When Faye got home, she found her mother looking haggard. The face she usually took such good care of had aged several years overnight.

She had to stay calm and face this with her mother. She would not let her father and Cathie run off with the money to live happily ever after abroad.

A vicious glint appeared in Faye's eyes. She knew her father was a shrewd, manipulative man, and Cathie was just as sharp. She and her mother wouldn't stand a chance against them.

But the evidence Horace had—of her father's past commercial bribery and illegal asset transfers-was the perfect weapon.

A wild plan quickly formed in her mind: she would use Horace to threaten her father and demand a huge sum for his silence.

Let her shameless father and Horace tear each other apart. Regardless of who won, it would be a bloodbath. Either her father's reputation would be ruined and he'd be thrown in jail, or Horace's extortion attempt would be enough to land him behind bars for a few years.

Once they had destroyed each other, she would find a way to get her hands on that one billion dollars.

Faye knew her mother couldn't handle the shock, so she decided not to tell her. She would handle this herself.

After a long, scalding shower, Faye lay in bed, her mind racing. Besides her family drama, she couldn't stop thinking about the poised and elegant figure of Eleanor among the military representatives that day.

In their field, reputation was even more desirable than money.

***

The next morning, Eleanor opened her front door, ready to take her daughter to school, only to find lan leaning against the wall, waiting.

"Daddy!" Evelyn chirped, running over to hug him.

"Daddy's taking you to school," Ian said, ruffling her hair. He looked up at Eleanor. "Together?"

Before Eleanor could answer, Evelyn looked at her with pleading eyes. "Mama, can you come with us?"

"Alright," Eleanor nodded. She had to go out anyway. She said to lan, "I'll drive."

"Sounds good. We can head to the lab together," lan said with a low chuckle, clearly planning to hitch a ride.

Eleanor frowned, sensing he had deliberately come without his car.

Eleanor pulled up to the school and found a parking spot. The car in

front ofthem was Xavier's sir

Bentley.

lan obviously saw it too. He took his daughter's hand. "Evelyn, Daddy will walk you

in."

Then, he turned to Eleanor. "Does Mama want to come?"

Eleanor paused. It was the name he'd always used for her in front of their daughter when they were married.

"No, I'll wait in the car," she replied.

lan didn't press, leading their daughter toward the school.

A few minutes after they went inside, Eleanor saw lan walking back toward the car, chatting with Xavier.

Eleanor had already rolled down her

window. From a few yards away, Xavier's eyes met hers. Eleanor gave nod Noticing

him a small, Scar Xavier seemed

lar didn't have a

to understand. He smiled and

nodded back before getting into his own vehicle.

lan opened the passenger door of Eleanor's car and gracefully slid in.

Eleanor started the car, following Xavier for a short distance before their paths diverged.

Xavier glanced at the white sedan shrinking in his rearview mirror, his hands tightening on the steering wheel.

Wasn't this a metaphor for their lives?

He and Eleanor were destined to

head in different directions. Meanwhite lan and Eleanor's lives would always revolve around their shared work and their shared child. They were fellow travelers on the same path.