"Our baby’s godmother is truly amazing!" As soon as they stepped off the stage, Blake Lockwood handed Eleanor Winslow a large bouquet of flowers. Jeanette Grant hugged her beloved camera, grinning like a little villain, "Eleanor, you have no idea, those people originally thought you’d flop, and later, their dumbfounded expressions were hilarious!" Jeanette suddenly remembered something and turned to ask Adrian Grant, "Third Brother, what if, I mean what if! What if Eleanor didn’t perform well, would you really have given that Zoe Nash the award?" Eleanor lowered her eyes, showing no reaction, as if she hadn’t heard the question. Blake also looked at him. If Adrian really went on stage to give an award to Zoe Nash, she might cause a scene right there and someday get blacklisted from entering Aethelgard University. Adrian remained unfazed, "I only said I’d present the award to the winner; I didn’t specify whether it was for the team event or the individual event." At that time, Aethelgard University had already secured victory in the team event. Eleanor glanced up at him. This was just too... scheming! Jeanette gave her third brother a thumbs up, no wonder his mind was so accustomed to strategizing! Julian Jacobs walked over and enthusiastically said to Blake, "Miss Lockwood, we’re having a celebration party tonight, why don’t you join us?" Blake wasn’t surprised that Julian Jacobs knew who she was—Young Master Jacobs of Solis, after all, couldn’t afford to be ’blind and deaf.’ This Julian Jacobs seemed easygoing, yet had a hidden strong presence. Like just now, he directly assumed Eleanor would join the celebration party and invited her best friend, striking right at the heart! Moreover, this inviting move completely ignored the romantic rival Adrian Grant and Jeanette! "I won’t be going, have some stuff to do." Blake used an excuse to decline. Blake was pregnant and needed more rest, indeed not suitable to dine with them, so Eleanor said to Julian, "Senior, I’ll see my friend out first and then come find you guys later." "Alright, I... we’ll wait here for you." Julian glanced to the side once again, exchanged a look with Adrian, and offered a friendly smile. Blake discreetly observed the undercurrent between these two, finding it truly delightful! Compared to the resounding victory of Aethelgard University’s team, the members of the European Team appeared unusually quiet. Zoe Nash watched as everyone congratulated Eleanor, masking her disappointment in her eyes. Zoe left her teammates and walked out of the competition hall, dejected, into the arms of a woman in a brown fur coat standing outside. "Honey, it’s okay; you’re the best with Mommy!" The woman, caressing Zoe’s back with care, comforted, "I’m sorry, I couldn’t be there with you at the competition site due to some old matters." Zoe shook her head, "Mom, it’s not your fault... that girl is really amazing. It’s me... I’m not as good as her." "Nonsense! How could our Zoe be inferior to a woman who settled down early and lacks ambition?" Eleanor and Blake walked side by side, suddenly coming to a halt, staring rigidly at the mother and daughter a few meters away as if enchanted. The woman had her back to them, holding Zoe in her arms with one hand and clasping Zoe’s hand with the other, comforting her. This was the exit passage behind the venue, quiet and secluded. Eleanor clearly heard the words of the woman in the brown fur coat, and the Cantonese accent in her voice was identical to what she had heard on the cruise! "Eleanor..." Blake sharply sensed Eleanor’s off mood, called out to her in confusion. The mother and daughter a few meters away heard the commotion. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢•𝕟𝕖𝕥 Zoe looked up, eyes brimming with tears, seeing Eleanor surrounded by Adrian and others. The middle-aged woman, with her back to them, suddenly froze, turning around stiffly as if frozen. Adrian stepped forward, body to the side, blocking the line of sight between Eleanor and the others, cutting off any gaze coming from the opposite direction. Eleanor had the illusion that the world fell silent. All the light and people in front of her were instantly blocked by Adrian’s tall figure, leaving only a swath of gray and black waistcoat. Adrian seemed to shield her within a temporary space. "Zia Winslow." Adrian held her hand, his voice gentle yet inexplicably powerful. After several seconds, Eleanor’s eyelashes fluttered, finally responding. She looked up, meeting Adrian’s gaze, the man’s concerned face watching over her. He clearly knew something, which is why he shielded her first. He only called her name in a low voice, saying nothing more, but Eleanor knew he was giving her a chance to choose again—if she no longer wanted any inquiries into that woman, allowing her to become an unknown enigma, then she could turn around and walk away right now! Eleanor raised her hand, her soft palm pressing firmly against Adrian’s chest. It had to be faced eventually. Adrian sensed her pushing, persisted for two seconds, then sighed and compromised by taking a step back and moving aside to make space. In just a few seconds, it felt as if an eternity passed. What lay before her eyes had transformed—— The woman was well-maintained, with oriental elegance in her distinct features, her exquisite makeup obscuring any clear age identification, and the emerald green jade beads accentuated her noble elegance. At that moment, the fuzzy memory of Eleanor’s mother in her mind miraculously sharpened, every detail matching the woman before her. Time had been kind to her, leaving hardly any traces on her face; even her gaze remained as gentle as it was ten years ago. The difference now was there was an added shock within that gentleness. Melody Nash opened her mouth several times but could not utter a sound, her gaze fixated on Eleanor, unable to look away, as tears slowly gathered in her eyes. Compared to Melody’s emotional response, Eleanor’s reaction could be described as indifferent. The repeated ’forewarnings’ had prepared her, the repeated heartbreak had numbed her! Finally, Melody spoke, "Zia..." The next second, Melody left Zoe behind, disregarding her elegant image, and ran towards Eleanor. She called out firmly, embracing Eleanor tightly. Eleanor did not move, allowing Melody to hold her. Her body was trapped in the embrace, with sobs from the woman ringing in her ears, "...My darling, Mommy missed you so much!" The long-desired person and long-desired voice were right in front of her; it should be moving, it should be a relief. Yet, Eleanor only felt endless suffocation and bitterness in her heart, along with a sense of absurdity. She looked up at Zoe, who was walking over in shock. Zoe touched Melody’s shoulder, speaking with concern and helplessness, "Mom..." Melody snapped back to reality, holding Eleanor’s hand as she introduced to Zoe, "Zoe, this is your sister, Eleanor!" Eleanor only felt this scene was utterly ridiculous, her eyes stung as if something burnt them. Adrian, overstepping his bounds, pulled Eleanor’s hand from Melody’s grip, drawing her into his embrace.