"Grandma, I want some fruit." Evelyn broke the delicate atmosphere, tugging on Gina''s hand with a sweet, childish voice.


    "Of course. How about some cherries?"


    "Okay."


    Magdalen, standing to the side, took it all in. During the time Gina had been home recovering, she had decided not to hide the truth from the old woman any longer. She told her everything about the illness and that Vanessa was the donor.


    Magdalen was consumed by guilt. Part of her resented her grandson for keeping the entire family in the dark, and another part hated Vanessa for her scheming, which had destroyed her grandson''s perfectly good marriage.


    Of course, the one most at fault wasn''t Vanessa, but her grandson,n.


    Magdalen looked at Eleanor''s slender figure, her heart filled with a mix of emotions. She stepped forward and took Eleanor''s hand. "Ellie,e. Walk with Grandma outside. Let''s talk."


    Eleanor obediently followed the old woman toward the garden. Magdalen held her hand, and though it was bony, her grip was still strong—just as it had been the first time she''d led her into the Goodwin family home all those years ago.


    "Grandma knows you''ve been through a lot these past few years." The old woman got straight to the point, her voice filled with sympathy. "That boy,n-he''s made so many mistakes."


    Eleanor met the old woman''s gaze, knowing she must have learned the truth.


    She lowered her eyes and said nothing.


    "I only recently found out the whole story about Vanessa," the old woman sighed. "She was wrong, but I know the biggest fault lies withn."


    Eleanor gently interrupted her. "Grandma, it''s all in the past."


    Magdalen''s gaze drifted into the distance as she let out a heavy sigh. n has been stubborn since he was a child. His father passed away early, and ever since then, he''s felt he has to carry everything on his own shoulders, terrified of causing the family the slightest bit of trouble."


    Though Eleanor didn''t particrly want to hear any of this, she knew it was her


    ce to listen respectfully while her elder spoke.


    "Back when his father was sick,


    Gina''s health was also poor, and she


    was recovering abroad. I only just


    found out that she was in the early stages of her blood disorder even then. He was trying to save his father while also dealing with his mother''s illness." Magdalen''s voice began to choke up. "And that boy never onceined to any of


    us."


    Magdalen''s emotion tugged at something in Eleanor, and she reached over to gently pat her back.


    "After his father passed, he developed a habit of bottling everything up." After a moment,


    Magdalen patted Eleanor''s hand et


    "Ellie, om not telling you this to make you forgive him. Her gaze was kind. "It''s not thatn doesn''t love you. It''s that he doesn''t know how to love. No one ever taught him how to manage a rtionship, how to trust and love his partner."


    Eleanor offered a faint smile. "Grandma, don''t worry. Live and learn. When he meets the next girl, he''ll have more experience. You won''t have to worry about him getting another divorce."


    Magdalen froze for a few seconds. Her eyes went past Eleanor''s shoulder, and she froze again. Her eyesight wasn''t what it used to be, and only now did she realize her grandson had entered the yard at some point and was standing right behind them.


    "Ian, why didn''t you make a sound!" Magdalen said, a little annoyed.


    Eleanor turned around as well. Ian was standing right behind her, his gaze deep and fixed on her.


    He had clearly heard what she''d just said.