After hanging up, Eleanor''s car pulled into theboratory''s parking lot. She got out and immediately dialedn''s number.


    As the secondrgest shareholder of the Vesper Joy Hotel, she was confident he wouldn''t refuse an opportunity for Ellington to catch a ride.


    "Hello!" A deep, gentle male voice came from the other end.


    "Mr. Goodwin, could I ask you for a favor?" Eleanor asked, her tone polite and formal.


    A low, exasperated chuckle came through the line. "Have we really be such strangers?"


    Eleanor ignored his question and went straight to her request. "For Ellington''s uing trip to Sun Valley, would it be possible for him to fly on your private jet?"


    "Of course,"n agreed without hesitation.


    "Thank you." Eleanor was about to end the call.


    "Wait," he said suddenly, stopping her.


    Eleanor frowned. What else could he want?


    "The Sun Valley Conference ispletely cut off from the outside world. Even if I bring my phone, it will be confiscated. So, if you need anything over the next three days, call Gavin. He''ll get in touch with me as soon as the conference is over."


    Eleanor stopped in her tracks, her fingers tightening around her phone. After a few seconds of silence, she replied calmly, "OK."


    There were no questions, noints, not even a flicker of emotion.


    "Eleanor—"n''s hesitant voice came through the phone.


    "If there''s nothing else, Mr. Goodwin, I''ll hang up," Eleanor said, her voice polite yet distant.


    It was as if she were speaking to a regr business partner.


    A faint sigh came from the other end. "Take care of yourself."


    Eleanor ended the call and stood there, stunned for a few seconds.


    So, wasn trying to tell her that the twelve unanswered calls from three years ago were because he was at the conference in Sun Valley?


    Though it had been a while, Eleanor still remembered the airport scene from the day before it all happened. The media had published photos of Vanessa andn at the airport, and Vanessa''s celebration party was that same evening. Paired with the gift, Vanessater unted online Eleanor had naturally assumed he was celebrating with her.


    During the first four years of their marriage, their rtionship had been as calm and happy as any other couple''s. tan would regrly update her on his business dealings, but he hadn''t that day. Then their daughter suddenly came down with a high fever during a viral outbreak in the country. Within just three days, a simple cold had turned into severe pneumonia.


    By that time, she already knew about Vanessa. The year their daughter turned two was the same year Dr. Smith confirmed that Gina Quinn''s blood disorder was hereditary. The reasonn had been taking their daughter abroad so frequently was for gic testing.


    But one thing was certain: Vanessa''s love forn bordered on obsession. Although Eleanor hadn''t read the contractn presented that day in detail, she had skimmed the additional uses.


    Vanessa had demanded he spend half the year with her in Drexford, provide gifts on specified dates, and support her career advancement.


    Their daughter''s admiration for Vanessa was partly due to her young age a two-year-oldcks & judgment. Plus, Vanessa had made a pointof getting close to Gina and Serena Goodwin, bing a frequent guest at the Goodwin family home. Of course, these were


    just external factors.


    Vanessa''s real motive was to earnn''s favor by making Evelyn depend on her—


    which was exactly why she had so deliberately worked to win the girl''s affection.