CHAPTER 97: CHAPTER 97: MADAM WENT TO THE MALE MODEL CLUB

"When did you learn to smoke?"

Eleanor Winslow walked over and stood beside him.

Jude Winslow saw her bend over specifically for him, immediately stood up, and moved the cigarette aside to avoid blowing smoke at her.

He was tall, and when he stood up straight, Eleanor had to slightly look up at him even in heels.

"It was... just in high school." Jude Winslow seemed a bit awkward as if he had been caught doing something wrong.

"Have you been outside all this time, or did you just come out?" Eleanor asked.

Jude ruffled his hair and honestly replied, "Just came out."

The awkwardness held back the sadness he was trying to hide; it was clear he knew everything.

Eleanor sighed, "Jude, I’m sorry for dragging you into this, this conflict was originally between Mia Winslow and me."

"Mia was the one who hurt you, why are you apologizing to me?" Jude hung his head, looking like a dejected puppy, "I thought it was just a little disagreement between you two..."

He never expected it to escalate to this point.

Jude’s eyes were slightly red, feeling that his mother and sister were the bullies.

Eleanor patted his head and gently said, "Let’s go back."

"What about you?" Jude immediately lifted his eyes, asking anxiously, "Are you never coming back? You’re a Winslow, this is still your home!"

"Yeah, I know."

Though she had fallen out with Mia Winslow and her daughter, she hadn’t with Eugene Winslow.

She still needed Eugene Winslow to find out the truth about her mother’s death!

"Blake, let’s go." Eleanor said, with no sentiment for the banquet behind her.

"Not waiting for Adrian Grant?" Blake Lockwood, knowing that Adrian had replaced the video, was slightly more amiable towards him.

Eleanor shook her head firmly.

No waiting.

In the past three years, she had waited enough.

-

Mia Winslow’s birthday party came to an abrupt halt amidst the sudden chaos.

Eugene Winslow searched everywhere and, not finding Eleanor, immediately called her.

"Eleanor, have you left already?" Eugene spoke to Eleanor in an unprecedentedly gentle tone, "I didn’t see you and didn’t get to ask about your injury."

On the other end, Eleanor gave a mocking smile.

Eugene wasn’t concerned; he realized he had wronged her and wanted to repair their relationship to stay allied with the Grant Group!

"Dad, no one there welcomes me." Eleanor said blankly, feigning victimhood.

"It’s my fault, it’s my misunderstanding!"

"It’s not your fault." Eleanor said it wasn’t his fault, but the tone sounded aggrieved, "Dad, I’m a bit tired."

With a lot of pride, Eugene was lenient when Yvonne Vance and Mia Winslow used her mother’s relics without permission before. But since this was the second instance of deception, Eugene wasn’t so easily appeased!

Eugene understood that Eleanor was hurt and didn’t want to talk to him at the moment.

Unbeknownst to him, his daughter had matured and was not throwing a tantrum, even when falsely accused!

Eugene felt a rush of emotion, just as Mia began to sob nearby.

"Shut up! Stop crying!" Eugene scolded Mia in irritation, "How dare you cry after doing such disgraceful things?! Mia Winslow, you’ve completely shamed me!"

"Dad! That video was clearly edited, Eleanor set me up on purpose!" Mia wailed, "She deliberately chose my birthday to humiliate me and disgrace you! She’s full of malice!"

Mia tried to blame everything on Eleanor.

In the past, Eugene would have believed Mia. In his eyes, his elder daughter was obedient and his younger daughter was rebellious, hence more inclined to believe Mia.

But today, the video was provided by Adrian Grant!

It wasn’t Eleanor!

Eugene had watched the camera being installed; could he not judge if it had been edited?

"Dad, I swear I’m telling the truth, I—"

"Slap!"

Eugene slapped Mia, stopping her words.

Mia covered her face, looking at Eugene in shock, "Dad, you hit me?"

This was her first time being struck, having always been favored.

"Mia, the video’s there, and you’re still lying! Do you think I’m an idiot, easy to fool? How much more have you lied to me?" Eugene angrily pointed at Mia’s nose.

"Eugene!" Yvonne clung to Eugene’s arm, pleading, "Mia was careless and confused! She’s also your biological daughter, yet only considered a stepdaughter, lesser than Eleanor! She’s afraid you wouldn’t like her! Life hasn’t been easy for her!"

Yvonne signaled to Mia, "Apologize to your dad, quickly!"

Probably due to the emotional stress, Mia’s left-handed injury felt increasingly painful. She unwillingly, yet knew she had to go along with Eugene’s wishes, apologizing as her eyes filled with hatred.

Jude observed this scene, finding it ludicrous and ridiculous.

Why, with his mother being the mistress turned wife and his sister being illegitimate, were they still so justifiably righteous?

-

With Eleanor’s hands still needing a month to heal, she went to the partner’s office on Monday to initiate ending her internship.

She couldn’t just take an intern’s spot with pay without doing any work.

Unexpectedly, the partner offered, "Take a month to recover, we’ll reserve your internship position."

"Why don’t you look happy?" Blake Lockwood waited for Eleanor outside the office building, "Not willing to let go of the internship?"

Eleanor shook her head, "They’re keeping the position open, I suspect it’s because of Adrian Grant."

Albert Sawyer, at his level, might not know about her connection with Adrian, but the partner likely speculated a significant relationship; otherwise, there was no reason to keep her internship open.

She indeed considered resigning.

"Decide about the internship after your recovery; tonight, let’s do something fun to unwind!" Blake interrupted Eleanor’s thoughts.

"What to play?"

"Play with men!"

An hour later.

Trevor Hawthorne received a call from a bodyguard, "Young Master Hawthorne, your wife and a friend went into Night Bar."

Night Bar, well-known in Aethelgard for male models catering to wealthy women and rich heiresses!

Trevor squinted, "Friend?"

What kind of friends was Blake Lockwood making!

The bodyguard said, "It’s Mrs. Grant, Eleanor Winslow."

Trevor was unsure if someone had led his wife astray or if she led someone else astray.

He flipped through his contacts and called Adrian Grant.

"Young Master Grant, have you finalized the divorce with Miss Winslow?"

Adrian was busy with financial reports, paused upon hearing this, and responded sharply, "Are you out of your mind?"

Trevor chuckled, "Then why is Mrs. Grant going to a male model club?"