Eleanor turned her focus back to Dr. Smith. "According to the data, Vanessa's antibodies have a dual-action mechanism-external suppression combined with internal activation."

"This is incredible, El! You're a genius," Dr. Smith exclaimed, pushing his glasses up his nose. "This isn't just a treatment; it's a full reboot of the patient's own defense system. This is the real cure we've been looking for!"

"That's one way to put it," Eleanor agreed. "This opens up an entirely new therapeutic path. We would no longer be completely reliant on an external donor and long-term infusions. Instead, we could activate the patient's own immune potential to control, and perhaps even cure, the disease."

"When can we begin implementation?" lan asked, his voice low and trembling with excitement.

Eleanor paused. "We're still in the preliminary stages. We need to conduct extensive research to assess its stability and safety. For now, all I've found is a very promising direction."

"El, this is fantastic! You've made this breakthrough in such a short amount of time. It's truly remarkable," Dr. Smith praised, clapping his hands. His team murmured in agreement, their faces filled with admiration.

lan's intense gaze remained fixed on Eleanor. As he listened to her explain her discovery, seeing the quiet confidence of a top-tier scientist radiating from her, a mix of pride, guilt, and other complex emotions swelled in his chest.

"El, this is a milestone discovery. We need to immediately re-prioritize our research efforts."

Eleanor gave a slight nod, accepting the praise with her usual composure. "It's just a phase-one discovery. We're still a long way from success," she said.

lan stood up. "You've already done an amazing job."

Eleanor gave him a fleeting glance before turning to Dr. Smith. "I'm heading back to the lab."

As Eleanor stepped out of the conference room, she ran into Serena in the main hall. Serena's first instinct was to hide. But as Eleanor strode toward her, she instinctively took a step back, her eyes darting away, unable to meet Eleanor's gaze. A blush of shame crept up her neck.

"El-Ellie," Serena stammered, biting her lip, looking utterly lost. Memories of all the times she had been cruel and condescending to Eleanor flooded her mind, leaving her feeling mortified.

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Eleanor stopped and looked at Serena calmly. "What are you doing here today?"

"I'm with my mother. She collapsed

the night before last and was

hospitalized. My brother just had ter transferred here for treatment, Serena answered honestly

Eleanor's brow furrowed. So that's why lan had been at the hospital all night, taking care of his mother.

"I see," Eleanor said curtly, and started to walk away.

Serena watched her go, then suddenly mustered her courage and called out, "Ellie."

Eleanor paused and turned back. "Is there something else?"

"I... I wanted to say I'm sorry. And... thank you." The words seemed to take every ounce of her strength.

Eleanor simply gave a slight nod and continued on her way.

Serena clutched her chest, realizing she was gasping for air long after Eleanor's figure had disappeared around the corner.

That afternoon, Eleanor accompanied Dr. Smith to Gina's room for an

assessment.

The room was quiet. Gina was propped up in bed, looking pale and even more frail than before. Serena, who had been sitting by the bed, immediately stood up to make way for them content

Dr. Smith went through his routine examination while Gina answered his

questions, her eyes frequently drifting toward Eleanor.