Eleanor nodded. "It''s beautiful."


    "Auntie Serena helped me draw it," Evelyn said happily.


    Just then, Magdalen''s voice came from the second floor. "Ellie."


    "Grandma," Eleanor called up to her.


    "Ellie, are you in a hurry to leave? If not,e up and chat with Grandma for a bit," Magdalen asked.


    Eleanor nced at her watch. "Grandma, I''lle by another day. It''s gettingte, and Evelyn has school tomorrow."


    "Alright then. Serena, see her out," Magdalen said gently, not insisting.


    "I''ll walk Eleanor out," Gina said, getting up to take Evelyn''s hand.


    By the car, Eleanor settled her daughter in the back seat. When she turned around, she saw Gina looking at her with tears streaming down her face. She was taken aback. "Gina, what''s this?"


    "Eleanor... I''ve done so many things to hurt you over the years. I don''t ask for your forgiveness, but I can''t forgive myself either. I don''t know how I can ever repay your kindness," Gina said, covering her face and choking back sobs.


    "It''s all in the past. Just take care of your health," Eleanor said. Withn now taking on the presidency of The Guild of Commerce, his work pressure would double. A peaceful home life for the Goodwin family would be good for him.


    "Thank you. We can never repay you," Gina said, her voice catching again.


    Eleanor drove away. For her, it wasn''t something she dwelled on. She had taken on the blood disorder research for her daughter''s future, so it wasn''t a matter of kindness. And having Serena and Gina as test subjects had been crucial to finding a solution.


    In a way, each of them got what they needed.


    Vanessa hadtched onto Walden Wells, clearly eager to shed her status as a donor. And Eleanor''s pharmaceutical research was nearlyplete, which would render Vanessa''s donor statuspletely invalid.


    So, there would be no problem withn terminating her contract.


    "Mommy, what''s this gift?" Evelyn asked curiously, spotting the gift on the passenger seat.


    Eleanor nced at the party favor from tonight. "It''s a gift from the banquet. Do you want to open it and see what''s inside, Evelyn?"


    "Yes!" Evelyn said happily. She loved opening presents.


    Eleanor passed the gift to the back seat. Evelyn immediately turned on the car light and started unwrapping it excitedly.


    After a few seconds, Evelyn pouted. "Mommy, this isn''t a kid''s present. It''s a grown- up''s present."


    "What is it?" Eleanor asked curiously.


    On Evelyn''s small hand was a bracelet that was too big for her. The chain was


    adorned with a few small sapphires, a simple yet elegant design.


    Eleanor was stunned. The party favor tonight was a bracelet?


    At a red light, Eleanor took the bracelet from her daughter. She


    turned on the light to examine it


    more closely and saw a tiny


    insertion on the inside of the sp: Forever


    Eleanor frowned. Was the banquet seriously giving out this kind of bracelet?


    Another thought popped into her head.


    Could this have been a special gift fromn, not the actual party favor?


    She happened to have ra''s contact information. She would ask her about itter.


    At nine-thirty fan also left the


    banquet. He sat in Gavin''s car,


    leaning his head against his hand.


    feeling a bit drunk. He took of his sses, gently folded them, and put them in their case before rubbing his temples.


    "Mr. Goodwin, you''re not too drunk, are you?" Gavin asked with concern.


    "I''m fine,"n replied in a low voice.


    "Miss Sutton''s gift has been delivered to her," Gavin reported. "Good."


    At that moment, Eleanor''s message to ra came through. She was a bit surprised. "Yes, I did! The party favor I got tonight was amemorative que from The Guild of


    Commerce!"


    Eleanor let out a breath. So,n had given it to her privately after all.


    Eleanor chatted with ra for a few more minutes, then tucked the bracelet deep inside her jewelry box.


    She would just treat it as tonight''s party favor. She couldn''t be bothered to return it; she just wouldn''t wear it.


    Making a fuss would only create more entanglement between them.


    In the car,n took out his phone and nced at it. It was already 9:50 PM. She


    must have opened the gift by now, but she hadn''t sent any messages asking about


    it.


    It seemed she hadn''t rejected it, but had epted it instead.


    That was enough.


    Just then,n''s phone suddenly rang. In the dim light, the number from Kingston made his eyes narrow.


    A few minutester, Gavin''s car made a sharp U-turn and sped toward the airport. At the same time,n''s private jet was put on standby, ready for takeoff.