Chapter 957
“Okay, Mommy. Daddy will stay with me,” Evelyn replied dutifully.
Eleanor turned and walked away, needing some space to sort through her jumbled thoughts.
lan ran a hand through his thick hair. It wasn’t that he was overly concerned with his appearance, but the sudden graying was a shock even to him.
“Daddy, why did your hair turn white all of a sudden?” Evelyn asked with innocent curiosity.
“I guess Daddy has just been thinking a little too much lately,” lan answered in a relaxed tone.
“No matter what, Daddy, I’ll always love you,” Evelyn declared loudly.
lan’s heart melted at his daughter’s simple, heartfelt words.
He knelt and kissed her cheek. “You’re my precious girl p>
Just then, Joslyn came out of the kitchen with a bowl of soup. She caught sight of lan under the light and froze for a few seconds. She didn’t say anything, but a wave of sympathy washed over her before she returned to the kitchen.
Evelyn went off to play, leaving lan standing on the balcony. The night breeze rustled his hair as he looked out with a strange sense of calm. He accepted the change in himself without resistance, almost with a sense of welcome, as if the streaks of gray were a badge of honor, a testament to something significant.
That evening, Joslyn prepared a simple, light dinner. As she was cleaning up in the kitchen, she glanced over at the dining table and saw the three of them sitting together like a family. A pang of hope filled her. Could scenes like this become more common in the future?
At the table, Evelyn finished her meal, and Eleanor had some soup. Ian checked the time and said to her, “I’ll take Evelyn downstairs. You should get some rest p>
“No, it’s fine. I sleep better when she’s with me,” Eleanor said, keeping their daughter with her.
lan’s deep gaze met hers. Eleanor held his look calmly, but her eyes eventually drifted to his hair. The gray was noticeable under the lights, yet it seemed to lend him an even greater air of maturity.
lan cleared his throat. “Do I look terrible p>
Eleanor didn’t answer, simply saying, “You should get some rest, too p>
lan froze. For the first time, her gaze was completely calm, completely open. There was no hatred.
And no love.
There wasn’t even resentment or the cold distance she used to maintain. It was a profound placidity, an indifference so deep that nothing he did or said could stir her emotions.
Hate, at least
would have meant she
still cared. This utter apathy was a silent declaration: *I don’t hate you but I don’t care about you either. To her, be was just an consequential stranger she treated with polite courtesy, their only connection the shared responsibility for their daughter.
The realization made lan’s throat
tighten. He turned and walked out,
avoiding the placid gaze that
followed him. As he closed the door, however, he did so with a soft, controlled click.
On the sofa, Eleanor was on the phone with Dr. Smith, her work never far from her mind, nor was Serena’s ongoing trial.
“Miss Goodwin is stable. El, the theory you proposed is very sound. We should explore it from multiple angles p>
“Doctor, I found the answer. The golden antibody produced by direct relatives stimulates a much stronger immune response than Vanessa’s p>
“What? You succeeded?” Dr. Smith’s excited voice came through the line.
Eleanor looked down and smiled, her voice filled with certainty. “Yes. I’ve found the other key p>