Eleanor could clearly feel the atmosphere in the car grow tense. She spoke into the phone apologetically, "Mansfield, tonight might not be convenient. I still have work to do. How about tomorrow at noon?"


    Mansfield responded considerately, "Whatever works for you. I''m flexible."


    "Okay, you should go spend some time with your grandmother. She must have missed you a lot."


    "Alright. Call me when you''re done with work," Mansfield said gently.


    "Okay, I will." Eleanor hung up, and the car fell into a tense silence. She turned her head to look out the window.


    "You could have gone,"n suddenly said, his voice tinged with suppressed emotion. "I won''t interfere in your private life."


    Eleanor continued to watch the scenery outside, her tone casual. "I can make my own ns."


    Eleanor pressed her lips together but didn''t answer. Ian narrowed his eyes. "If you don''t have time to go, I''ll exin it to Evelyn."


    Eleanor frowned. "Fine, I''ll make time."


    When they reached the elevators, Eleanor stepped inside. Just as the doors were about to close, a well-defined hand suddenly shot out, and the sensor reopened them.


    instantly filled with his crisp,


    "There are five other elevators," Eleanor reminded him with a frown.


    "This one''s the closest,"n replied nonchntly as he pressed the button for his floor.


    The elevator ascended slowly. Eleanor could feel his eyes on her and turned her face away.


    The man pursed his lips, not looking angry in the slightest. In fact, a thought seemed to cross his mind, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile graced his lips.


    Back in her office, Eleanor pushed aside her distracting thoughts and opened herputer to work. She checked her email and saw several messages from Simone Langley''sb. These emails were mostly just notifications, which she would asionally check when she had time.


    Sure enough, Eleanor soon received a notice from the parents''mittee. The school''s spring field trip, which had been postponed, was now scheduled for the weekend, and parents could sign up based on their avability.


    Eleanor saw thatn had already signed their daughter''s name up.


    That evening, when Eleanor got home, Evelyn eagerly ran up to her. "Mommy, we''re going hiking this weekend!"


    "I know. Mommy will go with you," Eleanor said with a smile.


    "Mommy and Daddy are both going together," Evelyn said, pulling on her hand.


    Joslyn came over and said, "Mr. Goodwin dropped Evelyn off and left right away. He must have had something to take care of."


    Eleanor nodded. "Okay, I understand."


    That night, while bathing her daughter and blow-drying her long hair, Eleanor noticed that she had grown a little taller.


    Her adorable face looked fair and lovely in the mirror. After finishing with the hair dryer, Eleanor couldn''t help but cup her daughter''s small face and give her a kiss.


    "Mommy, who do I look like? My teacher says I look like Daddy," Evelyn asked, tilting her head.


    Eleanor paused, then studied her daughter''s face. Seeing her every day, she hadn''t really noticed, but now that Evelyn mentioned it, she realized her daughter''s features were starting to resemblen''s more, especially the expression in her eyes, which was almost identical


    to his.


    "Mommy, why aren''t you saying anything?" Evelyn asked, cupping her mother''s face.


    Eleanor smiled gently. "You look like both Daddy and Mommy."


    "Then why does everyone say I look more like Daddy?" the little girl pouted, seeming a bit dissatisfied.


    Eleanor chuckled as shebed through her daughter''s hair. Perhaps it was just nature''s way of bncing things, allowing fathers to confirm their lineage through their children''s appearance.


    "Daddy is very handsome, but I want to look like Mommy more," Evelyn said, wrapping her arms around her mother''s neck, lobbying to be more like her.


    Eleanor smiled and hugged her. "Okay, Evelyn looks like Mommy."


    Looking at her innocent, beautiful daughter, Eleanor wished that she only looked like


    him and didn''t carry the Goodwin family''s gic traits. But for that, she couldn''t me anyone.


    After all, when she gave birth to her daughter, Gina''s blood disorder was only ssified as a rare condition. Its hereditary nature was only


    after ne


    discovered two year


    became ill, by which time their daughter had already been born.