-suddenly got hitched. But he agreed, didn''t he?"


    Serena took a sip of red wine, lips curling. "He didn''t really have a choice. My brother''s just too soft-hearted. And what happened? After only a few years, she demanded a divorce, walked away with half his assets, and didn''t waste a minute before cozying up to his best friend."


    Her friend''s jaw dropped. "No way! Seriously?"


    Serena nodded. "With that one marriage, she became a billionaire overnight. Some people have no shame at all, and it''s true what they say-fortune favors the bold."


    "Her skin must be thicker than a castle wall!" her friend snickered.


    Serena shot another nce at Eleanor. "And as if that wasn''t enough, she fought for full custody of my niece, so now my brother has to beg just to see his own daughter. And that''s not all-she demanded he buy her a custom, limited-edition ne. I swear, I don''t know what kind of cosmic debt he owes her, but she just won''t let him go."


    Eleanor''s grip on her water ss tightened ever so slightly. The restaurant was quiet, and every word of Serena''s cutting remarks drifted over to their table. Joel looked like he was about to lose his patience and stand up, but Eleanor stopped him with a calm hand. "Joel, just ignore her."


    He frowned. "She''spletely out of line."


    "It''s fine. She can''t hurt me." Eleanor smiled, cool and unbothered. "People who can''t see the truth are the ones to pity."


    Her words carried just far enough for Serena to hear. Serena whipped around, ring at Eleanor, her jaw clenched. "Some people act so pure on the surface, but you never know what tricks they pull behind the scenes. Still pretending to be innocent."


    Serena''s friend nced over at Eleanor, and as recognition dawned, she covered her mouth in surprise. She hadn''t realized Serena''s infamous ex-sister-inw was sitting right beside them!


    Embarrassed, she tugged at Serena''s sleeve. "Serena, let''s just eat, okay?"


    Eleanor cut into her steak, not even ncing in Serena''s direction, as if her words were nothing but background noise.


    "Let''s double-check Mr. Windsor''s data this afternoon," she said to Joel, picking up the conversation as if nothing had happened.


    Joel caught on immediately. "Good idea. We canpare it with our own results."


    Serena''s face flushed with anger when she saw Eleanor ignoring herpletely; she clenched her fists, about to say something else. But just then, the restaurant door opened and in walked several men in sharp suits. Leading the group was Xavier. He was deep in conversation with three clients, but as soon as he spotted Eleanor, his eyes lit up in surprise and delight.


    Serena followed Xavier''s gaze, and when she saw him looking at Eleanor, her face went pale and she quickly lowered her head.