No More Mrs. Nice Wife (Eleanor) novel Chapter 1573

Ian crouched down, his eyes filled with a deep, profound love as he looked at his daughter.

"How was school today? Do you have any homework?"

"Yeah! But I can handle it," Evelyn nodded, looking more mature by the day.

Joslyn walked over. "Sir, I can make you a hot bowl of soup."

Ian nodded. "That sounds great, thank you."

Eleanor stayed upstairs, giving Ian and Evelyn some time alone. He needed an anchor right now, and his daughter was the most solid, undeniable piece of his future.

When Joslyn brought the soup out, Ian ate a little while sitting with Evelyn. By ten o'clock, he took his daughter's hand and led her upstairs to tuck her into bed.

"Daddy, can you tell me a story?" Evelyn pleaded.

Ian glanced at Eleanor. She gave a soft nod. "Stay with her for a bit."

Leaving Ian in the master bedroom, Eleanor went to the study for a while. At ten-twenty, she knew she had to get Evelyn to sleep for school the next day.

Ian finally stepped out, and soon after, she heard his car pulling out of the driveway.

In the VIP lounge of a private club, Henry Holt and Xavier Vaughn were waiting for him. They weren't there to drink; they were just there to be with him.

They knew words of comfort were useless right now. Between brothers, nothing needed to be said. When he needed them, they showed up.

The lighting in the room was dim. Ian sat on a sofa by the window while Xavier poured a round of drinks. Time ticked by in heavy silence.

Henry and Xavier exchanged a brief glance. Having known Ian for years, they had seen his ruthless decisiveness in the boardroom and his unshakable composure under pressure. They had no doubt he would get through this too.

He just needed time.

It was close to midnight when Ian finally returned to the villa. Glancing toward a certain bedroom, he kept his footsteps as light as possible to avoid waking anyone.

The news of Magdalen's passing had hit the media. It wasn't splashed across the front pages, but there were respectful obituaries honoring her life and legacy.

Ian turned his gaze to her, his eyes softening with gratitude.

"Thank you for being here with me."

"You don't need to thank me at a time like this," Eleanor said, lowering her gaze. "We're all heartbroken about Grandmother."

She paused, searching for the right words. "If she's watching over us, I know she'd want us to be okay. As long as we're doing well, she'll be at peace, wherever she is."

Ian gently covered her hand, which was resting on her lap. "You're right. More than anything, she wanted us to be happy."

Staring at his hand covering hers, the memory of Magdalen's dying wish suddenly flooded Eleanor's mind. Her fingers twitched, and she subtly pulled her hand back. "Let's head back. You need to rest. The funeral is tomorrow, and you still have a lot to deal with."

Ian nodded. "Alright."

Once they returned, Gavin dropped off some paperwork, and Ian spent the rest of the day working from home.