Vanessa was not the type to bow to fate. She would have made sure to get everything she wanted fromn.


    It seemed that over the past decade,n had given her all the fame, fortune, and love she could ask for.


    Eleanor turned off the tap and slowly dried her hands before walking back out into the hallway.


    Just then, she saw a receptionist escorting a familiar figure toward her. Her eyes lit up. "Mr. Windsor."


    York Windsor had been extremely busytely and had lost touch with Eleanor. He had just returned from a business trip abroad and was surprised to see her. "What are you doing here?"


    "I''ll take it from here," Eleanor told the receptionist, then turned to York. "Mr. Windsor, let''s walk and talk."


    She exined the situation about her daughter''s potential hereditary blood disorder. After she finished, York''s first question was, "Didn tell you this himself?"


    His reaction caught Eleanor off guard. "Mr. Windsor... did you know about this already?"


    Guilt shed in York''s eyes as he nodded. "Yes. I knew about Mrs. Goodwin''s blood disorder even when your father was still alive."


    Eleanor stared at him in shock. "My father knew? Why did none of you tell me?"


    They had entered a small lounge and sat down facing each other. "Yes," York said, his voice full of remorse. "You were a consultant on one of Dr. Smith''s projects back then. At first, we thought it was amon blood disorder, butter, through various channels, we confirmed it was hereditary. Your father... he was most worried about you and your daughter."


    Tears welled in Eleanor''s eyes. Her own father knew?


    York sighed. "Your father and I had a long talk about it. He made me promise to keep it a secret because he didn''t want you to live in fear. He wanted you to live your life and pursue your research without this burden. If he could see what you''ve aplished today, he would be so proud."


    "Why would he do that? Was that really what was best for me?" Eleanor asked,


    her eyes red with a mixture of anger and sorrow.


    "He nned to tell you once he had a breakthrough in his research, to give you some preparation," York exined, shaking his head. But then he passed away so suddenly, and everything was left unsaid."


    Eleanor clenched her fists, fighting. back the wave of emotions. It was just like her father to bear every burden silently, believing he was protecting her. Her chest ached with a dull, heavy pain. All those years he had spent tirelessly in hisb weren''t just for academic pursuit they were for her, for the future her daughter might face.


    "You can''t me him," York said gently. "You were so young. If you had spent your days consumed with worry, you might not have been able to finish your studies and be who you are today."


    An overwhelming sense of love and grief washed over her. Her father,n-they had all known, and they had all kept it from her.


    Just as York was about to say more, the door to the lounge opened, andn and Dr. Smith walked in.


    "Mr. Windsor, you''re here,"n said with a polite smile.


    "York!" Dr. Smith greeted him warmly with a hug.


    Eleanor quickly lowered her head, dabbing at the corners of her eyes to hide her tears.


    The small gesture did not escapen''s notice. It was clear what she and York had been discussing.