Joslyn quickly brought over a tter of cut fruit, ced it on the coffee table, and returned to her room.


    Now it was just the two of them in the living room. Ian picked up a slice of apple, took a bite, and asked Eleanor, "Grandma wants everyone to dress up tomorrow. Do you have a suitable gown?"


    "Are there going to be other guests?" Eleanor looked up, wondering if even the extended Goodwin family would be invited.


    Eleanor shook her head. "No, that''s okay. I''ll handle it."


    Since it was just a dinner with the Goodwin family, she could dress more formally, but there was no need to be overly borate.


    Eleanor picked up a grape and rolled it lightly between her fingers before popping it into her mouth.


    "Did you say goodbye to Mr. Ellington?"n asked suddenly.


    "Yes, I did," Eleanor replied calmly.


    Eleanor responded softly, "Okay."


    "If you have any other ideas, feel free to let me know," Ian offered.


    Eleanor had changed so much. She used to have endless things to say to him, but now, he found her thoughts inscrutable. He had no idea what she was thinking.


    Or rather, instead of trying to guess, he preferred to wait patiently for her to voice her feelings herself.


    Eleanor ate the grapes, the sweet juice bursting on her tongue. She looked up at the man across from her and shook her head. "I don''t have any special requests. The main thing is convenience for Evelyn."


    Right. The core of their rtionship now was their daughter. Everything revolved around her.


    Just then,n''s phone rang. He nced at it, his brow furrowing. He said to Eleanor, "I should go. Good night."


    "Okay,” Eleanor acknowledged, watching him stride quickly out the door.


    He clearly had an important call to take.


    Eleanor had been following some financial newstely, so she was aware of the fluctuations in Goodwin & Co.''s stock price.


    Although his skill and methods had


    properly handled the Cliffmoor incident, stock price vtility affected shareholder interests and market confidence. It seemed the pressure on him was even heavier than she had imagined.


    Business had never been gentle, and he had always carried its pressure on his own.


    That night, Eleanor put her daughter to bed. After Evelyn fell asleep, Eleanor was


    about to rest when her phone lit up with a message.


    [Can I take two sleeping pills?] someone asked.


    Eleanor frowned. Two sleeping pills? Was this brand not working for him?


    [Not rmended. Overdosing on sleeping pills is risky,] she immediately replied.


    After sending the message, she waited a few seconds, butn didn''t respond.


    Eleanor couldn''t help but send


    another


    e. [If you really can''t


    sleep, try listening to some calming


    music or exercising. Relying on


    medication isn''t a


    d solution


    A minuteter,n replied, seemingly with resignation, [Alright!]


    Eleanor couldn''t help but wonder, was the pressure on him really that great this time? Great enough to cause insomnia?


    Finally, Eleanor asked, [Is the situation at yourpany serious?]


    Eleanor felt a pang. It seemed she was being overly concerned about him. She replied, [You''re wee.]


    Then, she set her phone aside and didn''t look at it again.


    She had no idea that downstairs, in


    front of the floor-to-ceiling window,


    the man was holding his phone, his


    gaze fingering on their short


    conversation as a faint smile


    touched his lips.


    At the very least, these few sentences showed that she was no longerpletely indifferent to his life.