"Mr. Goodwin, is there any progress?"

lan glanced at him but didn't answer. He wasn't out of options-he actually had several contingency plans lined up. What caught him off guard, though, was the intensity of the hostility toward him online. That backlash had been so fierce it prompted Eleanor to step in and defend the neural interface project.

He should have seen it coming. Eleanor's dedication and rigor when it came to research would never allow the project to be shut down so easily.

lan remembered the last time the Secretary of State had spoken to her in person. The project must have come up then as well. So, Eleanor had another reason for saving the project-

The smile on lan's lips faded.

It was also her way of helping the Ellington family.

Feeling oddly empty, lan took a sip of his tea.

He stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing out at the city lights sprawling below, his thoughts a tangled web.

Gavin took the hint and quietly exited the office.

A moment ago, he'd checked the latest analysis online-there were already plenty of labels being slapped onto lan.

Vanessa was following the drama too. She hadn't expected that, overnight, lan would find himself in such a predicament. The entire Goodwin & Co. board turning on him?

She'd already sent him a message to check in, but lan hadn't replied. She

couldn't tell if he was simply too busy, or if he was so weighed down by the crisis that he had no energy left to respond.

Anxious, Vanessa shot a message to Gavin, asking where lan was.

Gavin replied: still in the office.

Without hesitation, Vanessa changed into a skirt and headed straight for Goodwin & Co.

At ten o'clock that night, she walked into the company's marble-floored lobby. The receptionist greeted her and led her upstairs. Vanessa pushed open the door to lan's office.

The receptionist snapped a quick photo of this scene and sent it off to Marcus. She was, after all, one of Marcus's lovers.

Marcus, upon receiving the photos, forwarded them directly to Eleanor, adding a voice message: "Dr. Sutton, did you see that? Your ex-husband's mistress is already there to keep him company. If you're still hoping he'll change his mind, you can forget it."

Eleanor glanced at the photos and said nothing.

Even if lan and Vanessa got married and had children right then and there, it wouldn't affect her in the slightest.

Just then, Eleanor's phone chimed again. This time, it was York.

"Eleanor, I just saw the news about the shareholder revolt at Goodwin & Co. Will this impact the Meridian Dynamics neural interface project?"

Eleanor paused, surprised that Mr. Windsor was still thinking about this so late at night.

He'd been recalled back to the country, burning through time and resources for this project-there was no way she could let it be derailed now.

"Don't worry, Mr. Windsor. Ian will handle things," she replied.

"Good. I hope nothing gets in the way of this project," York responded, his words laced with hope.

Eleanor took a long, steadying breath and went back to mapping out her plans. Morning.

When Eleanor dropped her daughter off at school, she spotted Xavier's car. He watched her closely, concern flickering in his eyes. "Rough night? You look a little pale."

"I'm fine-just need a quick nap at lunch and I'll be good as new," Eleanor replied with a smile.

"Are you worried about lan's company?" Xavier asked gently.

"I'm worried about the project," she answered.

"I've already talked to lan," Xavier reassured her. "He said he's got it covered. You don't have to worry too much."

Eleanor blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"Ian always has a backup plan. Those shareholders can't touch him," Xavier said, confident in his old friend.

He knew lan wouldn't go down so easily. After all, eight years ago, when his father passed away, lan had just come out of a coma. With no one to support him, he clawed his way up from nothing, fought tooth and nail in the boardroom, and secured his place at the helm.