In the hallway, Vanessa glanced at Faye with curiosity. "How did Eleanor end up on your research team?"

"You know her?" Faye replied coolly.

"I do." Vanessa didn't elaborate.

Faye's tone remained even. "Her father, Elliot, is a well-known figure in the medical field and a close friend of our senior fellow, Dr. Lyman. Dr. Lyman made an exception for her, out of respect for her father."

Vanessa nodded, understanding the situation clearly.

Eleanor's return to Ashford Medical University was nothing more than her attempt to shed the image of a useless housewife. Of course she'd do whatever it took to join a prestigious lab, desperate to prove her worth.

But the research world wasn't somewhere you could just muscle your way into. Faye turned the question back on her. "And what brings you here?"

Vanessa was about to reply when Eleanor emerged from the conference room, clutching a laptop. Vanessa's lips curved into a small smile. "Honestly, I didn't intend to come. But lan insisted I accompany him."

She said it loud enough for Eleanor to hear.

As Faye caught sight of Eleanor approaching, she tensed and quickly tugged Vanessa away. "Let's talk in my office."

"Sure." Vanessa shot Eleanor a triumphant look before following Faye down the hall.

Meanwhile, in Joel's office, lan had only just finished a brief conversation. He handed Joel a folder. "This is a document my father-in-law gave me years ago. His signature is at the bottom. I need your team to begin this research as soon as possible."

Joel's eyes widened the moment he saw the file. The donor listed for the project was Sara Whitmore-Eleanor's mother. The document was dated fourteen years ago, the year Sara passed away, and included her official donor registration number.

"Mr. Goodwin, you want to use your mother-in-law's bone marrow for the experiment?" Joel asked, astonished.

lan looked up, unfazed. "Is there a problem?"

"Well... shouldn't you get your wife Eleanor's consent before moving forward?" Joel pressed.

"My father-in-law signed off on this himself," lan replied, his voice turning cold. "His word is final. No further consent is needed."

Joel already knew about the frequent meetings between Eleanor and himself lately, and he'd always felt sympathy for her. But clearly, lan wasn't interested in anyone else's opinion-least of all Joel's.

Joel's shock lingered as he looked at lan.

"Is there anything else?" lan narrowed his eyes.

Joel let out a quiet sigh. "No... no further questions for now."

"Good. Then let's assemble the research team." Rising to his feet, lan radiated an unmistakable air of authority. "I expect results. Don't disappoint me."

Joel got up as well. "Have a good day, Mr. Goodwin."

lan strode out of the office and dialed Vanessa's number. "Where are you?"

Vanessa, now standing with Faye at the door to Joel's office, answered. "Ian, let me introduce you. This is my sister, Faye."

Faye looked at the man before her tall, sharp-featured, and strikingly handsome. Yet, standing in his presence, she couldn't help but feel a wave of pressure and

unease.

"Mr. Goodwin. It's a pleasure," Faye said with a polite smile.

lan nodded. "Your work on spherical viruses is impressive."

Faye's eyes flickered in surprise, but she managed a smile. "Thank you."

Vanessa cast a quick glance at Eleanor down the hallway. For now, she kept quiet about Eleanor's place on the team-she didn't want lan paying any extra attention to her.

Back in Joel's office, he sat staring at the file, rubbing his brow in confusion.

Why would Mrs. Sutton entrust her late wife's bone marrow to lan, her own son-in- law, as a research sample? And why would she have signed off on it herself all those years ago?