"When are you nning to move in?"n asked, taking a sip of his own water.


    Eleanor thought about it for a second. "I''ll start packing tonight, and we''ll see how things look over the next couple of days. Since Evelyn is starting school so soon, themute from Cloudcrest Manor is just too inconvenient."


    "Alright. You focus on packing, and I''ll handle the movers. It works out perfectly since I''m moving in at the same time,"n offered.


    "Okay," Eleanor nodded. She checked her watch and said, "Let''s head back."


    "I''d like to stay a little longer. Can you keep mepany?"n asked in a low voice.


    Eleanor froze. That single question instantly shifted the atmosphere in the room, making the air feel impossibly fragile.


    Eleanor''s grip on her water bottle tightened. Her heart clenched fiercely, flooded with a sudden, suffocating wave of bittersweet sorrow.


    She knew he was genuinely remorseful. She could feel his agonizing caution and his almost desperate, desperate hope.


    Eleanor thought about everything he had done for her, for her father, for their daughter. She knew he was truly fighting to change.


    "Ian," Eleanor spoke softly, her voice ringing crystal clear in the deafening silence of the living room. "I... I''m willing to try and look forward, and I''m willing to work with you to give Evelyn a better environment to grow up in. But..."


    Eleanor turned her head to meet his gaze head-on. "I need time. Not a few months. I might need a year, two years, or maybe even longer. If you can''t ept that, then we can... go our separate ways."


    Her words were brutally honest, stripping away any false hope andying down the ultimate test.


    "I understand," Ian replied without a second of hesitation. "I will wait. A year, two years, ten years, or the rest of my life. I will wait for you."


    Eleanor''s breath hitched. She was entirely at a loss for words. Finally, she gave a gentle nod. "Okay."


    A single word, yet it held infinite possibilities and a silent, profound eptance.


    "Let''s go back Eleanor turned and walked out of his living room. The sunlight outside was dazzlingly bright. Just as the two of them reached the garage, Eleanor''s phone rang. She pulled it out and saw Xavier Vaughn''s name shing on the screen.


    She answered the call. "Hey, Xavier."


    "Eleanor, I talked it over with my mom. She agreed to join the first batch of trial subjects," Xavier''s voice came through the speaker.


    "That''s great. I''ll speed things up on my end. Get everything ready and wait for my word."


    "Will do. By the way, I heard fromn that you guys picked an elementary school for Evelyn."


    "Yes. What school is Vivian nning to attend?"


    "We moved back to my old ce, so she''s going to enroll in a school around here. Xavier said letting out a helpless sigh Vivian really wants to see Evelyn before school starts. She got her a gift. Do you andn have any free time recently?"


    Eleanor remembered that Evelyn had also been begging to have a ydate with Vivjan. The friendships of children always relied on the coordination of the adults.


    "Sure, let''s pick a time and get the girls together," Eleanor agreed.


    Xavier confirmed and hung up. Once they got into the car,n asked with forced casualness, "What did Xavier want?"


    "He said Vivian wants to see Evelyn before school starts."


    "Alright, I''ll set it up. Let''s do tomorrow at noon. I just so happen to be free,"n said, acting entirely unfazed.


    Eleanor nodded. "Sounds good."


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!