"Alright, I'll bring her over," Ian replied.
"This is driving me crazy! Eleanor's getting more and more stubborn. You two have been married for six years, and she still acts like a spoiled child—completely immature!" Gina couldn't help but vent her frustration to her son.
"Mom, I'll talk to her," Ian tried to reassure her.
"I told you back then I didn't want you two to get married. Now, look what's happened. Not only is she unreasonable, but she doesn't even know how to show respect," Gina grumbled, unable to keep her annoyance to herself today.
Just then, a cough behind her made Gina jump. She turned around to see her mother-in-law standing there. Quickly, she said into the phone, "Ian, I need to go."
Magdalen had caught the end of the conversation. "Honestly, how old are you, Gina? Still letting Eleanor get under your skin."
"You didn't see how stubborn she was just now! If she were my daughter, I'd have given her a piece of my mind. The only reason I held back is because she's my daughter-in-law," Gina shot back, complaining to her mother-in-law.
Magdalen gave her a pointed look. "Haven't you noticed things have been chilly between Ian and Ellie lately? Just stay out of their marriage."
Of course Gina had noticed, but it only made her worry more about her son.
"Ian gives her a generous allowance every month—three hundred thousand, at the very least. What more does she want? Why does she have to sulk at him all the time?"
Magdalen, on the other hand, figured her grandson had probably been too busy lately and had neglected Eleanor, which must have left the young woman feeling hurt. She made a mental note to encourage them to spend more time together.
Ian's house.
"Mommy, look at my drawing! This is you, and daddy, and me—and Princess," Evelyn announced, proudly holding up her picture.
Eleanor nuzzled her daughter's cheek and praised her, "It's wonderful, sweetheart. You did such a good job. Tomorrow's the weekend—where should we go for fun?"
Evelyn threw her arms around Eleanor's neck, beaming. "I want to go to the amusement park!"
"Deal. Mommy will take you," Eleanor promised, hooking her pinky with her daughter's. "Let's make a pinky promise."
That was Ian—never too warm, never too cold, always measuring affection in numbers.
Still, as a husband, he'd done everything expected of him.
And with Eleanor's cheerful nature, she'd always managed to keep their marriage running smoothly.
But now, something had changed.
Eleanor had changed. These days, he couldn't tell what she was thinking or what she wanted anymore.
Eleanor glanced at the card he held out. She shook her head. "That's not necessary."
With that, Eleanor stood up and moved to leave the living room.
"It's been six months. Are you still upset?"

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