Chapter 852
Ever since Xavier rejected her, she’d been on a self-destructive tear, living by a simple, reckless creed: whatever feels good, whenever she wants.
She knew that burning the candle at both ends would eventually catch up with her, but her philosophy was to live in the moment and worry about recovering later.
Now, however, she suddenly felt like her body wasn’t that of a twenty-six-year-old anymore. She turned and went back to her room, hoping to sleep off the fatigue.
Downstairs, Magdalen didn’t need to see the encounter to know her granddaughter had given Eleanor a hard time. “Don’t mind Serena,” she said with a sigh. “I don’t know what’s gotten into her lately. She’s been so listless, and her temper has gotten shorter and shorter. The smallest thing sets her off p>
A nearby maid nodded in silent agreement.
They couldn’t even clean in the mornings anymore, forced to wait until Serena woke up. If they disturbed her, she would truly fly into a rage.
Eleanor frowned. Irritability and fatigue were common symptoms associated with blood disorders.
At ten-thirty, Eleanor and her daughter left, despite the old woman’s repeated invitations to stay. Citing work, Eleanor made her excuses and took Evelyn to the mall to do some holiday shopping. The little girl skipped along beside her, giddy with excitement.
As the holidays drew closer, Eleanor’s workload hadn’t lessened. The lab, however, was closing for the break, so most experiments were on hold, giving her a much-needed vacation.
Ellington needed to report on work matters, and to make it easier for Eleanor to watch her child, he suggested they meet at an elegant café near her residential complex.
When Eleanor told her daughter she had to step out for a bit, Evelyn tugged on her sleeve. “Mommy, can Vivian come over and play for a while?” she asked sweetly.
Eleanor nodded. “Let me ask Mr. Vaughn if that’s okay p>
She sent a text to Xavier, asking if Vivian was home. A moment later, his call came through.
“She’s here,” Xavier’s voice came through the line. “Vivian has been wanting to play with Evelyn, too p>
“Great. Could you have your nanny or housekeeper bring her over?” Eleanor asked.
“Why don’t you bring Evelyn to my place? I’m home,” he offered, his voice a low, gentle rumble.
Eleanor considered it. Leaving
Joslyn to manage two children by
herself while she was out did make
her a bit uneasy. “Would that be convenient? don’t want to disturb you p>
“Of course, it’s convenient,” Xavier said with a light chuckle. “With a playmate to keep Vivian busy, I might actually get some time to myself p>
Eleanor understood completely. When children had friends over, they were far less likely to cling to their parents.
“Okay, then I’ll bring Evelyn over. I have a meeting with Ellington at the café near the entrance in a little while p>
“Sounds good. I’ll be waiting for you,” Xavier said warmly.
After she hung up, Eleanor told her daughter the plan, and Evelyn jumped for joy. “Mommy, I’m going to bring my new toys to share with Vivian p>
Ten minutes later, Eleanor rang Xavier’s doorbell. The door swung open to reveal him standing there in casual clothes. “Good afternoon, Mr. Vaughn,” Evelyn chirped.
“Good afternoon to you, too. Come on in,” Xavier replied with a smile.
Evelyn scurried inside, and soon the sound of two children’s happy laughter echoed from the living room.
Xavier’s gaze then fell on Eleanor.
Dressed for a day at home, she wore a simple, cream-colored turtleneck sweater her long hair cascading over her shoulders and revealing the elegant curve of her neck. She exuded a gentle, domestic warmth.
Cóntent
“Thank you so much for this. My meeting should only last about an hour. I’ll come get her after p>
“No problem. Go on, get to your meeting. I’ll take good care of Evelyn,” he assured her.
A short white later, Eleanor arrived at the café. Pushing the door open, she was surprised to see that a corner of the cafe had been transformed into a makeshift conference room, with several tables pushed together.
She had assumed it would only be Ellington, but he had brought all six of his department managers with him.