Chapter 1007

“Okay, I’ll go get Evelyn,” Eleanor said.

Eleanor went to the twenty-seventh floor and rang the doorbell. Gavin smiled when he saw her. “Miss Sutton, you’re here. Perfect timing, I was just about to leave. Could you please look after Mr. Goodwin for me p>

Eleanor was taken aback. “How is he p>

“Mr. Goodwin’s fever is low-grade now, but Dr. Lyman is worried it might spike again tonight,” Gavin said with concern.

“I see,” Eleanor nodded.

Gavin’s face lit up with relief. “Then I’ll leave him in your care, Miss Sutton. I have

to go p>

He looked as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders as he quickly let himself out.

lan wasn’t in the living room. Eleanor heard sounds coming from the playroom and found lan sitting on the floor, building blocks with their daughter. Princess was lying on the sofa nearby, her large head resting affectionately on lan’s lap as he stroked her fur, her eyes closed in contentment.

The scene of the father, daughter, and dog was rather heartwarming, though Eleanor found it irritating.

“Evelyn, it’s time to come home for dinner p>

“But Mommy, I’m not hungry yet,” Evelyn protested, wanting to keep playing.

“You can come back down after you eat,” Eleanor coaxed.

“Okay,” Evelyn pouted. Ian added his own encouragement, “After you eat, Daddy will play with you some more p>

“Okay, I’ll go eat then. Wait for me, Daddy!” Evelyn said, taking her mother’s hand.

Eleanor took Evelyn upstairs for dinner. Afterward, Evelyn was eager to go back downstairs.

Eleanor felt a surge of frustration. Living one floor apart, she really couldn’t stop her daughter from running to lan’s apartment. And for safety’s sake, she had to escort her down herself.

When they returned to lan’s, Evelyn no longer wanted to play with toys; she wanted to watch cartoons. After lan set up a show for her, Eleanor turned to him. “I have a few questions for you p>

lan looked at her, his gaze deep. “Let’s go out to the balcony p>

There was a small table on the balcony. Ian gestured for her to sit. “Please p>

Eleanor sat down, her eyes fixed on the man opposite her. Perhaps because he was sick, the sharp intensity he usually carried had softened.

“Ask whatever you want. I’ll answer everything,” lan said first, as if he had been waiting for her questions.

Eleanor didn’t beat around the bush. “My father collaborated with Smith on leukemia research years ago. Did you ask him to join the lab p>

A flicker of disappointment crossed lan’s eyes, but he answered seriously, “Yes p>

“Why? Why would my father research leukemia for you?” Eleanor continued to press.

lan picked up his water glass and took a sip, his gaze shifting to the night sky outside the balcony. His fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, as if he were carefully choosing his words.

Eleanor’s eyes narrowed. “lan, I need the truth p>

lan’s gaze returned to her. “When the

lab was first established, we needed

to identify several core research areas. Leukemia is a global medical challenge with vast market potential. favesting in its research was a business decision I made at the time p>

Hatred flashed in Eleanor’s eyes. She bit her lip, struggling to contain her rage. “So, for your business project, you let my father exhaust his health and work himself to death to make money for you p>

That notebook, filled with dense, frantic script, was proof of how tirelessly her

father had worked in his final days.

lan lowered his gaze. “I’m sorry. I should have paid more attention to your father’s health. I shouldn’t have let him overwork himself p>

Eleanor closed h her eyes, her hands clenching into fists on the table. She knew that no amount of hatred could change the past. But she. couldn’t understand why a purely commercial project would have

been worth her father sacrificing his

life for.

lan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. A complex mix of emotions struggle, guilt, and an unspeakable pain-flickered in his eyes.

“Eleanor, your father is gone. Bringing this up now is meaningless p>

Tears welled in Eleanor’s eyes. “Ian, after this experiment is over, you’d better

stay far away from me. I don’t want to see you ever again p>

With that, Eleanor stood up and left.

lan remained frozen on his seat, his heart seized by an invisible hand.