Chapter 114
Vanessa had barely left when a woman’s anxious voice called from the hallway, “Excuse me, is Miss Shannon here p>
Eleanor turned to see a young woman standing in the doorway, arms full of roses.
Sensing the tension in the room, the girl quickly offered an apologetic smile. “Sorry to interrupt p>
She hugged the bouquet closer and slipped away as quietly as she’d come.
Eleanor didn’t have to guess who those flowers were from.
lan, for his part, looked completely unbothered. “My mother’s watching Evelyn tonight. You don’t need to worry,” he said coolly.
“Tell your sister to bring Evelyn backstage. I’m taking her home,” Eleanor replied, eyes fixed on him.
“Let her stay till the concert’s over,” lan insisted.
“If you won’t call, I’ll find her myself.” Eleanor knew better than to rely on him. Ian couldn’t wait for his daughter to witness Vanessa’s grand performance-he wanted her to idolize Vanessa, to pave the way for the day Vanessa became her stepmother.
Not bothering to wait for lan’s answer, Eleanor spun on her heel and strode out. Joy was waiting in the corridor and stepped forward. “Is your daughter inside p>
“No,” Eleanor said curtly. But as she spoke, a thought struck her there was someone else who might help.
Xavier.
He might be here tonight.
Meanwhile, backstage, Vanessa had just spotted the girl with the flowers and couldn’t help the hopeful spark in her eyes. Were these from lan?
“Miss Shannon, a guest ordered this bouquet for you through our shop,” the attendant said, smiling.
Vanessa’s assistant took the roses, and Vanessa reached for the card tucked inside. Her smile froze for a moment.
The sender wasn’t lan.
It was Henry.
“Put them somewhere safe,” Vanessa said, her tone distracted. She couldn’t afford to lose focus now-her big performance was moments away.
Back in the hallway, Eleanor and Joy made their way out from backstage. Eleanor glanced down at her phone and quickly typed out a message to Xavier.
“Mr. Vaughn, have you seen my daughter Evelyn?” she asked directly.
“She’s right here with me,” Xavier replied almost instantly.
Relief washed over Eleanor. She’d found her daughter.
“Could you tell me where you are? I’d like to come get her,” she wrote again.
Xavier sent his location, and Eleanor finally let herself breathe.
Just then, Joy’s greeting broke through her thoughts. “Mr. Goodwin p>
Eleanor turned. Ian stood under the corridor lights, his features thrown into sharp relief, his mood unreadable.
“I’ll take you to Evelyn,” he said in his low voice.
“That won’t be necessary,” Eleanor replied coldly, taking Joy’s arm and walking away.
lan stayed behind, silent beneath the harsh lights, his expression impossible to decipher.
Eleanor crossed into the arena’s main hall, following the directions Xavier had given. Finally, she spotted her daughter cradled in her mother-in-law’s lap, waving a pair of glowsticks.
Beside Serena sat Xavier and Henry, along with a couple Eleanor recognized from before-it seemed lan’s friends and family had all taken this section.
Gina, surprised, looked up at Eleanor’s arrival.
Eleanor made her way over, only to stumble when her foot caught on something. She lurched forward but a strong hand caught her arm, steadying her.
It was Xavier.
In the dim light, concern flickered in his eyes.
Eleanor managed a grateful smile before turning to her daughter. “Evelyn p>
“Mommy!” Evelyn beamed and stretched her arms toward her. Eleanor scooped her up from Gina’s lap and asked gently, “Do you want to go outside for a bit p>
The noise inside had long since worn out Evelyn’s patience. “I don’t want to stay here anymore, Mommy, let’s go! I want to buy a toy outside p>