Eleanor''s gaze drifted almost instinctively toward the man at the table across from her. Ian was deep in conversation with his guest, but as if sensing her eyes on him, he nced in her direction. Eleanor quickly looked away.


    After lunch, Mr. Mansfield Ellington offered to drive Mrs. Whitmore home, and Mildred used the opportunity to nudge Eleanor and Mansfield together.


    "Mansfield, why don''t you take Eleanor out for coffee? Or maybe a walk? I need my afternoon nap," Mildred announced with a sly smile.


    "Of course, Grandma. Enjoy your rest!" Mansfield replied.


    Mildred turned to Eleanor with a warm invitation. "Next time, bring your daughter over to visit. I''d love to meet her."


    "I''d like that. Thank you, Mildred," Eleanor answered politely.


    Once outside with Mansfield, Eleanor hesitated. "Are you busy? If you have work, I—"


    "I''m not busy," he cut in, reassuringly.


    Just as the words left his mouth, Eleanor''s phone rang. She nced at the screen -Callie. "Excuse me, I need to take this," she said.


    Mansfield nodded, stepping aside while she answered. Eleanor listened for a few moments, her expression growing grave. Mansfield watched her with concern.


    When she hung up, Eleanor turned to him. "I have to get to theb. Something''se up. Rain check?"


    "I''ll drive you," Mansfield offered at once.


    "Are you sure? I don''t want to trouble you."


    "It''s no trouble. Honestly, I''ve got nothing else on my te," he said with an easy smile.


    Eleanor didn''t argue. During the drive, she buried herself in her phone, scrolling through articles and reports, barely saying a word.


    When they reached theb, she gave him a grateful smile. “Thank you, Mr. Ellington. I appreciate the lift-let''s catch up another time."


    "Definitely. Just let me know when you''re free," Mansfield replied, not wanting to intrude on her work.


    After all, Eleanor''s research could change the future of medicine.


    Eleanor strode quickly through the ss doors of theb, startling Callie, who was hunched over the workstation.


    "Is the data really off?" Without hesitation, Eleanor went straight to theputer, fingers already opening thetest report.


    Callie pushed his sses up, beads of sweat dotting his brow. "All three sample groups show abnormal immune responses, and even the control group''s giving us cross-reactions that shouldn''t be there. If these results hold up, the direction we''ve taken for the past three months might be—"


    "Retest the samples. Check all the equipment calibration logs. I''ll contact an independentb for parallel verification," Eleanor said coolly, her tone steady. Failure was part of the process.


    "Should we call Professor Langley and Dr. Lyman?"


    Eleanor slipped on herb coat as she replied, "Not yet. We''ll inform them when we have the final results."


    At the workstation, she focused intently, blocking out everything else.


    With only ten days left before the holidays, Eleanor had poured three days and nights into this project-only going home in the evenings to be with her daughter.


    On the fourth morning, the harsh reality wasid out on her desk-the data was urate. The drug itself had a fatal w, and fixing it would require significantly more funding.


    Callie sighed, pushing up his sses again. “Eleanor, if we have to start over, we''ll need more resources. Do you think Mr. Goodwin will keep backing us?"


    He hated to admit it, but the setback stung. He''d believed in this project.


    Eleanor gave his shoulder a reassuring pat. "Don''t get discouraged. This isn''t our fault. Science is all about trial and error, learning and correcting. We can''t give up -not when there are patients out there waiting for a miracle."


    Callie managed a nod, inspired by her calm resolve. He couldn''t help but wonder -had Eleanor really spent all those years just as a stay-at-home mom?