"It''s my fault for holding you back," Gina sobbed, her heart aching. "If it weren''t for this wretched illness, you wouldn''t have to work so hard."


    "Mom, don''t say that. Everything is going to be alright," Ian continued to reassure her.


    Gina was consumed by guilt and remorse, but she felt powerless. All she wanted was for her son to live a less burdened life.


    But...


    Eleanor had just stepped out of theb and was in her office reviewing some data when a nurse knocked on her door. "Dr. Sutton, you have a visitor."


    Eleanor looked up to see a woman with a handbag walk in. It was Vanessa.


    Eleanor wasn''t surprised. It was as if she had been expecting her.


    "Can I help you?" Eleanor asked, her gaze level.


    "Let''s talk," Vanessa said, crossing her arms with her usual air of elegant confidence.


    "About what?" Eleanor''s tone was cold.


    Vanessa sat down on the sofa and smiled. "You know what I want to talk about."


    "Isn''t whatn has given you enough? Are you still not satisfied?" Eleanor asked mockingly.


    The smile on Vanessa''s face faltered for a second. She tilted her chin up. "Everything fan has given me, he


    owed me. As for being satisfied et


    She let out a soft, ambiguousugh. "Which kind of satisfaction are you referring to?"


    Eleanor leaned back in her chair, her expression calm but perceptive. "If you''re nning to put on another show, I think you''ve found the wrong audience."


    Vanessa flinched at the direct taunt. When had Eleanor started treating her with such a high-and-mighty attitude?


    "Eleanor, you don''t need to act so virtuous with me," Vanessa''s voice turned icy. "Do you think you''ve won? That some minor research breakthrough makes you special? Don''t forget, your daughter still needs me."


    She stared intently at Eleanor, expecting to see panic, fear, or at least a willingness to negotiate.


    But Eleanor''s expression remained unchanged. Not even a flicker of emotion crossed her eyes. She just watched her, as if observing a buffoon.


    "Are you finished?" Eleanor asked coolly.


    Vanessa was stunned. Eleanor''s reaction was not what she had anticipated. "You —aren''t you scared? Don''t you know your former mother-inw''s disease is hereditary? Besides me, no one can save them."


    At that moment, Eleanor nced toward the door, which the nurse hadn''t closedpletely. A figure was standing just behind it.


    Eleanor let out a softugh. "So, as the world''s only donor, you''ve maniptedn for ten years. And after he met all your material demands, you still refused to Cooperate with thistest trial, demanding shares in Yeaton Holdings worth three billion before you would agree. Is that right?"


    Vanessa''s eyes widened. How did Eleanor know so much? Hadn told her everything?


    "You''re not Mrs. Goodwin anymore. Why do you care?" Vanessa scoffed.


    "As the sole donor, you deliberately stalled, refusing to cooperate with Dr. Smith''s experiments because you never wanted a permanent.


    solution. You nned to keep


    donating stem cells year after year


    to extort more fromn, didn''t you?" Eleanor''s voice was clear and


    stead


    steady her tone dripping with scorn You never cared of the Goodwind could be cured. You only cared about how much you could gain. Your entire act for them was just a ploy to force a divorce betweenn and me so you could take my ce as Mrs. Goodwin."