One week.
That was how long Eleanor had spent inside Dr. James's hospital.
By the seventh morning, she was sitting on the edge of her bed, staring at the suitcase Sebastian had brought.
Dr. James walked into the room carrying her final medical report.
"You're cleared to leave."
Eleanor smiled.
"Finally."
"Don't celebrate yet."
Her smile disappeared.
"What?"
"You're going home, but that doesn't mean you can return to working eighteen hours a day."
Eleanor sighed.
"James…"
"No."
She folded her arms.
"You sound like Sebastian."
"Because Sebastian is right."
A knock came at the door.
Sebastian walked in.
"I heard my name."
Eleanor pointed at Dr. James.
"He's ganging up on me."
Sebastian smiled.
"I support him."
"Traitors."
Dr. James laughed.
"You can leave this afternoon."
Eleanor immediately stood.
"I'm leaving now."
"After lunch."
She groaned.
"Fine."
By afternoon, Eleanor had changed into a simple but elegant outfit.
She was finally ready to leave.
She expected her parents to come.
But when she stepped outside the hospital, the car waiting for her wasn't theirs.
It was black.
Familiar.
Eleanor stopped.
The back door opened.
Raven stepped out.
Her black mask covered her face.
Eleanor smiled.
"You came."
Raven looked at her.
"I said I would."
Eleanor remembered their last conversation.
"You didn't actually say you would come today."
Raven paused.
"No."
"Then why are you here?"
"I was nearby."
Eleanor raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
"Yes."
She clearly didn't believe her.
Raven opened the car door.
"Are you getting in?"
Eleanor smiled.
"Yes, ma'am."
Sebastian watched them from behind.
Jane, who had accompanied Raven, looked at him.
"They're becoming a problem."
Sebastian smiled.
"I was thinking the same thing."
The drive to Vance Capital Holdings was surprisingly quiet.
Eleanor looked out the window.
After several minutes, she spoke.
"You've been visiting me every evening."
"Yes."
"Even when you were busy."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Raven looked straight ahead.
"I told you."
"To make sure I'm alright."
"Yes."
Eleanor smiled.
"You're not very good at lying."
Raven glanced at her.
"Neither are you."
Eleanor laughed.
"Fair enough."
The car became quiet again.
Then Eleanor noticed Raven's hand resting against the armrest.
She remembered their conversation in the hospital.
The warmth of Raven's hand.
The strange sense of safety she'd felt.
She looked away before Raven noticed.
When Eleanor entered Vance Capital Holdings, the entire reception area seemed to brighten.
"Welcome back, ma'am."
"Good to have you back, Ms. Vance."
Eleanor smiled.
"Thank you."
Sebastian followed behind her.
"You should be resting."
"I am resting."
"You're walking into your office."
"Walking is not working."
Sebastian sighed.
Raven stood a few steps away.
"You haven't changed."
Eleanor turned.
"Neither have you."
Raven almost smiled.
"I'll see you later."
Eleanor looked at her.
"You're leaving?"
"I have work."
"Oh."
The disappointment in Eleanor's voice was so obvious that even Sebastian noticed.
Raven noticed too.
"I'll call you."
Eleanor smiled.
"Okay."
Raven walked away.
Eleanor watched her until she disappeared through the doors.
Sebastian slowly looked at his boss.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Then stop looking at me like that."
He smiled.
"I didn't say anything."
Later that afternoon, Raven returned to Apex Raven Global.
Jane was waiting in her office.
"The Willow Creek property has officially been transferred."
Raven removed her gloves.
"Good."
Jane placed the documents on the desk.
"There is something else."
Raven opened the folder.
"What?"
"Some of the original ownership records were recently recovered."
Raven looked through them.
Then she stopped.
A familiar name appeared.
Jeffrey Hale.
Her fingers tightened around the document.
"Why is his name here?"
"We don't know yet."
Raven stared at the page.
Jeff.
Her stepbrother.
The man who had stood beside Bella while Raven's life collapsed.
The man who had watched her mother die and then taken everything he could.
Raven's eyes became cold.
"Find every document connected to him."
Jane nodded.
"How far back?"
"Everything."
That evening, Andrea arrived.
Raven looked up.
"Any news?"
Andrea placed a folder on her desk.
"Matt Evans had contact with someone before the date."
"Who?"
"We haven't identified them."
"Then keep looking."
Andrea nodded.
"There is something else."
Raven waited.
"The number was encrypted. Whoever he was speaking to knew how to hide their identity."
Raven leaned back.
"Interesting."
"There's more."
Andrea lowered her voice.
"Someone has also been watching activity around Blackwood Heights."
Raven's eyes narrowed.
"The masked group?"
"We can't confirm it."
"Don't assume."
Andrea nodded.
"We'll keep investigating."
"Quietly."
"Of course."
That night, Eleanor sat alone in her bedroom.
She had spent the entire day catching up on work.
Her body was tired.
But her mind wasn't.
She looked at the clock.
9:47 p.m.
She remembered Raven saying:
I'll call you.
Eleanor shook her head.
Why was she waiting?
She had known Raven for only a short time.
Yet somehow, Raven's evening visits had become part of her routine.
She picked up her phone.
Put it down.
Picked it up again.
Then the phone rang.
Raven.
Eleanor smiled before answering.
"Hello?"
"You weren't asleep."
Eleanor leaned back against her pillows.
"No."
"Why?"
She hesitated.
Then smiled.
"I was waiting."
Silence.
Eleanor suddenly realized what she had said.
"For what?"
Raven's voice was quieter now.
Eleanor looked down.
"For your call."
Neither woman spoke.
For the first time, Eleanor could feel the meaning behind the silence.
And somewhere on the other end of the call, Raven was smiling behind her mask.
Neither woman knew where this was going.
But neither wanted the call to end.
And neither was ready to admit why.