Simone watched asn hurried away, his figure disappearing down the hall. She turned, ncing into theb where Eleanor was still immersed in her work, and let out a silent sigh.


    Inside theb, Eleanor was guiding her team through some parameter


    adjustments. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Simone standing in the doorway, gesturing for her toe over.


    Eleanor handed off her tasks to an assistant and stepped outside.


    "Ellie, there''s something I need to discuss with you."


    Eleanor followed Simone to the end of the hallway, where they found a quiet corner by the staff lounge.


    "Just now, whenn left, he seemed in a real hurry. He told me he hopes your research can move into clinical trials as soon as possible."


    Eleanor paused, surprised. "Professor Langley? Why is he in such a rush?"


    "I''m not sure either. Do you think there''s any chance of that happening?"


    Eleanor considered for a moment, then shook her head. "We still need more time -at least another three months."


    Simone nodded. "Alright, I understand."


    Eleanor nodded too, about to head back, when Simone stopped her with another question. "Eleanor, after this research wraps up, have you ever thought about going abroad for further studies?"


    Eleanor shook her head. "No, I haven''t. My child''s still young. I''m not nning to leave the country."


    Simone regarded her seriously. "As your mentor, I want you to know that if the opportunity everes, I''ll support you, whatever you decide."


    Eleanor answered with a calm, quiet confidence. "I can make breakthroughs here, just the same."


    Simone smiled and nodded. "You have a real gift for medicine. That''s rare."


    Just then, Callie approached from down the hall. "Eleanor, you said you''de with me to the hospital to collect some data. I''m heading over now."


    Eleanor nodded. "Let''s go."


    Ashford General Hospital.


    Eleanor and Callie got out of the car and headed straight for the inpatient wing.


    As soon as they stepped into the main lobby, Eleanor spotted a familiar figure by the elevators-Serena.


    Serena turned and their eyes met. She looked annoyed.


    "Eleanor, what are you doing at the hospital? Don''t tell me you''re here to stir things up for Vanessa while she''s admitted."


    Eleanor frowned. Vanessa was in the hospital?


    "I''m here for work," Eleanor replied coolly.


    Serena gave a skeptical huff.


    When it came time to press the elevator buttons, Eleanor chose the same floor as Serena. Serena shot her another warning. "You''d better really be here for work."


    Serena''s phone rang. She picked up. "Hey,n, I''m here."


    Eleanor''s frown deepened. Son had left theb in a rush to see Vanessa.


    The elevator dinged at the fifteenth floor.


    The VIP ward was noticeably quiet.


    Down the hall, Eleanor sawn speaking with a doctor. When he noticed Eleanor walking with Serena, he was visibly taken aback.


    Serena hurried to his side. "Ian, how''s Vanessa?"


    "She''s in room nine," he replied.


    Then he turned to Eleanor, a hint of tension in his voice. "What are you doing here?"


    Eleanor met his gaze-rarely did he seem this unsettled. "I''m here for work."


    Callie stepped in with a timely exnation. "Mr. Goodwin, we''re here to collect clinical data."


    Serena clung ton''s arm. "Come on, let''s go see Vanessa."


    Eleanor turned to Callie. "Let''s head to room twelve."


    Inside room twelve, Eleanor and Callie began their examinations. Their patient was a woman in herte thirties, about to take part in their new drug trial for advanced leukemia.


    "Dr. Sutton, when will the new medication be ready? I don''t want to die—I want to keep living. My child still needs me..." The patient''s voice was faint but desperate.


    Eleanor carefully recorded the data, doing her best to reassure her. "Your vitals are stable, which is a good sign. At most, it''ll be another three months before our medication is ready."


    Eleanor and Callie stepped out into the hallway, discussing the case, whenn appeared, his expressionplicated. "Can I speak to you for a minute?"


    Callie picked up on the tension. "I''ll grab some paperwork from the nurses'' station."


    Once Callie was gone, Eleanor turned ton, her tone cold. "What is it?"


    Eleanor closed the file. "I''ll update everyone on Friday. If there''s nothing else, I need to get back to work."


    Now it all made sense. Ian had asked Simone to pressure her because Vanessa was waiting on her research.


    As Eleanor turned to leave,n''s voice followed, deep and urgent. "If you run into any difficulties, let me know. I''ll make sure you get whatever you need."


    No surprise-when it came to Vanessa, he was always quick to act.


    Eleanor didn''t reply, just walked over to Callie.


    Later, Eleanor sat at a doctor''s desk, reviewing case notes, when two nurses came in, arms full of files. They stood beside her, whispering.


    "Thatn—he''s even more handsome in person than he is in those business magazines," whispered one nurse, nudging her colleague.


    "I heard he got divorced recently. You think it was for Miss Shannon?"


    "It''s like one of those romance novelse to life. Miss Shannon''s so lucky."


    "Tell me about it," the other nurse chimed in, leaning closer. "And I heard from pharmacy that Vanessa''s getting all the best imported meds-though apparently there''s some she can''t take."


    The head nurse walked in and cleared her throat. The two nurses fell silent and hurried away.


    Eleanor looked up. If Vanessa couldn''t take certain medications, that could only mean one thing-she really was pregnant.


    When Eleanor stepped out, Callie was waiting, data in hand. Together, they headed back to theb.


    The next morning, Eleanor''s phone buzzed with a message from Joy: "Did you see Vanessa''s in the hospital?"


    Eleanor clicked the link. Photos of Vanessa''s hospital stay had already surfaced online. There wasn, right by her bedside, looking every bit the devotedpanion. Vanessay on the hospital bed,n sitting close, his expression gentle.