Vanessa had recently blocked her mother, Farrah, so Farrah had taken to harassing Laverne instead.


    "Well, now that your performance opportunity is gone... Vanessa, what about thatmercial I mentioned before? I know it''s for diapers, but they''re still very eager to have you as their spokesperson," Laverne brought up again.


    Vanessa ran a hand through her hair in frustration. It seemed her only option now was to leverage her international pianist status to make some money in the advertising world.


    "Go negotiate. Get the price as high as possible," Vanessa finally agreed.


    Laverne was instantly pleased. "Great, I''ll go talk to them right away."


    Just then, Vanessa''s phone rang. It was an assistant of Smith''s. She bit her lip, wanting to ignore it but not daring to. She finally answered. "Hello."


    "Miss Shannon, we''ll need you toe to theb tomorrow at nine for a blood draw. Thank you," a voice on the other end reminded her.


    "Didn''t I just have onest week?" Vanessa snapped.


    "I''m not sure about that. I''m just rying the doctor''s instructions. Thank you," the assistant said before hanging up.


    Vanessa let out a breath. Laverne, beside her, looked worried. "Vanessa, you can''t just let them draw your blood every day. you have to find a way to get out from under Mr. Goodwin''s control."


    Of course, Vanessa had thought about it. She desperately wanted to break free fromn''s control. She had considered using drugs or alcohol to make her blood


    unsuitable, but as long as Yeaton Holdings was inn''s hands, she couldn''t vite the contract.


    "Damn it. I should never have taken the shares in Yeaton Holdings in the first ce. If I hadn''t, I wouldn''t care if it lived or died," Vanessa said with regret.


    Laverne couldn''t help but remember how Vanessa had boasted about it, overjoyed at the thirty billion in shares she had so easily acquired. Now, it was toote for regrets.


    "When you''re dealing with a shrewd businessman liken, ordinary people like us are bound to lose out," Laverne remarked, then added, "I wonder how his hair turned gray like that."


    Hearing this, a malicious smile spread across Vanessa''s face. "It would be karmic justice for him to suffer a real tragedy."


    Laverne was shocked. "Vanessa, you can''t say things like that—"


    "Why not?" Vanessa sneered coldly. "I wish something would happen ton, preferably taking his precious daughter with him. That way Eleanor would l?se her backer and her child. Two birds with one stone."


    Seeing the vicious glint in Vanessa''s eyes, Laverne secretly started making her own ns. It was bing clear that there was no future in sticking with Vanessa; it was better to n her exit soon.


    That evening, Eleanor was having dinner at home with her daughter, but she had little appetite. She was supposed to be having dinner with Mansfield tonight, yet now his phone was unreachable.


    Although Eleanor didn''t know where he had gone, she was sure it was for an extremely important mission, one so critical that he had to leave.


    Just then, there was a knock on the door. Joslyn went to check the peephole and told Eleanor, "It''s a young woman."


    Eleanor got up in surprise. Joslyn opened the door to find a slightly plump young woman greeting them warmly. "Dr. Sutton, do you remember me? I''m the mayor''s wife''s assistant."


    "Yes, I remember," Eleanor said with a smile.


    The young woman held up a gift-wrapped box. "The mayor''s wife asked me to give this to you. Please ept it."


    Eleanor was taken aback but epted the box. "Have you eaten? Pleasee in and join us."


    "No, thank you, Dr. Sutton. I have to go," the assistant said, waving as she turned to leave.


    Eleanor brought the box into the living room. She took out a box of choctes, and then she saw a royal blue velvet box. She picked it up and opened it. Under the light, an aquamarine gemstone Ne appeared.


    s?novels


    Eleanor''s eyes immediately welled up. Could this be the one Mansfield had been telling her he wanted to give her?


    She held the ne, Mansfield''s image flooding her mind. It was something, at least. Something to keep with her. When he returned, she would wear it to see him.