lan quickly snapped his attention to his daughter's pouting, chubby cheeks and offered a soft smile. "Dad is listening."

After dinner, lan drove Eleanor's car to take them home. That night, he received a call from Serena Goodwin, who was already finalizing the travel arrangements.

Eleanor also looked up the private resort. It was nestled deep within the mountains, a premium eco-friendly retreat built exclusively for wealthy vacationers seeking nature and leisure.

It was a little over a hundred miles away.

The itinerary was quickly locked in. They would head out on Friday afternoon and return on Monday morning.

Eleanor cleared her schedule and organized her tasks accordingly.

A discreet convoy of six cars left Ashford City, heading toward the mountainous outskirts.

Along the way, Evelyn was like a happy little bird, pressing her face against the window to marvel at the untouched scenery. She fired off question after question, which lan patiently answered.

Eleanor rode in a separate car with Magdalen, chatting amiably and admiring the views outside. The older woman was in remarkably high spirits.

The drive took a few hours. As they entered the mountainous region, the air grew noticeably crisper and fresher.

Lush greenery stretched as far as the eye could see. The estate featured traditional architectural designs that blended seamlessly with the natural surroundings, exuding the grandeur of an ancient noble manor.

The estate manager, having waited for their arrival, warmly guided them to two standalone classic villas.

"Absolutely stunning. Look at this architecture—it's brimming with historical charm." Magdalen adored antiques and classic aesthetics. She was more than pleased with the trip.

When it came time to assign the villas, Evelyn announced loudly, "I want to stay in a villa with Mommy and Daddy!"

Serena had been waiting for her niece to say exactly that. She quickly chimed in, "Perfect! I'll stay with Mom and Grandma. It's settled!"

Eleanor didn't object. After all, the entire purpose of this trip was to keep her daughter company and give her a beautiful, joyful memory before the summer ended.

When distributing the rooms, lan took the guest room on the second floor, while Eleanor and Evelyn took the master suite on the third.

Standing on the balcony, Eleanor took in the sweeping views of the verdant mountains. It was obvious that the developers had poured immense resources into the property; everything was top-tier.

"Mommy, I'm going to find Auntie Serena!" Evelyn couldn't wait to run outside and explore.

"Be careful," Eleanor called out after her.

The other villa was only a few

hundred feet away, connected by a

path that led straight through the

gardens. Eleanor had a cleardine of sight to her daughter.

Watching Evelyn skip around joyfully like a butterfly fluttering through flowers, Eleanor couldn't help but smile.

As Eleanor unpacked her suitcase, a tall figure stepped into the room. She looked

up. lan gave a low chuckle and asked, "Need a hand?"

"No, thanks," Eleanor shook her head, grabbing two dresses and carrying them over to the closet.

Despite her refusal, lan crouched down to help her hang the clothes When Eleanor turned around, she realized his large hand was holding her underwear.

Out of pure reflex, Eleanor snatched it from his grasp. "I'll do it myself."

lan looked up at her, feigning innocence. "What's wrong?"

ет

Eleanor's breathing hitched. Even though they had been married for years, this kind of highly intimate contact after three years apart stil made her terribly uncomfortable.

lan hadn't intended to tease her; he just happened to grab that specific pile of fabric.

"Sorry," he murmured in a low voice. "I didn't mean to."

Eleanor's face flushed slightly. "Go check on Evelyn. I can unpack on my own."

"We don't need to act like strangers around each other," lan said, standing up and holding her gaze.

"I'm just not used to it..." Eleanor tried to explain, acknowledging that she had overreacted a bit.

"Not used to what?" lan pressed, his tone turning probing. "Not used to living under the same roof as me?"

The bluntness of his question made her heart flutter erratically. She met his scrutinizing stare and answered honestly, "A bit of both."

lan nodded and took a step back. "I understand. I'll go keep Evelyn company."