lan turned to look at Xavier. "What about you? What are your plans?"

Xavier understood the true meaning behind lan's question. He lowered his gaze slightly, a smile of acceptance on his lips. "For now, I'll focus on taking care of Vivian and managing the company. My personal life can wait."

lan looked at Xavier deeply, his voice low and sincere. "About that incident two years ago, I never properly thanked you."

Xavier paused for a moment, then realized he was talking about Eleanor falling into

the pool.

lan's eyes shone with intense guilt and regret. "If you hadn't jumped in to save her immediately-"

"It was the right thing to do," Xavier replied softly. "Anyone would have done the same in that situation."

Under the moonlight, the two men's gazes met. Emotion tightened his throat for a moment. "I'll never forget that."

Xavier nodded gently. Some thanks didn't need to be spoken; some bonds were understood without words.

That night, when lan had jumped in to save Vanessa, Xavier had been in the water to rescue Eleanor no more than three seconds later.

"Why didn't you save Eleanor first?" Xavier suddenly asked, still curious after all this time. There were plenty of people there that day; even if someone fell in, it wouldn't have been a fatal accident.

lan could have easily chosen to save Eleanor and let someone else rescue Vanessa.

lan lowered his eyes, his thoughts returning to that dinner party. Ten minutes before

it happened, he had taken a phone call.

He looked up and sighed heavily. "Ten minutes before it happened, I had just learned that my mother's blood disease had a fifty percent chance of being passed down to Serena, and a thirty percent chance of being passed to Evelyn."

lan's voice was heavy with suppressed emotion. "Vanessa was the only matching donor in the world at that time. In that moment, my instinct told me I had to protect her-"

The truth left Xavier speechless. He had never imagined that behind such a seemingly cold choice lay such a complex and heavy consideration.

"Have you explained this to Eleanor?" Xavier asked, his eyes narrowing.

lan shook his head. "I haven't explained it to her in detail." He sighed softly. "Some choices come with a price."

Some explanations, when they come too late, lose their meaning.

Xavier understood. To remain silent when Eleanor needed an explanation the most, and then to bring it up now that so much time had passed, would only seem like making excuses. Why disturb her with old entanglements?

lan looked at his daughter's happy

smile as she went down the slide, a

his lips. "What

bitter smile and the

matters is the

future. What I can do is take good

care of Evelyn and make sure she

grows up healthy and happy-"

Cóntent

It dawned on Xavier what he had said. His eyes widened in shock. "You just said

Evelyn might have inherited it?"

So much had happened recently that lan hadn't had a chance to tell Xavier everything. He nodded now. "Eleanor has already developed a cure. Serena has recovered from the initial also

symptoms and my moth the initial

recuperating. We don't have to worry too much about Evelyn's future."

Xavier nodded slowly, realizing that even though they were divorced, their child would forever bind them together. He looked at the innocent Evelyn on the slide and felt a sense of relief. She was lucky to have such good parents.

One spared no expense to build a lab, and the other worked tirelessly to develop a cure, all to ensure her lifelong health and safety.

***

The early summer night breeze was

slightly warm. After walking Princess a couple of laps, Eleanor led her into the elevator lobby. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead, and her hair was slightly disheveled, adding a lively beauty to her usual cool demeanor. Ian was leading his daughter toward the elevator, and as be turned, he saw Eleanor casually tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, revealing the slender, pale line of her neck.

lan's gaze deepened, and his throat tightened.

"Mommy!" Evelyn happily ran over and hugged her leg.

Eleanor bent down and ruffled her daughter's hair. "Did you have fun?"

"Lots of fun!" Evelyn's head was also covered in sweat. Eleanor made a mental note to give her a bath as soon as they got back.

lan walked them to their door. As Eleanor was closing it, she looked back at him and said, "Thanks."

She had fallen into a habit of being polite with him. A simple "thank you" clearly delineated their current relationship—a parenting partnership.

A sense of helplessness washed over lan. He replied softly, "You're welcome."

Eleanor closed the door. Ian stood there for a moment before turning and walking back to the elevator.