Faye knew she''d have to find the right moment to make Joel see the truth: pouring all his energy into Eleanor would never bring him the happiness he hoped


    for.


    August arrived, and with it, the annual National Medical Summit—a major event held at the city''s mostvish downtown convention center.


    The gathering drew not only top minds from across the country but also a host of international guests from the medical field.


    That morning, Eleanor dropped her daughter off at a summer enrichment program, then headed straight to the convention center.


    She was dressed in a pale blue blouse tucked neatly into a high-waisted gray pencil skirt. Today, she wore silver-framed sses-just for style, not prescription -and swept her long hair into a sleek low bun. Simple pearl studs adorned her ears, lending her an air of understated professionalism and poise.


    Backstage, Eleanor was busy reviewing her presentation, fingers gliding expertly across her tablet as she double-checked every slide and data point.


    "Andie, her assistant, poked her head in. ''Eleanor, ten minutes to go.""


    Eleanor nodded, focused. Just then, Gwenda strode in from the doorway and sidled up to her. "Guess who I spotted in the crowd?" she whispered.


    "No time for guessing games," Eleanor replied, her eyes never leaving the screen.


    Gwenda grinned, undeterred. "Alright, I''ll just tell you: Joel, Faye, Mr. Vaughn, Mr. Goodwin...and Vanessa." She lowered her voice conspiratorially on thest name, eyeing Eleanor for a reaction. Would Vanessa''s presence throw her off?


    But Eleanor didn''t even blink. "You don''t need to keep me updated on these things, Gwenda," she said, straightening up and ncing at her.


    Gwenda flushed, embarrassed by her own nosiness. "Right, sorry. I''ll keep it to myself next time."


    Eleanor''s phone chimed with a message from Xavier: Are you ready? I''m waiting at the front can''t wait to see you shine.


    Ready as I''ll ever be, she texted back. Thank you.


    The ten minutes flew by.


    Eleanor had spoken at conferences before, but this was her first time representing theb as keynote speaker at the country''s most prestigious medical summit.


    When the host called her name, she walked up the steps with unhurried confidence.


    In the front row,n sat in a charcoal suit, eyes fixed intently on her. Xavier, in the second row, couldn''t hide his admiration when he saw her take the stage.


    Eleanor''s outfit highlighted her graceful figure, the silver sses adding a touch of intellect and elegance, a perfect blend of sophistication and quiet allure.


    Vanessa, notably, wasn''t sitting with Xavier this time. She was further back, sharing a row with Faye. Only the most distinguished deans and research directors had seats up front.


    "Now, please wee Ms. Eleanor, Senior Research Fellow at Ashford Medical University, to present hertest findings on leukemia research," the host announced.


    Apuse filled the auditorium. Eleanor stood under the spotlight,posed and focused, her eyes shining with the intelligence of a true schr.


    Vanessa smoothed a hand over her perfectly styled hair and pressed her lips together, feeling a surge of irritation. Was Eleanor showcasing her charm on purpose today? She wasn''t just radiating academic authority-she was making the most of her presence on stage.


    Faye''s mood soured as well. Watching Eleanormand the room only reminded her of her own struggles with public speaking. Instinctively, she nced at Joel, catching the slight lift of his lips and the open admiration in his eyes. Faye''s hands clenched tighter in herp.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, today I''m honored to share our team''stest breakthrough" Eleanor''s voice was clear and captivating as she guided the audience through her research. In the front rows, several distinguished professors leaned in, whispering excitedly to one another.


    One elderly gentleman even removed his reading sses to polish them, eager not to miss a single detail from Eleanor''s slides.


    Meanwhile,n absentmindedly tapped his fingers on the armrest, gaze lingering on the ss Eleanor had just sipped from. He tugged at his tie, lost in thought.


    Xavier, in the second row, grabbed his water bottle and drained half of it in one


    go.


    After half an hour, Eleanor wrapped up her talk to a wave of apuse, which had scarcely begun to fade when someone in the audience stood up. A staff member handed over a bouquet, and Xavier-tall andposed-stepped onto the stage.


    Eleanor was gathering her notes when she looked up and saw Xavier approaching with the flowers. She froze, momentarily stunned.


    He offered her the bouquet. "That was a brilliant presentation. These are for you."


    The hall erupted in a round of good-natured cheers and teasing, especially from the younger med students eager to join in the fun.


    A flush crept up Eleanor''s ears as she epted the flowers, her smile lighting up the stage. "Thank you."


    no one could guess what was going through the mind of this famously inscrutable business magnate.