Before Magdalen could reply, Serena muttered under her breath, “Well, it figures. Now that Eleanor’s married into the mayor’s family, she’s probably forgotten all about how kind you were to her—”
Magdalen shook her head and said firmly, “Ellie isn’t that kind of person.”
“Grandma, after all that’s happened, you’re still defending her? She’s lost every bit of conscience she ever had.” No sooner had Serena finished than Magdalen’s tone grew stern. “Don’t you speak about Ellie that way.”
“Grandma! I mean—” Serena was practically fuming.
How could everything that had happened still not open Grandma’s eyes to how fake Eleanor was?
Magdalen placed the freshly polished vase back on the shelf, then turned and asked, “Why don’t you ask Vanessa—wasn’t it this vase that Eleanor bought at the auction today?”
Serena blinked, glancing at the vase her grandmother had just set down. Words caught in her throat.
“Grandma, are you saying this vase—?”
“This is the very one Eleanor won at the auction today. She just had it delivered to me!”
“That’s impossible! Wasn’t she planning to give it to Mildred?” Serena was completely taken aback.
Magdalen removed her reading glasses, her tone gentle but instructive. “Serena, you’re not a child anymore. You can’t just believe everything you hear—when will you start thinking for yourself?”
Serena’s face flushed scarlet as she stammered, “But... but Vanessa clearly told me—”
Magdalen’s brow creased. “You ought to spend less time with Vanessa. That girl’s not as pure-hearted as she seems.”
Serena protested, “Grandma, you can’t just say that about Vanessa because you like Eleanor more! How is Vanessa not pure-hearted?”
“It’s all Eleanor’s fault, misleading you on purpose. She just wants to look good in front of Grandma,” Serena fumed.
Vanessa sighed. “Serena, I really didn’t mean for things to turn out this way.”
“It’s not your fault. Eleanor’s just so manipulative. And now Grandma’s actually hoping they’ll get back together!” Serena grumbled, still fuming.
“Serena, we ran into Xavier and Eleanor at the golf course today,” Vanessa said, lowering her voice. “Xavier was giving her hands-on lessons. The two of them looked really close, and Ian was there too.”
“What?” Serena shot up from the couch, livid.
Vanessa rushed to calm her down. “Serena, don’t get upset. Maybe Xavier and Eleanor are just friends…”

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