Just then, Mansfield Ellington''s phone buzzed. He nced at the screen and stood up. "Excuse me, I need to take this call."


    "Go ahead," Eleanor nodded.


    At the next table, two stylish young women leaned over and smiled at Evelyn. "Hey there, is that your dad?"


    Evelyn answered withplete seriousness, "No, he''s my uncle."


    The girls immediately perked up, sensing an opportunity. One of them pressed on, "So, does your uncle have a girlfriend?"


    Eleanor turned to look at them, catching their friendly smiles. They''d overheard Evelyn call her "Mom," so they must have assumed the handsome guy across from them was her brother-inw.


    Evelyn blinked her big eyes and shook her head. "Mr. Ellington doesn''t have a girlfriend!"


    Their eyes lit up. The bolder of the two leaned toward Eleanor. "Hey, would you mind introducing us? We''d really like to meet your brother-inw."


    Eleanor hesitated, realizing they''d misunderstood. She was about to politely decline when Mansfield returned, sliding his phone back into his pocket.


    As soon as he sat down, he noticed the two women at the next table staring at him, eyes full of anticipation.


    "Hey, handsome, mind if I add you on WhatsApp?" The prettier one stood up and offered her phone, QR code already pulled up.


    Mansfield caught on and gave a polite smile. "Sorry, I''m afraid that''s not possible." She pouted, undeterred. "Come on, just as friends! We''re perfectly harmless." "Mommy, I need the bathroom," Evelyn announced, clutching her stomach for emphasis.


    Eleanor nodded and turned to Mansfield. "I''ll take her."


    With Eleanor gone, the girls grew bolder. One leaned in, grinning. "Don''t be so aloof! Your niece told us you''re single. Why not just be friends?"


    Mansfield paused, then shook his head and smiled gently. "Actually, she isn''t my niece, and I''m not really her uncle. Her mother is the woman I care about."


    The two girls exchanged a look, embarrassed realization dawning as they blushed furiously. "Oh! Sorry, we misunderstood."


    Mansfield nodded politely and turned to gaze out the window. The prettier one slunk back to her seat, muttering to her friend, "So he''s into a single mom..."


    By then, the girls had finished their meals. Still red-faced, they grabbed their purses and left in a hurry.


    When Eleanor returned, she noticed the empty table next to them. She had no idea if Mansfield had given them his number, and she didn''t feelfortable asking.


    "Hey, where did thosedies go?" Evelyn asked, puzzled.


    "They left," Mansfield replied with a soft smile.


    He nced at Eleanor, teasing, "So, do I really look like your brother-inw to strangers?"


    Eleanor blinked, then burst outughing. "Maybe you do!"


    He grinned, shaking his head in mock defeat. That wasn''t exactly the role he wanted to y in her life.


    After dinner, Mansfield drove them home. Evelyn fell asleep in the backseat, exhausted from the day''s adventures.


    Once they arrived, Eleanor scooped her daughter into her arms and turned to Mansfield. "Thanks for everything today. Drive safe.”


    As she opened the door, Joslyn, their housekeeper, was already waiting. She reached for Evelyn. "Would you like Mr. Ellington toe in for a bit, ma''am?"


    Eleanor blushed and nodded. "Would you like toe in for some tea?" Mansfield smiled. "Maybe next time. I have a few things to take care of tonight.” "All right," Eleanor agreed.


    After his car drove off, Joslyn carried Evelyn upstairs. Eleanor stayed downstairs, sipping her tea, when her phone buzzed.


    It was Joel.


    "Hi, Joel."


    "Eleanor, can I ask you something?"


    "Of course."


    "When you were working in Dr. Windsor''sb, did you ever hear of a researcher involved in neuro-interface projects?" Joel''s tone was careful.


    Eleanor''s breath caught. Wasn looking into this now?


    "I''m sorry, Joel. I haven''t heard anything about that." She chose not to tell the


    truth. She didn''t wantning after her because of this.


    She was so close to leaving hispany for good. Ifn found out she was the researcher, with his greed, he''d stop at nothing to keep her, or to pry theb''s secrets from her.


    All those patents had been sealed away along with the project, owned entirely by theb.


    "That''s all right," Joel replied kindly. "It was all confidential back then, anyway." "Was itn who asked you to call me?" Eleanor pressed.


    "Yes. He brought it up during a meeting at Meridian Dynamics, so I thought I''d check with you. After all, you were with Dr. Windsor''sb at the time."


    Eleanor shook her head. "I honestly don''t know anything."


    "I see. Go spend time with your little one," Joel said gently.


    After the call, Eleanor let out a weary sigh. She had her reasons for not telling


    Joel the truth-she''d exin when the time was right.


    Wait-hadne back?


    Frowning, she pieced things together.


    Joslyn came downstairs and found Eleanor staring into space. "Ma''am, did Mr. Goodwin visit the museum today?"


    Eleanor looked up, surprised. "He was here?"


    "Yes, right after you and Mr. Ellington left. I invited him in, but he just turned and left," Joslyn replied, careful not to mention how angryn had looked.


    "Oh," Eleanor answered quietly.


    Just then, her phone pinged with a new message: Done with your meeting? I''ming over to see our daughter.


    It was fromn.