Does Eleanor know? If the bone marrow sample ends up saving Vanessa, can Eleanor ept that?


    consideration.


    Now Joel found himself hesitating, wondering whether he ought to tell Eleanor the truth. Withn pouring money into theb and all the proper paperwork in order, even if Eleanor wanted to stop things, it was still all perfectly legal.


    Rubbing his temples, Joel felt a headacheing on, torn by indecision.


    Just then, his assistant Minnie poked her head in. "Joel, it''s time to leave for Marlowe Vige."


    "Bring Eleanor with us," Joel said.


    "Of course!"


    Eleanor had already agreed to visit Marlowe Vige, and now she was ready, bag


    in hand, following Minnie to the elevator. Joel joined them, pausing to give


    Eleanor a look full of concern.


    "Ride with me," he said gently.


    "Sure!" Eleanor replied with a nod.


    In the parking lot, a sleek ck Rolls-Royce stood out among the other cars. Inside,n was still on the phone, while Vanessa chatted with a friend on her own. ncing up, Vanessa noticed someone approaching. When she saw Joel and Eleanor walking together toward another car, she couldn''t help but smile slyly and turned ton. "Ian, looks like your wife and Mr. Kingsley are heading out together."n finished his call just as Vanessa spoke. He looked through the window and saw Eleanor and Joel getting into a car, clearly about to leave.


    As Eleanor buckled her seatbelt, she caught a glimpse of the Rolls-Royce parked diagonally across from themn''s car. She could just make out the silhouettes ofn and Vanessa in the back seat. Joel noticed as well.


    "Want to go over and say hi?" Joel asked.


    Eleanor shook her head, her voice cool. "No. Let''s just go."


    Joel stepped on the gas, and the car surged toward the exit.


    A momentter,n''s Rolls-Royce pulled out too. Watching Joel''s car take a turn away from downtown,n frowned and pulled out his phone to text Eleanor.


    Where are you two going?


    Eleanor saw the message but ignored it.


    Joel nced at her. "Have you talked ton about a divorce?"


    "Not yet." Eleanor shook her head. She still hadn''t gathered enough evidence.


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    "How old were you when your mother passed away?" Joel asked quietly. "Twelve," Eleanor replied.


    "And how much do you know about your father''s life?" he pressed.


    A sting of emotion prickled Eleanor''s eyes. "Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?"


    Joel swallowed hard. "No reason. Just checking in on you."


    "My dad died so suddenly. I never even got to say goodbye," Eleanor said softly, regret in her voice.


    Joel didn''t say anything more. Sometimes, silence was its own kind of protection.


    Later, Joel''s team bought a few fish from Marlowe Vige to take back to theb. Eleanor buried herself in her work, deciding to spend the night in theb''s dormitory.


    11 p.m.


    Eleanor was hunched over a microscope, studying live samples, when her phone buzzed on the table beside her. She nced at the screenn.


    She picked up, her voice t. "Hello?"


    "So, are you nning to stay out all night now?"n''s voice was cold on the other end.