Seeing her brother's melancholic expression pained Serena even more. Then, an idea struck her. "Brother, since Ellie won't listen to your explanations, why don't you show her through your actions? Win her over with your sincerity. Make her see the good in you again."

lan's eyes flickered. He looked up at his sister. "I have my own plans. Don't you worry about it."

Serena couldn't help but mumble, "Are you calling me stupid again, brother? You're afraid I'll mess up your plan to win back your wife, aren't you?"

lan looked at her, exasperated. "Just focus on your own business."

Serena nodded, but added one more piece of advice. "Brother, you have to take real action. Don't be so proud and aloof. You know how in-demand Ellie is right now."

lan gave his sister a weary look. "I know."

Suddenly, Serena thought of something else. She leaned in closer to her brother. "Brother, tell me honestly. Did you and Vanessa ever..."

Serena trailed off before saying the words "have a physical relationship," but she was sure her brother understood what she was asking.

lan's face instantly darkened, and he shot his sister a chilling glare. "What do you think?"

"Oh, don't get mad, brother!" Serena said, blushing and awkwardly pressing on. "I just want to know. It's very important to me."

"No," lan answered decisively, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "Not once. From the very beginning, there was nothing between us but a transaction."

"But I saw you holding her a few times. And once, during the New Year's holiday, she called you and you left immediately. Evelyn cried for you that night."

lan's fists clenched as he gritted his teeth, recalling the memory. "That night, she slit her wrists at home."

so

"What? She threatened you by slitting her wrists? That explains it! I always wondered why she had so many scars on her wrists. So she used them to threaten you. That wicked woman!" Serena slammed her fist on the table in anger, Vanessa has gone too far, always using her status as the sole global donor to threaten her brother.

How could her brother ever like, let alone touch, a woman so malicious and manipulative?

Of course, with Vanessa's methods, she must have tried to seduce her brother countless times, both openly and secretly. Her brother had to endure such a seductress. It was truly unfair to him.

No matter how bad things got, her brother wouldn't do something against his will. That was good. At least he had maintained his principles. That would make explaining things to Ellie more convincing.

Serena got the answer she wanted and left, finally feeling at ease.

That afternoon, they began implementing Gina Quinn's treatment plan. Due to the severity of Gina's condition and some pre existing conditions common in the elderly, implementing the new plan required careful consideration. Dr. Smith had been working on optimizing it.

When Eleanor entered the hospital room, Gina's face was pale and she was very thin, but her eyes lit up when she saw Eleanor.

"Eleanor, you're here." She sat up, but a low cough wracked her body. The back of her hand was covered in dense red spots, an alarming sight.

Eleanor looked at her, the past long forgotten. In her eyes, Gina was now her patient, her daughter's grandmother. She would do everything in her power to save her life.

"Stay lying down. A nurse will be here soon to check your blood pressure," Eleanor told her.

Just then, Serena walked in from behind, greeting her warmly. "Ellie, you're here."

Eleanor nodded. After the nurse

finished taking the blood pressure, Eleanor sat down to ask about other symptoms. About ten minutes into their conversation, Gina's nose tingled, and she suddenly became emotional. "Eleanor so sorry was too harsh on you before. I shouldn't have treated you that way-"

Eleanor was taken aback by the sudden confession. She lowered her head. "What's past is past. Please focus on getting better."

"I was always prejudiced against you. It's a fact. When you dropped out of school

to marry lan, I thought you weren't good enough for him, that you were holding back his life and career—" Gina's voice grew choked with emotion. "But now I know I was wrong-"