Eleanor quickly turned her face away, wiping at the tears in her eyes as she tried to regain herposure.


    She didn''t answer.


    Eleanor ignored it and walked toward her front door.


    The man''s hand froze in mid-air before he slowly withdrew it. He watched her slender, defiant figure, his face shadowed and unreadable in the dim light of the hallway, his features tense.


    When Eleanor opened the door, Evelyn ran to her with a joyful cry. "Mommy!"


    Then, she sawn standing behind her, and her eyes lit up. "Daddy, you''re here too!" She darted past Eleanor and threw herself inton''s arms.


    "Did you miss me?"n asked, hugging her close.


    "Yes!"


    Just then, Princess trotted over, tail wagging enthusiastically. Ian reached down to scratch her head. At that moment, Eleanor''s phone rang again. She nced at


    the screen and quickly walked out to the balcony to answer it.


    It was Garth. "Hello, Mr. Ellington," she said, her voice urgent.


    "Eleanor, we just received an update. Mansfield''s team was just lost. They''re all safe and sound."


    The tight knot of tension in Eleanor''s chest instantly loosened. "That''s wonderful news. Thank you for letting me know, sir."


    "That boy," Garth grumbled with augh, clearly relieved. "Always making us worry."


    "I''m sure he''ll return safely," Eleanor said.


    "He''d better," Garth replied. "I won''t keep you."


    After hanging up, Eleanor let out a long sigh, the weight on her heart lifting. But the knowledge that Mansfield was on a dangerous mission overseas still left a lingering worry for her friend.


    When she walked back inside, she


    sawn sitting on the sofa. He watched here out from the balcony apletely different person from moments before s she put her phone away, an O unconscious smile yed on her lips. But when her eyes met his, the smile vanished. "Let''s talk in my study."


    to y with you in a little while, okay?"


    "Okay! I''ll wait for you!" Evelyn replied obediently.


    Eleanor went into the study withn following behind. She sat down at her desk, a rxed air about her now.


    "I sent you an email,"n said, pulling up a chair. "Dr. Smith has proposed three experimental protocols. The risks and data are all there. Take a look, and we''ll choose one to begin."


    Eleanor opened the email, her demeanor shifting back to


    professional andposed, though


    the faint redness around her eyes was still visible in themplight. She focused on the protocols,pletely unfazed by the man''s intense gaze. After she finished. reading, she spoke. "I choose the first protocol. In the long run, it has the highest probability of aplete cure and the least long-term impact on the subject."


    the detailed experimental n based on this."


    She looked up at him. "Has Vanessa agreed to undergo the experiment?"


    His gaze darkened slightly as he gave a small nod. "She will."


    Eleanor nodded in a strictly professional manner. "Good. Once the n is confirmed, we''ll need to conduct a preliminary physical examination. We need more detailed data from her."


    "I know," n said, his


    steady and


    eadable.


    Eleanor turned her attention back to theputer, lost in thought.


    Without looking up, Eleanor gave a nomittal hum, clearly unwilling to discuss


    it further.


    Just then, her phone buzzed with a series of messages, one after another, as if someone was urgently trying to reach her. Her eyes darted to the phone, and she picked it up.


    The sender was Mansfield.


    "My dad told me you knew I was out of the country. Eleanor, I''m sorry. I left in


    such a hurry I forgot to say anything."


    "Forgive me for leaving without a word."


    "Please don''t be mad, okay?"