Henry arched a brow, understanding all too well the weight his friend carried. He had his own share of burdens, after all.

"If it really doesn't work out, maybe one day you should just be upfront with lan,” Henry encouraged, his tone earnest.

Xavier shook his head. "I can't do that. It would interfere with Eleanor's career, and I have to respect her choices."

Henry caught the restraint in Xavier's eyes and thought of Eleanor's commanding presence on the podium earlier that day. Her achievements had shaped the woman she was now; Henry was certain Eleanor would never want to return to a traditional marriage or settle into the role of a housewife.

"If you meet someone good, you should at least give it a chance," Henry added, unable to bear the thought of his closest friend waiting in vain.

Xavier let out a bitter laugh. “Why don't you try that yourself before giving me advice?"

Henry was momentarily at a loss for words. The two of them fell into a heavy silence.

Meanwhile, on the top floor of the Vesper Joy Hotel, Gavin stood waiting by the elevator. "Mr. Goodwin, the press is ready for your one-on-one interview."

lan nodded, then reached into the breast pocket of his suit, pulling out a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and slipping them on.

As the elevator doors slid open on the interview level, a barrage of camera flashes greeted him.

He adjusted his tie, a composed smile gracing his features behind the lenses, and strode toward the prepared interview area.

"Mr. Goodwin, thank you for making time to speak with us," the lead reporter said, extending the microphone with practiced professionalism. "Could you elaborate on the coverage and funding allocation mentioned at the Goodwin Foundation conference?"

lan took his seat, perfectly at ease. "Our current plan is to focus the initial phase on fourteen of the nation's most remote counties-"

The journalists listened patiently as he finished, then one after another, peppered him with follow-up questions. Ian responded to each outlet with poise and patience.

Before long, twenty minutes had passed, and a staff member signaled that the interview was coming to a close.

Just then, a female reporter shifted the conversation, her tone taking on a hint of gossip. "Mr. Goodwin, we've talked so much about work, but our readers are just as interested in your personal life. You're widely regarded as a young leader, and since your divorce from Dr. Sutton, there haven't been any reports of a steady relationship. Do you have any plans regarding your love life?"

The question hung in the air, and for a moment, the room fell silent. Every camera lens was trained on lan. Gavin was about to step in and deflect when lan, with effortless grace, adjusted his glasses and replied, "When it comes to relationships, I believe things should unfold naturally."

"Do you have a particular type in mind?" another female reporter quickly followed

up. “Someone like Ms. Vanessa—the brilliant artist, perhaps?"

"Mr. Goodwin, have you ever considered getting back together with Dr. Sutton? After all, you have a child together," a male reporter asked, cutting straight to the point.

A flurry of personal questions seemed to freeze the air for a few seconds.

Everyone waited for lan's response.

To the public, his ambiguous but conspicuous relationship with Vanessa was obvious enough. Yet, despite the divorce, he continued to support Eleanor's work so publicly and had even appeared with her at this charity event, inevitably fueling speculation.

"I'm more than happy to answer questions about the foundation," lan said, his voice calm but firm. "But as for my private life, I'd rather not take up public resources."