"Two antiques from an auction house. She''ll like them,"n said.


    Eleanor''s heart skipped a beat. If they came from an auction house, they had to be worth a substantial amount. The gesture was certainly thoughtful. But the idea that he had given an eight-figure gift while she was only treating him to a single meal..... he was definitely getting the short end of the stick.


    "I should still pay you—" Eleanor started, realizing the magnitude of the favor she had just epted.


    Eleanor paused. His tone was yful, but there was an undercurrent of seriousness. He was clearly giving her an out.


    She pressed her lips together, knowing it was pointless to argue further; it would just seem petty. Looking down at her daughter''s peaceful sleeping face, she gently brushed the soft hair from her forehead. "Thank you."


    "You''re wee," the man''s voice replied, his low, pleasant tone especially clear in the quiet car.


    The car pulled up to Cloudcrest Manor.


    After they got out,n quickly came over to take their sleeping daughter from Eleanor''s arms. Even in her sleep, Evelyn seemed to sense his familiar presence. Her small arms unconsciously wrapped around her dad''s neck as she mumbled, "Daddy!"


    Something insiden softened at the sound, and he gathered his daughter closer.


    The word tugged at Eleanor in a ce she''d rather not examine. Her daughter''s reliance on him seemed to be growing stronger, a bond that felt increasingly difficult to sever.


    Inside the elevator, the crisp scent of cedar that clung to him filled Eleanor''s senses. She looked at her daughter; the little one was sound asleep.


    Scenes like this had been a daily urrence during their marriage. Whenever they went out, whether to the park or the mall, their daughter would often fall asleep inn''s arms.


    Aplex, indescribable emotion welled up inside her. Just then, the elevator doors chimed open, and Eleanor stepped out first, heading toward her apartment.


    When she opened the door, Joslyn came to greet them. Seeing the sleeping Evelyn, she immediately fetched a pair of men''s slippers forn. After changing his shoes,n said to Eleanor, "I''ll carry hero upstairs."


    Eleanor nodded and followed him up the stairs.


    Seeing her daughter was settled, Eleanor turned and left the master bedroom. Ian said to her, "I''ll head down then. Call me if you need anything."


    Eleanor nodded, but he paused. His gaze lingered on her face, as if he were waiting for something, or perhaps he just didn''t want to leave yet.


    Noticing his hesitation, Eleanor looked up at him. "Is there something else?"


    "You mentioned you''d help me with a hair treatment. Remember?"n asked with a lowugh.


    Eleanor paused, vaguely recalling the conversation. She smoothed her hair. "Sorry, I forgot. I''ll look into some treatment options for you when I have time."


    "Actually... the best remedy is already here."n took a step closer. His long, thickshes cast shadows beneath his eyes as he gazed intently at her.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," Eleanor said, avoiding his intense stare, though her tone was serious. "I''ll put together a customized treatment n for Soon."


    The flicker of disappointment in his eyes was quickly masked by a deeper emotion. With a gentleness that was almost a sigh, he said, "Okay. I''ll be waiting to hear from you."


    "It''ste. You should go," Eleanor said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she looked up at him.


    beautifully shaped earlobe. He


    remembered that used to be a very sensitive spot for her. A ce he wasn''t allowed to kiss.


    “Good night.” Ian turned and, with a surprisingly light step, left.


    Eleanor felt flustered. She went into the master bedroom, grabbed her pajamas, and


    headed to the bathroom. She needed a shower to clear her head before getting back to work.