Eleanor tilted her head as she looked at Sebastian, whose expression remained calm and composed. She blinked. “Sebastian, why do you seem uninterested in the authenticity of that hospital record?”

“It’s your body. You know it best,” he replied calmly. “If you say it didn’t happen, then it didn’t.”

Eleanor smirked. “You trust me that much, huh? Aren’t you afraid I’m just making excuses? After all, Maurice sounded so convinced.”

Sebastian stared at her. “You’re my wife. I trust you.”

There was a small set of stairs a few steps ahead. Eleanor skipped down three steps in one go, then turned back to look at him, standing tall and confident. “Well, glad you trust me! I’d have to be insane to have had a kid at 18!”

Sebastian stared at her, something unreadable flickering in his eyes.

Eleanor clasped her hands behind her back and started walking backward. “But Brenda—aside from so many details—hasn’t given up. She’s still looking for ways to stir up trouble for me.” Eleanor’s eyes narrowed as she grinned mischievously. “I’m going to send her a ‘gift.’ I’ll let her have her moment in the spotlight, too.”

The next morning, Eleanor headed straight to the CEO’s office to find Philip. “Uncle Philip, can I be the deputy CEO now?” she asked.

Philip replied unhurriedly. “The online controversy has died down. But after discussion in the board meeting, we still think that it’s not the best time to promote you yet. Wait until the end of the year. If you achieve a few more solid results, your promotion will be more justified when we recognize contributions at the annual celebration.”

Eleanor had already expected that he wouldn’t give up the position so easily, but she still found his response amusing. “Uncle Philip, do you really take me for a fool? First, you tricked me into clearing up the husband swap in public. And now that I’ve served my purpose, you’re tossing me aside like a used tool, keeping what you promised me for yourself. You really think I can’t do anything about it?!”

Philip sipped his tea, looking utterly unconcerned. It was as if he hadn’t even considered Eleanor a threat. He simply didn’t believe she could do anything to him.

Eleanor smiled faintly. “Fine. Then don’t blame me for returning the favor.” She had already given him a chance, but he chose to push his luck. He had no one to blame but himself.

Without another word, Eleanor turned and walked away. For a brief moment, Philip was actually unsettled by what she had said. But after thinking it over, he scoffed and shook his head. Eleanor had no backing—she was all on her own. No matter how much she struggled, she would never escape his grasp.

He picked up the phone and called Brenda. “Brenda, don’t be late for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Gray Crane later. It’s at 2:00.” “Yes, Dad,” Brenda replied sweetly.

Gray Crane was a restaurant that Philip and Brenda had invested in. But in the previous timeline, it hadn’t belonged to them. Brenda, armed with knowledge from her past life, had known that this restaurant would soon become wildly popular, second only to Newark. She had convinced Philip to invest in it early, hoping to gain both wealth and prestige. To maximize publicity, she had even invited several well-known media outlets to document the event. She planned to build a reputation as a businessperson who could spot valuable investments early and turn them into major successes.

Just as they were about to cut the red ribbon, a still voice suddenly cut through the crowd. “Dad! Dad! Do you still remember my mom, Freya Baker? She’s Glorious Karaoke. Do you remember her?”

Philip and Brenda instinctively turned to look at the person. A teenage boy, around 17, pushed his way through the crowd and grabbed Philip’s hand. “Dad!” A jolt of shock ran through Brenda’s eyes. What was he doing here?