From then on, she lived the luxurious life she had always dreamed of, basking in the vanity built byn''s money and relishing the brief periods each year when she could possess a part of him.


    Before long, she had not only joined his social circle and won over his friends, but also became his staplepanion at numerous events.


    She knew that with enough time, the rift between Eleanor andn would grow wider. Her chance woulde.


    The yearn''s daughter was born was one of the most agonizing for Vanessa, but it was also the year she received another piece of valuable information: Gina''s illness could be hereditary. Suddenly, her importance ton magnified.


    Her leverage had increased. She epted the facts she couldn''t change and adjusted her ns ordingly. Whenn brought his daughter abroad, she yed the part of a kind, benevolent woman. While he was away, she showered Gina with attention, building a strong rtionship with the Goodwins and winning their affection. When Gina was hospitalized, Vanessa was a constant presence, a devoted friend who asked for nothing in return.


    All the while, she subtly undermined Eleanor''s image, positioning herself asn''spassionate and understanding soulmate. She used every means at her disposal to silently broadcast her special existence to Eleanor, who was miles away.


    By weaving herself inton''s world, she created the illusion of being his lover abroad. Ian could warn her in private, but he couldn''t risk a public confrontation.


    She knew women were perceptive. That was why, from the very beginning, she had used only one perfume—a custom-made scent, strong and longsting. Ian''s clothes had a distinctive cedarwood scent, so she had the base notes of her perfume blended with cedarwood and ambergris. A light touch was all it took for the scent to cling to him. Ian, busy and perhaps unconcerned, would never notice. But Eleanor, with her medical background, would be acutely sensitive to it. The scent would be like a poison dart, lodging itself in her heart. One or two instances might be a coincidence, but when the same fragrance consistently lingered on her husband and daughter, any woman would be suspicious. Any woman would start to imagine the story behind it.


    And she had seeded.


    Eleanor filed for divorce, and to Vanessa''s delight,n readily agreed.


    But after the divorce,n was busy-so busy he seemed to vanish. To this day, Vanessa still didn''t know what he was doing, but it didn''t matter. He was divorced.


    She had always known he didn''t loye Eleanor, Marrying her had been an act of obligation, a repayment of a debThe only people he truly loved were his daughter and his family.


    From the start, Vanessa knewn was a ruthless, pragmatic businessman who acted purely out of self-interest. And yet, she had been so infatuated with him that it took her until now to realize be would never love her. All she could ever get from him was his money. No matter how hard she tried, no matter how aplished she became, she would never truly capture his heart.


    She used to think the same was true for Eleanor.


    But now, seeing Eleanor''s rise in the scientificmunity, she knewn was


    developing a grudging admiration for her strength.


    Still, the damage was done. The woundsn had inflicted on Eleanor would never


    be forgotten or forgiven.


    So, in the end, after ten years, the


    one thing she had truly seeded in


    was making Eleanor haten as


    much as she did. Just as she could.


    never have him, an had now lost


    Eleanor for good.


    Heh.


    Snapping back to the present, Vanessa''s lips curved into a wry smile. Wasn''t that a satisfying thought?


    Besides, she was sure Eleanor knew that her daughter''s future still depended on her blood.