"Enough about me-how are things with you and Xaviertely?" Vanessa asked, genuine concern softening her voice.


    Serena''s eyes turned ssy, and a wave of hurt welled up inside her. She looked away, voice trembling. "Don''t bring him up. I—I can''t even see him anymore."


    If it weren''t for those rare family events, she wouldn''t have a single chance to run into him these days.


    "I thought your brother was still living at Cloudcrest Manor?" Vanessa pressed, curiosity piqued.


    Serena gave a bitter littleugh. "He won''t even let me set foot in Cloudcrest Manor."


    Vanessa reached out and gave her shoulder a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Don''t me your brother too much. Maybe it isn''t really up to him-maybe it''s—"


    Serena''s eyes shed with sudden resentment. She whipped her head around. "You mean it''s Eleanor, don''t you? She''s scared I''ll get in the way between her and Xavier, so she doesn''t want me there?"


    Vanessa faltered, caught off guard. "Serena, maybe I''m just overthinking things."


    "No, you''re probably right! That exins everything-why else would my brother suddenly bar me from Cloudcrest Manor? It''s Eleanor, pulling strings behind his back." Serena''s anger red brighter as she spoke. She hadn''t caused trouble for Eleanor in ages, but now Eleanor was secretly turning her brother against her?


    "I''ve put up with Eleanor for long enough," Serena muttered, clenching her fists without realizing it.


    Vanessa quickly grabbed her wrist, rmed. "Serena, don''t do anything rash. Whatever she''s done, Eleanor''s still your ex-sister-inw."


    "Ex-sister-inw? I refuse to recognize her as anything of the sort. She''s crossed the line." Serena was now utterly convinced Eleanor was scheming to drive a wedge between her and her brother.


    "Why is it that only she gets to love Xavier? Why can''t I have feelings for him too? She even has to meddle with who lives in the neighborhood-she''s just insufferable." Every ounce of resentment Serena had built up over the past few days now came crashing down on Eleanor''s head.


    Vanessa let herself sink back into the couch with an exhausted sigh. "Honestly, I''m not sure Eleanor''s even that into Xavier. When she was in Kingston this time, she was being apanied by another man the entire trip."


    Serena''s head snapped up, stunned. "She went to Kingston to meet another guy?"


    "I ran into them at the University Hospital with your brother. The man was all over Eleanor-hugging her, acting like they were a couple."


    "So Eleanor''s stringing Xavier along while flirting with someone else?" Serena could hardly believe it was Eleanor really so maniptive that even someone as exceptional as Xavier was just her backup n?


    "She''s outrageous-someone as fickle as Eleanor doesn''t deserve Xavier!" Serena shot to her feet, seething. "So Xavier''s being yed for a fool and he doesn''t even know it?"


    Vanessa gently took Serena''s hand, trying to calm her. "Serena, take a breath—”


    "How am I supposed to stay calm?" Serena couldn''t stand the thought of the man she liked being toyed with by Eleanor.


    She let out an angry huff. "If she''s really ying with Xavier''s feelings, I won''t just sit back and watch. Vanessa, tell me everything you saw!"


    Vanessa hesitated. "Honestly, I didn''t see that much. But I do think the man Eleanor went to Kingston to host was this guy-he picked her up in a military car." "Anything else?" Serena pressed.


    "Well, at the hospital, I saw theming out of the elevator together,ughing and talking. Eleanor looked genuinely happy. I even asked her if that man was her boyfriend. He introduced himself-very polite-his name was Mansfield."


    "Mansfield?" Serena ran through a mental list of every eligible young man in the upper circles. No one by that name stood out.


    So, he must be someone from the military-just not well-known in their social scene.


    "How exactly were they acting all couple-y?" Serena demanded.


    Vanessa sifted through the memory. "That day I was feeling faint, so your brother was holding me up. I saw Eleanor and Mansfield step out together. Suddenly, a nurse nearly bumped into Eleanor with a wheelchair, and Mansfield pulled her into his arms to keep her safe."


    "What? Eleanor was letting another man hold her, right in front of my brother? She''s shameless." Serena spat out the words, biting her lip in anger. "I have to tell Xavier-he needs to see Eleanor''s true colors."


    "Serena, don''t go off half-cocked. Xavier might not believe me if I''m the only witness," Vanessa cautioned.


    "But you said my brother was there too, right? Xavier can ask him! My brother would never stand by and watch Eleanor make a fool out of Xavier." Serena was certain her brother wouldn''t let this slide.


    Vanessa nodded thoughtfully. "It''s all true—I just hope Xavier believes it. We''re only looking out for him."


    "Vanessa, if Xavier asks you about this, promise me you''ll tell him everything. We''ll expose Eleanor together."


    Vanessa nodded. "Of course. I''m happy to help."


    Serena had always been impulsive, and now she couldn''t wait another minute. She nced at the clock-it was only three. She had to find Xavier right away.


    "I''m going to see Xavier now."


    "Serena, maybe wait until tomorrow-"


    "The sooner he knows, the better." Serena couldn''t wait to see Xavier''s reaction when he realized how badly Eleanor was ying him.


    If Xavier found out Eleanor was sneaking around with another man behind his back, he would be furious.