"I''m heading to the conference room," Gwenda said.


    "That''s where the board meeting is. What are you doing in there?" Faye grabbed


    her arm.


    "Eleanor''s giving a presentation soon. I''m going in to help her," Gwenda replied. Then she shot Faye a look and added, "Didn''t you know? All the shareholders are here just to hear Eleanor''s speech."


    To be honest, Gwenda had only just found out herself but she knew exactly how to get under Faye''s skin.


    As expected, Faye''s face went pale. “What did you say? The entire Goodwin & Co. board is here for Eleanor?"


    "That''s right. I heard they were supposed to meet at headquarters, but Mr. Goodwin insisted theye here instead." With that, Gwenda didn''t wait for a reply. She strode toward the conference room, leaving Faye standing there, looking rattled and sour.


    Marcus stepped out to take a call. As he hung up, he spotted Eleanor approaching in a crisp white suit, clutching a folder. He smiled and walked over. "Dr. Sutton, I didn''t expect you to be heading up the presentation today!"


    "Is there a problem?" Eleanor''s eyes were cool and steady.


    "No, it''s just " Marcus''s gaze sharpened. "You saw the photos I sent you, right? Rumor has it Miss Shannon spent all night with Mr. Goodwin."


    Eleanor gave a small smile and corrected him, n is my ex-husband, not my current one."


    Marcus looked momentarily ufortable. "Seems I was meddling. Please, go in."


    He gestured to the door. Eleanor entered the conference room, instantly drawing the attention of every shareholder-some surprised, some skeptical, but most simply curious.


    Besides being a shareholder herself, Eleanor was also the lead researcher on the neural interface project.


    The conference room was just big enough for the twenty-three shareholders, every seat filled. Eleanor took her ce in front of the digital screen and addressed them, "I''m here to present the three-year strategic n for the neural interface project."


    Although Eleanor''s achievements in the scientificmunity had made waves over the past two years, she was still young-perhaps too young for some to fully trust.


    "Eleanor, based on your track record, we''re confident in your abilities. But this project is massive. Are you sure what you''re about to show us is actually useful?" Jacques was the first to speak up.


    He was never thrilled that Eleanor had taken over eightpanies fromn. As Gina''s cousin, it was only natural he''d be sticking up for his family.


    Eleanor knew exactly who sat before her; Ellington had already briefed her on every shareholder''s history and temperament, and she''d studied them all carefully.


    "Director Wells, whether it''s useful or not-let''s judge after you''ve heard me out," Eleanor replied, calm and collected.


    Eleanor pressed the remote, and her meticulously crafted slides filled the screen. She spoke withposure, "First, let''s clear up a misconception. The neural interface project might sound like something out of science fiction, but in reality, it''s far more attainable than you''d think."


    She walked them through her research, including results from two years before- the ones she''d carefully anonymized, never mentioning she''d led the work herself.


    The room fell silent as everyone listened closely. Eleanor''s theoretical groundwork came alive through clear experimental footage-some of it provided by York. Jacques couldn''t help but interrupt. "Eleanor, is your data reliable?"


    Eleanor pulled up an internationally recognized certification. "All data has been independently validated by the Drexford Institute of Neuroscience, with Dr. York''s personal signature."


    Marcus chimed in, "Dr. Sutton, your rtionship with Mr. Goodwin is hardly a secret. Are you sure you''re not just trying to help him out-?"


    Eleanor met his eyes. "Mr. Chase, I''d appreciate it if you didn''t derail my research presentation with irrelevantments."<pn''s focused expression faltered for a split second.