Vanessa had been heavily involved in Evelyn''s life from the ages of two to four.


    Thinking back on it now, Gina was filled with regret and a cold sweat. She had entrusted Evelyn to such a maniptive woman. If Vanessa had wanted to marry her son and had harmed Evelyn, Gina felt she could never atone for her sin.


    Back then, her rtionship with Vanessa had been as close as that of a mother and daughter. Even her own daughter had a great private rtionship with Vanessa, who was like a second family member to the Goodwins.


    Meanwhile, Eleanor had been back home whilen spent half of every year by her side. Gina had, of course, seen how hardn worked, often staying upte with his job every time he returned. Yet Eleanor was living a life of leisure back home like a wealthy socialite, neglecting her daughter and her husband. This didn''t sit well with Gina, her mother-inw.


    Her prejudice against Eleanor had grown more severe over time.


    Only now did she realize that it was Vanessa who had signed an agreement preventingn from bringing Eleanor overseas. Otherwise, who knew what kind of threats she might have used against him.


    And now, she also learned that Vanessa''s apparent excellence-her academic credentials, her status in the piano world-were all thingsn had provided for her from behind the scenes.


    "Serena, do you know her true identity?" Gina had beenpletely unaware of this.


    "She''s just an illegitimate daughter from the slums of Drexford," Serena said from the side. "She only has what she has today because she met my brother."


    Gina remembered it now. Ian had repeatedly asked her not to bring Vanessa home, but she had thought Vanessa was harmless and a good person to know. Besides, Evelyn had grown attached to her. "I had been so foolish,pletely ignoringn''s warnings." Gina thought.


    "It''s my fault. I''m the one to me for Eleanor and your brother''s divorce. I was the one who let Evelyn get close to her, which made Eleanor misunderstand and think your brother brought Vanessa into their lives. If she had harbored any ill intentions toward Evelyn back then, I..." Gina trembled with fear.


    Serena knew, of course, how much Gina had liked and trusted Vanessa back then. She had been on the verge of asking Vanessa to be her god-daughter, and had even mentioned the idea to Serena. The fondness Gina had for Vanessa back then must be matched only by her regret now.


    "Mom, it''s all in the past," Serena said, rubbing her back soothingly. "We may have seen her true colorste, but it''s not toote."


    "She got close to my brother for money, which is one thing, but she also wanted to be my brother''s wife. How incredibly greedy. Fortunately, my brother stayed true to himself and only ever loved Ellie, so she didn''t seed. Otherwise, if she had actually married into the family, none of us would have had any peace." Serena had been thinking a lottely. If Vanessa had really be Mrs. Goodwin and revealed her true nature, would there be any tranquility left in their home?


    Gina sighed. If Vanessa had simply made a normal agreement with her son to donate blood to save her, Gina would have been truly grateful. But Vanessa''s character was so wed Her initial approach to Gina and her granddaughter must have been driven by ill intentions.


    Thinking about it from this perspective, Gina was both terrified and furious.


    "Mom, just focus on getting better now. Ellie has solved our family''s problem, so my brother no longer has to worry or be controlled by her."


    A glimmer of hope appeared in Gina''s eyes. "You''re right. I''ve held your brother back and made him carry too much. I can''t be a burden to him anymore." She choked up as she added, "And Eleanor... the Goodwin family owes her so much." Serena hugged her mother. "Mom, once you''re well, our family will do everything we can to make it up to Ellie."


    "Okay." Gina closed her eyes, and two tears of regret streamed down her face.


    Eleanor was busy in her office looking at data when an email popped up. She opened it and saw it was an official letter from the National Academy of Sciences.


    After reading the email, a look of gratification and emotion crossed Eleanor''s face.


    The email informed her that, due to her breakthrough contributions in the field of leukemia research, the National Academy of Sciences had decided to grant her the annual Outstanding Young Scientist Award." They invited her to attend the award ceremony in Kingston next Friday.


    This award carried immense weight in the national academicmunity and was the highest form of recognition for her work.


    Eleanor couldn''t help but marvel at how strange fate could be sometimes.


    If it weren''t for her failed marriage and being forced to be independent and


    grow, perhaps she wouldn''t have achieved what she had today.


    Now, her world was vast and boundless, and she could spread her wings and fly whenever she wished.