Eleanor stared in surprise for a few seconds, then gave a small,posed smile. "Mr. Windsor, I actually know the owner of the Juliette Lab. I can reach out to him."


    York let out a sigh of relief. "That''s wonderful. I''ll leave this in your hands, then. Now that we''ve decided to restart theb, let''s not waste any time. Once we make up our minds, we have to act."


    Dr. Windsor had spent his entire life in research-methodical, decisive, and never one to procrastinate.


    Eleanor nodded. “Alright. I''ll arrange a meeting with him soon."


    After dropping York off at his hotel, Eleanor nced at the clock and headed home to pick up her daughter. On the drive, her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but one thing in particr made her feel profoundly grateful: this time, Mr. Windsor''sb had nothing to do withn.


    But now that Mr. Windsor had already turned downn''s offer to coborate, it was clear he''d never be part of it.


    There was a good chance she''d still have to seen at future conferences and events, but the realization that he no longer had any sway over this project left her feeling unexpectedly free.


    That evening, Eleanor curled up at home with her daughter, basking in the warmth of their little family. No matter how hectic or demanding her work got, this was her safe harbor-the ce where she could rest and recharge.


    The next morning, after dropping her daughter off at school, she happened to run into Xavier, who was escorting his own daughter, Vivian, out of the car.


    "Vivian!"


    "Evelyn!" The two girls beamed at each other and quickly grabbed hands, skipping off together.


    Eleanor and Xavier walked a few paces behind, watching the girls disappear into the school building. Xavier nced over at Eleanor. "Still busy with the new medication project?"


    Eleanor shook her head. "I took a couple days off." She hesitated, then asked, "Xavier, are you free for lunch today? I''d like to take you out."


    This time, her lunch invitation wasn''t just about catching up-it was business.


    Xavier paused, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. It was rare for Eleanor to be the one to ask him out. He couldn''t help butugh. "Of course I''m free. If you''re buying, I''ll always make time."


    Eleanor smiled, amused by his eagerness. "Well, it depends on your schedule. If you''re busy-"


    "I''m not. Really. Should I make the reservation, or will you?"


    "I''ll do it," Eleanor replied quickly. "Do you like sushi?"


    Xavier nodded. “I do. It''s usually nice and quiet."


    "Perfect. I''ll book a ce and text you. See you at noon."


    After they parted, Eleanor headed back to theb. Even though she was transitioning her responsibilities, she wanted to make sure everything was properly wrapped up.


    She reserved a sushi restaurant near Xavier''s office, wanting to make things as convenient as possible. After all, he''d just taken over thepany this year and was bound to be extremely busy.


    Xavier arrived at exactly eleven-thirty. No sooner had he sat down than he grinned. "I''m guessing this isn''t just about celebrating your doctorate or paying back a favor, is it?"


    Eleanor poured him some tea and got straight to the point. "You''re right. I actually wanted to talk business." She settled into her seat and continued, "I''d like to rent your Juliette Lab."


    Xavier raised his eyebrows. "You''re nning to start your ownb?"


    Eleanor shook her head, then filled him in on the recent developments. Xavier listened, stunned for a moment. He''d half-expected Eleanor to join the national research team, but this Dr. Windsor hade out of nowhere. While Xavier was familiar with the domestic medical scene, he knew far less about the international yers.