Eleanor hadn''t expected him to be so candid. She looked at him for a few seconds. "What''s done is done. The most important thing now is to solve the problem and make sure nothing like this happens again. Let thew handle Faye."


    There was no point in assigning me. Faye''s resentment toward her ran deep. Even if Joel or someone else had fired her, Faye probably would have med


    Eleanor anyway.


    With her family going bankrupt, her father in prison, and her mother cklisted for defaulting on debts, her life had hit rock bottom. Anything could have triggered her breakdown.


    "Alright. Let''s not talk about this anymore. Let''s eat,"n said, picking up his utensils and serving her some food.


    Eleanor was taken aback. "I can get it myself," she said softly.


    "I''ll have a nursee to take care of Joel tonight. Around ten, I''ll have Lanny take you home to rest,"n told her. She looked exhausted.


    Eleanor nodded. "Okay."


    Eleanor didn''t eat much of the main course, but she finished the entire dessert. Ian''s expression remained neutral, but inwardly, he was very pleased.


    After eight o''clock, Joel repeatedly urged Eleanor to go home and rest. Finally, at nine, she left.


    Back home, Eleanor held her daughter, and a cold wave of dyed fear washed over her. If Joel hadn''t blocked Faye''s fork, it would have been aimed right at her heart.


    Eleanor pulled her daughter into a tight hug. The little girl looked at her, confused. "Mommy, what''s wrong?"


    Eleanor breathed in her daughter''s scent, steadying her nerves. She managed a smile. "Nothing, Mommy just missed you."


    That night, Eleanor fell asleep holding her daughter, but she was jolted awake in the middle of the night by a nightmare. She gasped for breath, looking at her daughter beside her, and slowly calmed down, though sleep now eluded her.


    She only managed to drift off again towards morning.


    At eight o''clock, Eleanor''s doorbell rang. Joslyn opened the door to findn stepping inside.


    "Daddy," Evelyn Goodwin greeted him.


    "Mr. Goodwin, have you had breakfast?" Joslyn asked.


    "Not yet,"n replied.


    "Then I''ll make you a sandwich right away," Joslyn said eagerly.


    "You''re wee," Joslyn said, happily heading into the kitchen.


    Eleanor looked up, her eyes faintly bloodshot. She wanted to lie, but her appearance gave her away.


    "Yeah," Eleanor admitted quietly.


    "Evelyn, I''ll have Serenae pick you up in a bit. Let Mommy get some rest today,


    okay?"n said to his daughter.


    Evelyn nodded obediently. "Okay!"


    Serena Goodwin arrived at


    eight-thirty. Since Eleanor needed to


    go to the hospital to see doek she


    had no choice but to entrust her daughter to Serena''s care.


    After a night''s rest, Joel was looking


    much better. Despite being


    dedicated to his research, he always made time to work out so he was in good physical condition.


    "Mr. Goodwin, Eleanor, you''re here," Gwenda greeted them with a smile.


    "Gwenda, thank you foring so early," Eleanor said gratefully, sitting by Joel''s bed. "Joel, how are you feeling?"