After two days of rest at home, Eleanor was feeling much better-her spirits lifted, her energy restored-so, on the third day, she returned to the lab.

Once she finished her research report, Simone suggested they strengthen their experiments, hoping to crack the medical conundrum sooner and save more lives.

A week later, both Eleanor and Joy received an invitation to dinner from the mayor's wife. They knew better than to be late, and arrived right on time.

To their surprise, the mayor himself attended, bringing his entire family along to thank them. Eleanor and Joy were caught a little off guard by the warmth of the welcome.

At the table, the mayor singled them out for special praise. Midway through the conversation, he turned to Eleanor. "Eleanor? That name sounds familiar. Have we met before?"

Joy jumped in, "Eleanor works in medical research. Do you remember that outbreak of the spherical virus last time? She's the one who developed the cure."

At that, the mayor and his wife exchanged glances of realization. Now they knew exactly who Eleanor was.

A hint of admiration colored the mayor's expression. "So you're Miss Sutton! Remarkable-so young and already making such a difference."

Old Mrs. Ellington, too, looked at Eleanor with gratitude. "Truly, you have a heart of gold, my dear."

After the meal, Mrs. Ellington warmly invited them to a grand charity gala she was hosting.

Eleanor and Joy, unable to refuse such a thoughtful gesture, accepted the invitation.

Climbing into the car afterwards, Joy let out a dramatic sigh of relief. "Life really is looking up. Can you believe I'm actually going to a charity gala thrown by the mayor's wife? And you know Mrs. Ellington's son is the Secretary of State, right? That family's practically American aristocracy."

Eleanor genuinely had no idea. "Really?"

"That means this gala is a big deal. Everyone there will be either rich, powerful, or both. It's a rare chance to see how the other half lives," Joy said, grinning, "Of course, I bet you've attended plenty of these society events before."

Eleanor laughed, a little helpless. "You mean in all the years I was married to lan?"

"Well, haven't you?"

"Not once. He never brought me into his world." Eleanor's smile was tinged with self-mockery.

Joy gave her a sympathetic look. "Don't worry. I believe you'll reach the top on your own, without him."

Meanwhile, Vanessa's agent, Laverne, called to go over a few details and remind her of the Friday night gala.

Vanessa was taking it seriously-for good reason. The mayor's wife herself was hosting, and she'd been invited to perform a piano solo for a who's who of the city's elite. It was a huge honor and an important opportunity to make her mark in political and business circles.

The only downside was that this was very much a ladies' affair, with few men invited. Vanessa wished lan could be there with her.

Coming from humble beginnings, Vanessa always felt a nagging insecurity behind her confident façade. She longed to change her background, and the only way to do that was to shine brightly enough in front of others.

Even if she'd relied on lan's support to get where she was, now she wanted to prove she could stand on her own.

She'd earned this invitation for her talent and reputation alone, and she was determined to show the world what she was capable of.

That Friday, after picking up her daughter, Eleanor left her in Joslyn's care at home, promising to be back early.

To prepare for the gala, Joy had already booked an appointment at an upscale boutique. The two of them went to try on evening gowns, arriving at the grand banquet hall just after six o'clock.

The venue: a stately, elegant ballroom-fit for a state dinner.