Eleanor glanced up. Sure enough, snowflakes had begun to drift down outside the window, swirling under the streetlights and painting the world in a spectacular

hush.

At the table, lan and Evelyn were deep in discussion about dinner. Ian patiently explained the menu to his daughter, pointing out the choices. Meanwhile, Eleanor had already settled on her own order.

As soon as she finished, lan's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, then stood up. "I'll take this call," he said, stepping away.

Left at the table, Eleanor pulled out her phone and snapped a few adorable photos of Evelyn. Just then, Evelyn's eyes wandered to the next table, where a little girl sat in front of a whimsically shaped ice cream sundae-something Evelyn recognized from her own memories.

"What are you thinking about?" Eleanor asked, noticing her daughter's sudden quiet.

"Mom, I've had that ice cream before," Evelyn replied, her voice soft with nostalgia.

Eleanor stiffened ever so slightly. That particular sundae was only served at a restaurant in Drexford-nowhere else. Clearly, lan must have brought Evelyn there before, perhaps with Vanessa, leaving an impression on their daughter.

Eleanor's heart softened as she watched Evelyn steal glance after glance at the dessert. She leaned in, her voice gentle. "Evelyn, if you'd like, I can order one for us. But let's share it together, okay?"

Evelyn's face lit up. "Yes, Mom! Let's share."

Eleanor called over the waiter and ordered the same playful sundae. When it arrived, she and Evelyn dug in together, laughter and sweetness shared between them.

A few minutes later, lan returned. He sat down, watching as his daughter and Eleanor enjoyed the ice cream together, their faces bright with happiness.

"Mom, you've got cream on your lips!" Evelyn giggled, pointing with a tiny finger.

Eleanor reached for a napkin, but before she could, she instinctively licked the cream away and wiped her mouth with her hand.

Across the table, lan's gaze darkened for a moment. He silently pulled a napkin from the holder and offered it to her.

Eleanor hesitated, not wanting to take it from him, but Evelyn grabbed it and handed it over. "Here, Mom."

Reluctantly, Eleanor accepted the napkin from her daughter and dabbed at her lips. Evelyn, meanwhile, was already scooping another spoonful and offering it up to lan.

"Daddy, you should try some," she said, holding out the spoon.

lan chuckled, took the ice cream, and tasted it slowly, savoring the moment. "Delicious," he agreed, nodding.

Eleanor turned her face away, suddenly remembering that her daughter had just fed her several bites with that same spoon.

Then Evelyn turned to her again, spoon poised. "Mom, have another bite!"

Eleanor suppressed her mild discomfort and smiled gently. "Mommy's had plenty. You go ahead, sweetheart."

lan watched her, his eyes shadowed with a complicated emotion beneath thick lashes.

When the main course arrived, Eleanor focused solely on helping Evelyn with her meal, never once glancing at lan on the other side of the table.

By seven-thirty, Eleanor was in one of the hotel's meeting rooms, preparing to meet with Smith.

"Dr. Sutton, it's been a while," Smith greeted her, accompanied by two assistants.

"Dr. Smith, good evening," Eleanor replied politely.

Just then, lan arrived, holding Evelyn's hand. Before Eleanor could react, Smith's face broke into a delighted grin as he greeted Evelyn warmly. "Well, if it isn't our little angel-look how much you've grown!"

Eleanor's heart skipped a beat. Smith knows my daughter?