He couldn''t help but wonder about her personal life outside of work.


    "Eleanor, it must have been tough these past two years, raising your son alone after the divorce."


    Eleanor cradled her tea, her gaze drifting to the distant skyline. "I''m used to it by now. My son''s a good kid, barely gives me any trouble."


    "And you andn—” York hesitated, the question half-formed.


    "Mr. Windsor." Eleanor cut him off gently. "I know you care. I''m doing just fine, really."


    York let out a soft sigh. "Anyone can seen''s a difficult man-stubborn, hard to get along with. I''m not trying to push you two back together, but the brain-puter interface project is a mountain of problems, and on top of that you''re raising a child by yourself. Do you remember how things were after your mother passed? How you and your father managed on your own?"


    Eleanor''s breath caught for a moment. Of course she remembered. She smiled. "Maybe I looked pitiful to everyone else, but as long as my dad was there, I was happy no matter where we went."


    York chuckled. "Back then, I really did worry about you."


    "You''ve always been good to me." Eleanor''s gratitude was sincere.


    "Your father asked me to look after you before he passed, and that''s a promise I intend to keep." York''s eyes wandered to the city''s horizon, his thoughts drifting. After a pause, he asked, "How''s your son doing these days?"


    "He''s well. Just the asional cold, nothing serious," Eleanor replied.


    York''s expression softened with relief. "That''s good to hear."


    After Eleanor left, York sipped his tea. Something weighed on his mind, and he sighed. "You never told me how long to keep this from her. How am I supposed to exin it?"


    "Professor, who are you talking to?" Julian approached, curiosity in his voice.


    York looked up. "It''s nothing. Go on, the meeting''s about to start."


    ***


    At the end of the day, Eleanor climbed into her car, exhaustion tugging at her limbs from the endless conference sessions. Just as she leaned back, her phone vibrated with a new message.


    "Eleanor, you andn are over. Please stop using work as an excuse to get close to him."


    It was from an unknown number, but the tone was unmistakable. Vanessa.


    Eleanor stared at the message for a few seconds, then typed back, “Keep your own dog on a leash."


    A reply came instantly. "Eleanor, are you afraid I''ll show this ton?"


    Eleanor smirked, sending back, "Go ahead-show him."


    She tossed her phone onto the passenger seat, started the engine, and pulled away from the curb.


    ***


    Downtown, in a cozy corner of a coffee shop, Faye walked in with her bag slung over her arm. Vanessa sat by the window, lost in thought, her expression clouded with bitterness.


    Faye slid into the seat across from her, rubbing her temples. "We''ve underestimated Eleanor."


    Vanessa''s gaze sharpened. "Earlier, on the phone-you said you sawn holding her hand. Was that real?"


    "I saw it with my own eyes," Faye said, her voice edged with resentment. "Whether he held her wrist or her hand, it doesn''t matter. There was contact. If I hadn''te back to the conference room with Joel, I swear, next secondn would''ve pulled her into his arms. God knows what would''ve happened after that."


    Vanessa''s face darkened.


    Faye wasn''t here to pick a fight-she was here to warn her. "You''d better keep an eye onn. Make sure he doesn''t keep showing up at Meridian Dynamics, or one of these days their old me will reignite, and you''ll be left with nothing but regret." Vanessa sipped her juice in silence.


    Faye recounted how Eleanor had stolen the spotlight at the conference. Vanessa looked up, incredulous. "That''s impossible."


    "So tell me," Faye pressed, "during her marriage ton, when did she ever have time for research? Evenn didn''t know what she was working on?"


    A slow, knowing smile curved on Vanessa''s lips. "Of course she didn''t have time.n was with me."


    The realization dawned on Faye. Whilen was abroad with Vanessa, Eleanor joined York''sb. If Eleanor could pull off such challenging research, clearlyn was almost never home.


    Looks like she''d underestimated Vanessa''s resourcefulness.


    The two sisters had always been aware of each other''s existence, but never had any contact. Faye knew little of Vanessa''s life overseas, only that every year their father sent money to support Vanessa and her mother.


    She remembered being eighteen when her mother found out one of her father''s mistresses was secretly pregnant-and with a boy. Her mother intervened, forced the mistress to give up the baby, and after that allowed Vanessa''s mother to see their father from time to time.


    The first time Faye met twenty-year-old Vanessa, she''d seemed every bit the pampered heiress-educated, elegant, nothing like a child born on the wrong side of the nket. In fact, she''d lived better than Faye ever had.


    Later, her mother confided that by the time Vanessa turned eighteen, she and her mother had been taken in by a man wealthy beyond imaginationn.


    Vanessa nced up. "What are you thinking about?"


    Faye leaned forward, lowering her voice. "If you want to secure your ce as Mrs. Goodwin, you should given a child. Preferably a boy."


    Vanessa tapped her nail on the rim of her ss, her eyes glinting with amusement. "You really think I''m going to lose to Eleanor?"