Chapter 582

Eleanor stood motionless, gazing down at the little girl before her, her expression unreadable. That look—calm, impassive—made Lilly’s heart flutter with anxiety. Mommy always disapproved of her eating too many snacks. “They’re unhealthy,” she'd say, followed by confiscation and the promise of fruit instead. With both Mommy and Leo gone these past two days, there had been no one to nag her, no one to ration her sugar intake, and no one to fight her for the good chips. Honestly, it had been the best kind of chaos. Total snack freedom. Cartoons on full volume. No bedtime enforcement. Life had been perfect—until this very moment. She’d been caught red-handed. Chips in one hand, guilt on her face. This was tragic. Lilly's lower lip began to tremble. She looked like she might cry. But Eleanor said nothing. Her gaze lingered on the girl, quietly taking in the sight before her. In truth, she wasn’t angry—not really. If anything, she was caught between exasperation and reluctant amusement. All