"I just need the raw data." Eleanor met Faye''s gaze, her voice steady and unyielding. "Now."


    The air seemed to thicken, tension settling between them.


    With a clenched jaw, Faye spun around, yanked a report from a folder, and pped it down on the table. "Take it."


    Eleanor checked the documents carefully before tucking them away. "Thank you."


    As she turned to leave, Faye''s assistant muttered under her breath, "Acting all professional-like she isn''t just riding her father''s and ex-husband''s coattails..."


    Eleanor paused mid-step and nced coldly at the assistant. The woman froze, caught off guard by the sharpness in Eleanor''s eyes.


    But Eleanor had no time to waste on petty arguments.


    The moment she was gone, Faye turned her frustration on her two assistants. "Next time, pay attention when you''re transcribing. How do you even manage to mess up a copy? You''d better not drag me down with you."


    The two assistants flushed with embarrassment-they knew this mistake was on them.


    "Sorry, Faye."


    Faye was furious at their carelessness, but what bothered her even more was Eleanor''s attitude-like she was somehow above the rest of them.


    Back in her office, Eleanor dove into work. The information from her father sparked a new idea-maybe, just maybe, she could break the traditional barriers


    of transntation by approaching it from a gene editing angle.


    She became so absorbed in designing her experiments that she forgot about lunch entirely. In the end, it was Joel who, hearing she was still at her desk, brought up a takeout container of simple pasta for her.


    Sincen was picking up their daughter, Eleanor decided to stayte. She''d nned to be home for dinner with Evelyn, but the work just kept piling up. With a sigh, she textedn.


    "Take Evelyn out for dinner tonight I''ll be workingte, probably until nine."


    "Alright."


    "And don''t let her have too many sweets," she added.


    "I''ll keep an eye on her."


    Eleanor had barely set her phone down when another message popped up. Expectingn to have more to say, she nced at the screen and saw just three words:


    "Don''t overwork yourself."


    Eleanor ced her phone face-down on the desk, unwilling to reply. She didn''t care for his concern-never had, never would.


    Around nine, Eleanor finally made it home, only to find that Evelyn hadn''t returned yet. She showered and waited, listening for the sound of her daughter''sughter.


    At nine-twenty, she heard it-Evelyn''s voice ringing up the stairwell. Pulling on a robe, Eleanor hurried downstairs to find her daughter carrying a takeout bag from a five-star restaurant.


    "Mom, this is for you!" Evelyn beamed, holding out the bag.


    Eleanor smiled, taking it from her. "Did you have a good time tonight?"


    "It was great! Aunt Serena and Miss Vanessa came, too!"


    Eleanor''s smile faltered. Vanessa?n had brought their daughter to dinner with Vanessa?


    "Come on, Evelyn, let''s get you in the bath," Joslyn, the nanny, called,ing over to take Evelyn upstairs.


    Evelyn, already looking sleepy, obediently followed.


    Once her daughter was out of sight, Eleanor stood alone in the living room, her mood heavy and unsettled.


    She bit her lip, grabbed her phone, and stepped outside, pacing the quiet street as she dialedn''s number.


    He picked up on the first ring. "Hey."


    "Ian, did you really take Evelyn to see Vanessa tonight?" Eleanor demanded, her anger barely contained.


    "It was just a coincidence at the restaurant."


    "Is that so?" Eleanor let out a cold, humorlessugh.


    "Serena brought her. Evelyn had a great time tonight,”n replied, his voice even.


    Eleanor''s tone turned scathing. "Ian, do you really think it''s appropriate to


    introduce a five-year-old to her father''s new girlfriend?"


    "Eleanor."n''s voice grew serious.


    "She''s young,n, not stupid." Eleanor bit out the words, then ended the call without waiting for a reply.