Right now, though, what Vanessa needed most was her brother, so Serena decided not to go in and disturb them.


    Henry lingered outside for a moment longer, then said a few words to Serena before turning to leave.


    Left alone in the hallway, Serena idly scrolled through her phone. Barely ten minutes had passed when she saw her brother emerge from Vanessa''s hospital room. She quickly looked up, startled by the powerful, almost intimidating aura he carried with him. What on earth had just happened in there?


    "Hey,n!" Serena called, her voice uncertain as she took in his stony expression. She had no idea what might have transpired between them.


    "Stay with her," Ian said, his tone calm but unmistakably forceful. His face revealed nothing, not even the flicker of an emotion.


    Before Serena could react, he was already striding away down the corridor.


    She frowned, puzzled-why had he left so soon? Shouldn''t he stay with Vanessa a little longer? She puffed out her cheeks in frustration, then pushed open the door to Vanessa''s room.


    The sight that greeted her stopped Serena in her tracks. Vanessa sat propped up in bed, tissues clutched in her hand, quietly wiping away tears. She''d turned her face toward the window, her thin shoulders trembling. Sorrow and helplessness seemed to settle over her like a heavy fog.


    Serena''s heart twisted with sympathy. She hurried to the bedside, her voice tight with concern. "Vanessa, what did my brother do to you? Why are you crying?" She hesitated, then asked gently, "Did you two have a fight?"


    Vanessa shook her head, but her cheeks were streaked with tears that hadn''t yet dried. Her eyes and the tip of her nose were red. As Serena watched, another tear slipped down Vanessa''s cheek. Stubbornly, she wiped it away.


    Serena thought back to the look she''d seen on her brother''s face-a kind of cold, unyielding calm. She knew that side of him all too well, the way his presence alone could make a person want to cry from sheer pressure. He''d made her cry with a single re more than once. But she''d never imagined he could be so hard on someone who''d just been through such an ordeal.


    Not only did he fail tofort her, he''d left her feeling worse.


    Serena''s heart ached for Vanessa. She knew how fragile Vanessa must be feeling, but she couldn''t help wanting to know what had happened.


    "Vanessa, I mean it-what did he say to you? How could he treat you like this?"


    Vanessa looked up, eyes bright with tears, biting her lower lip. She shook her head again. "Don''t me your brother. It''s not his fault. Please, Serena-don''t me him."


    Serena blinked, taken aback by Vanessa''s kindness. Even now, Vanessa was trying to defendn. Serena felt even more certain thatn had gone too far.


    Lost in her frustration, Serena looked up just in time to see Vanessa''s tears spill over again. rmed, she snatched up a tissue and dabbed gently at Vanessa''s cheeks.


    "Do you want me to call him back?" Serena offered, reaching for her phone. Vanessa quickly stopped her.


    "No, Serena, that''s not necessary. Your brother, he-"


    "Was it about Eleanor? Did you two argue over her?" Images of soap opera- worthy fights between ex-wives and new girlfriends shed through Serena''s mind.


    Vanessa closed her eyes, a fresh tear sliding down her face. It was as if she had to gather every ounce of strength just to speak. "Serena, please just go. I need a little time alone."


    How could Serena possibly leave her like this? Besides,n had specifically asked her to look after Vanessa.


    "I''ll just wait outside the door, okay? I won''t bother you. Take your time and calm down." Serena spoke softly.


    Vanessa nodded, and Serena


    paused at the doorway, ncing back. She saw Vanessa bury her face in the pillow, her small. shoulders shaking with silent sobs. The quiet tears seemed evermore heartbreaking than if she''d wailed aloud.


    Serena closed the door as gently as she could, her own chest tight with worry and helplessness.


    She hesitated for a moment, then decided to check on her brother.


    She dialedn''s number.


    It rang for a long time before


    someone finally picked up, but it


    wasn''t Jan''s voice-it was Gavin, his


    assistant. "Miss Goodwin, Mr.


    Goodwin''s busy right now and can''t


    take your call. Is it urgent


    Serena understood immediately. Ian just didn''t want to talk to her, so he''d passed


    the call to Gavin.


    "It''s nothing," Serena replied, hanging up in resignation and confusion.


    What on earth hadn said to Vanessa?


    Vanessa had already been through enough-after getting her stomach


    pumped, she needed care and


    boyfriend, l?n should be the one


    looking after her, not making things worse.