A few minutes after Eleanor and Ellington stepped into the ballroom, a striking group appeared at the entrance, drawing every gaze as they made their way down the red carpet.
At the front were Vanessa and Serena, both impably dressed, followed closely by three tall men:n, Xavier, and Henry Holt.
These three were nothing less than the embodiment of Ashford City''s financial elite.
All eyes in the room turned their way, with whispers rippling through the crowd. Several of the young women present watched the trio with undisguised admiration, eager for any opportunity to catch their attention.
Eleanor held her champagne flute, observing the scene with a calm, detached air. Ellington leaned in and murmured, "Ms. Sutton, would you like to step out onto the terrace for some air?"
"No need," Eleanor replied, taking a sip of champagne, her expressionposed
as ever.
Xavier''s gaze found her instantly. A flicker of admiration passed through his eyes as the chandeliers bathed her in a soft glow, setting her apart from the crowd- elegant and striking.
The ballroom sparkled with light andughter. sses clinked, and the powerful mingled with easy confidence.
Mr. Brown himself strode over to greetn and hispanions. Within moments, a cluster of guests had gathered around them, eager to exchange greetings and make their acquaintance.
Eleanor watched as Vanessa stood gracefully atn''s side, every inch the picture of poise, while Serena positioned herself next to Xavier, asionally tilting her head up to chat with him.
"Ms. Sutton, shall we go say hello to Mr. Brown?" Ellington whispered, gently nudging her.
Eleanor understood Ellington''s intentions. Approaching now would ce her in the orbit ofn and his influential friends, and ensure Mr. Brown remembered her among the crowd.
But Eleanor had no interest in basking inn''s reflected glory. She shook her head. "I''ll go over in a bit."
Ellington, though disappointed to miss such a moment, knew well enough not to press her.
"Miss Sutton, all by yourself?" a middle-aged man appeared at her elbow, holding a ss of wine and offering a polite smile.
Eleanor turned to face him. "And you are?"
"I''m Garry, head of NovaCepharm. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Sutton."
Recognizing a fellow professional, Eleanor offered a polite smile. "Nice to meet you."
As much as Garry admired Eleanor''s beauty, it was her reputation as a medical researcher that truly impressed him. His tone carried genuine respect.
Soon, more guests from the pharmaceutical world gathered around her.
"Miss Sutton, your breakthrough with the new spherical drug has made waves internationally—ourpany is among the licensed manufacturers," Garry said, his voice filled with enthusiasm.
"Thank you," Eleanor replied with modest formality, keeping the tone friendly but not overly familiar.
Another industry representative stepped forward. "Miss Sutton, it''s an honor! I''m Micah from SceMed Technologies. I''ve heard your Al-based cell simtion technology has seen major progress-truly remarkable."
Eleanor smiled. "Thank you. We''re still in the experimental phase at the moment."
Her professionalism and poise drew approving nces from the surrounding executives.
Before long, she found herself at the center of a lively circle of conversation. Several business leaders introduced themselves, exchanging cards and hoping for future coboration.
-All of this, of course, did not escape the notice of others across the room.
Standing beside Mr. Brown,n''s gaze was drawn-almost involuntarily to Eleanor.
Surrounded by leading figures from the medical industry, Eleanormanded genuine admiration and respect for her aplishments.
Vanessa noticedn''s eyes lingering in Eleanor''s direction. Her smile remained sweet on the surface, though a wave of difort washed over her. “Ian, I''m going to say hello to some friends," she said lightly.
Meanwhile, Xavier, with his ss in hand, began making his way straight toward Eleanor.