Not far away,n was chatting amiably with Mr. Brown, his gaze falling naturally in Eleanor''s direction.


    Even as heughed and conversed, he took in everything happening on Eleanor''s side of the room.


    Tonight, Eleanor stood among the crowd, radiant and confident—a luminous presence impossible to ignore.


    Around her, men couldn''t help but steal nces, some subtle, some more obvious.


    Just then, Mr. Brown signaled for everyone''s attention and officially announced the start of the dinner.


    The guests began to find their assigned seats, and to Eleanor''s surprise, her name card was ced right next to Xavier''s. Directly across from them satn and Vanessa, their names side by side in bold print.


    Once everyone was seated, servers began rolling in cartsden with dishes, weaving between the tables.


    borate floral arrangements and elegant decor along the center of the table offered just enough separation so she didn''t have to meet the eyes of the people across from her for the entire meal.


    Beneath the soft glow of the spotlights, Eleanor''s delicate features seemed even more striking. Her eyes sparkled with intelligence and good humor, and an easy smile yed at her lips.


    As she dipped her spoon into a creamy dessert, she was interrupted by Vanessa''s voice, deliberately a little too loud: "Ian, you have to try this paté-it''s wonderful!"


    ncing up by reflex, Eleanor metn''s gaze. His eyes, steady and intense, were fixed on her, even as his hands moved with practiced grace, slicing into his entrée. He looked at her through the leafy bouquet at the center of the table, his attention unmistakable.


    Just then, Vanessa leaned over, scooping a generous portion of paté onton''s te.


    "Eleanor," Xavier said at her side, his timing perfect as he offered her a delicately arranged appetizer. "I think this is just your taste."


    "Thank you." Eleanor epted it with a smile, making a point to ignore the eyes that lingered on her from across the table.


    At that moment, Mr. Brown rose to deliver his wee toast. "We''re honored tonight to have so many leaders and innovators in their fields gathered here. Thank you all foring."


    The room erupted in apuse. Laughter and conversation filled the air as guests enjoyed the exquisite meal, and soon people began rising from their seats to offer toasts around the room.


    There seemed to be no end to the well-wishers stopping byn''s side to clink sses. At one point, a guest-apparently unaware ofn and Vanessa''s rtionship—asked with a hint of curiosity, "Is this the future Mrs. Goodwin?"


    Vanessa smiled coyly, resting her chin on one hand as she looked atn, clearly waiting for him to answer.


    Vanessa fluttered hershes and gave a bashful smile, and in that instant, everyone at the table seemed to understand the situation perfectly.


    Eleanor, too, caught the entire exchange. And tonight, she noticed something else: Vanessa''s figure was as slim as ever. She wasn''t pregnant.


    Or perhaps she had been, once, but not anymore.


    A momentter, as Vanessa lifted her ss of red wine,n reached out effortlessly and took it from her, recing it with a ss of juice.


    Vanessa pouted theatrically and bit her lip, but obediently picked up the juice, sipping through the straw.


    When Eleanor looked up, she found Vanessa watching her, eyes shing with smugness and challenge.


    Soon after, Eleanor excused herself and went to the restroom.


    When she emerged, instead of heading back to the dining room, she wandered into the quieter ballroom to get some air. The hush was a wee contrast to the bustle of the main event.


    She epted a ss of champagne from a passing server and slipped out onto the terrace, letting the cool night breeze clear her head.


    Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her. Startled, she turned.<pn stepped onto the terrace, backlit by the glow of the ballroom. The darkness sharpened his features, making him seem even more enigmatic and striking.