She finally understood what Smith meant by "the lucky ones"-they truly were extraordinarily fortunate.


    Eleanor didn''t leave for theb until nearly ten. As soon as she stepped into the hallway, she heard Faye''s voice,ining, "Why does that pig smell so awful? I feel like the stench''s seeped into my whole body."


    "Oh,e on. You just took a quick look at it. Joel actually had to touch the thing!" another voice chimed in.


    "I have a sensitive nose," Faye replied, her tone dripping with disdain.


    Rounding the corner, Eleanor came face-to-face with the group. The moment Faye spotted her, her expression turned ice cold. "Well, look who decided to show upte-convenient, considering we''re supposed to be testing those pigs today."


    The intern, Darcy, jumped in, "Dr. Sutton, we just came back from the pens-it was brutal in there."


    Eleanor shot Faye a sidelong nce. "If you really can''t handle it, you can always request a transfer."


    Faye bristled. "Don''t underestimate me. I can handle a little difort."


    After Eleanor walked away, Darcy noticed Faye''s sour mood. She''d heard the rumors about Faye and Eleanor-how they''d been ssmates, but rivals all the


    same.


    Eleanor''s story was practically legendary: a father who was a renowned schr, skipped grades, direct admission to a doctorate, multiple patents in her name. Any one of those achievements would be enough to impress.


    Faye, for all her solid background and good grades, seemed painfully ordinary inparison.


    When Eleanor returned to her office and then headed to theb, she found Joel hunched over a table, scribbling data into his notebook. As she approached, Joel quickly sniffed his sleeve he''d washed his hands, but the pig smell still lingered. He worried it might bother her.


    Eleanor couldn''t help but smile. "Joel, you''ve had a rough morning."


    He shrugged. "It''s nothing. Let me handle jobs like this in the future. It''s not really work for youdies."


    Suddenly, Eleanor noticed a thin, bloody scratch across the back of his hand. It wasn''t deep, but he hadn''t treated it.


    "Joel, what happened to your hand?" she asked, genuine concern in her voice.


    "Oh, that. Got scraped by a hoof when I was holding the pig. No big deal."


    "Let me disinfect and bandage it," she said, heading for the first-aid kit.


    As Eleanor sat patching up Joel''s hand, Faye walked in, arms full of documents. The sight of Joel, quietly letting Eleanor tend to him, made her eyes widen and her grip on the files tighten.


    She''d seen Joel''s injury earlier and had offered to help, but he''d t-out refused. But now he was letting Eleanor do it without a word of protest?


    Was Joel deliberately saving his wound for Eleanor, hoping she''d fuss over him? Joel nced up and saw Faye. "Just leave the files on the table," he said.


    "Joel, are you okay? Is it serious?" Faye asked, stepping closer.


    "It''s nothing. Just a scratch," he replied.


    Faye forced a brittle smile, doing her best to swallow her jealousy. "Alright then, I''ll let you get back to it."


    Joel wasn''t one for mind games. He''d just wanted to get back to his notes and hadn''t bothered with the cut, but when Eleanor offered to help, he didn''t see a reason to refuse.


    Later, as Eleanor returned the first-aid kit to the break room, she found Faye already there, arms crossed, waiting for her.


    "My, Eleanor, aren''t you busy? So many men vying for your attention-how do you keep up? I count four already. Your little pond is overflowing," Faye said, her tone sharp with mockery.


    Eleanor gave her a cool look. "And what''s it got to do with you?"


    "I just have a strong sense of morals. Can''t stand people who pretend to be so pure," Faye retorted with a snort. "First it''s Mr. Goodwin, then Mr. Vaughn, now Joel, and let''s not forget that guy in uniform. You really are a master of time management, aren''t you?"


    A few assistants nearby were clearly eavesdropping, eyes darting between the two women.


    Eleanor turned and met Faye''s gaze head-on. "So your so-called morals amount to spreading gossip and stirring up trouble?"


    Faye sneered. "Then exin all those men you''re stringing along?"


    "And what are you to me, that I owe you an exnation?" Eleanor''s voice was icy, her stare unflinching. "Seems like you spend more time gossiping than working. No wonder you''re still just a junior assistant."


    Faye''s face flushed red-Eleanor had struck a nerve.


    "You"


    "If you put half as much energy into your work as you do into rumors, maybe you''d stop holding the team back." Eleanor''s words were deliberate, echoing something Faye had once said to her, years ago.


    Back then, Faye had looked down on Eleanor for being from a "housewife" background, bluntly telling her to quit.


    Now, Faye''s eyes shed with shock, her face going pale. "Eleanor, you''re out of line."


    Eleanor just gave a short, coldugh. "I''m only telling the truth."


    After Eleanor left, the break room was dead silent. The assistants who''d been eavesdropping held their breath, stunned.


    To them, Eleanor had always seemed approachable and easygoing. It was the


    first time they''d seen this side of her-and it left them a bit in awe.


    Faye retreated to her office, pulled out her phone, and dialed Vanessa.


    "Hey, what''s up?" Vanessa''s voice wasnguid.


    "I just got humiliated by Eleanor. Can''t you hurry up and marryn already?" Faye snapped. If Eleanor''s career was untouchable, then Faye would make sure her love life was a disaster.


    She was certain Eleanor still lovedn. If he married Vanessa, it would devastate her-just what Faye wanted.