"Brother, are you... are you going to try to win Ellie back?" Serena asked, her tear-filled eyes pleading. In that moment, she was convinced Eleanor was the best sister-in-law in the world.

A bitter smile touched lan's lips, but he didn't answer.

Serena grew anxious. "But you two have Evelyn!"

lan gently squeezed her shoulder, his gaze turning serious. "Serena, now is not the time to talk about this. Your most important task is to focus on your treatment and get well. Don't cause Eleanor any more trouble."

Serena nodded, swallowing the rest of her words. He was right. Eleanor was completely focused on her research, and it wouldn't be fair to distract her now. "Okay, brother, I understand. I'll cooperate fully."

Back in her hospital room, Serena clenched her fists, still trembling with anger. She sat on her bed, her mind replaying all the things she had done with Vanessa. In hindsight, every one of Vanessa's actions had been aimed at Eleanor.

She remembered their first family dinner in Drexford. Vanessa had shown up unexpectedly, introducing herself as a friend of her brother's. Serena, unsuspecting, had welcomed her. Later, they ran into each other in the restroom, where Vanessa showered her with compliments and asked for her number. Soon after, she invited Serena to a concert at The Arts Institute.

From then on Vanessa became a constant presence in her life, playing the role of a supportive older sister At the time, Serena was struggling under the weight of her brother's academic expectations, feeling depressed and overwhelmed

Whenever she complained about fier studies, Vanessa would take her shopping or to art galleries, concerts, and fashion

events-always catering to her interests.

Though she was a "Miss Goodwin," Serena felt empty and lonely, desperate for validation. Vanessa expertly filled that void, praising her intelligence and taste, putting her on a pedestal. At the time, Vanessa was a top student at The Arts Institute, a celebrated prodigy who even had her own solo recitals.

Then one night, Vanessa pretended to be drunk and confessed that she had been secretly in love with lan for two years. Serena was shocked; her brother was already married to

Eleanor. Her knowledge of Eleanor was limited, mostly consisting of what Vanessa had told her that Eleanor had taken advantage of lan while he was unconscious, proposed as soon as he recovered, and essentially forced him into marriage, stealing him away from Vanessa.

Serena, who already admired Vanessa's talent, was easily swayed. The idea that Eleanor was so conniving planted a seed of prejudice in her mind. From that point on, she despised Eleanor, convinced she was a manipulative social climber who had dropped out of school to marry into wealth—someone utterly unworthy of her brilliant brother.

Unless it was absolutely necessary, Serena avoided Eleanor. Vanessa, meanwhite, became the tragic, long-suffering heroine in her eyes. On several occasions, Serena saw Vanessa post photos of expensive gifts with captions that hinted they were from lan This reinforced Serena's belief that her brother's marriage to Eleanor was a reluctant obligation, while his heart truly belonged to Vanessa, his

unobtainable love.

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Vanessa would also send her photos with Evelyn, often with lan blurred in the background, subtly creating the illusion that they were the real family, and Eleanor, back in her home country, was the outsider.