"Do you remember when I didn''t select you during the initial project screening?" Simone asked with a small smile. "Ian had spoken to me beforehand, hoping my team would maintain strict hiring standards. He had already nned to hand the leukemia project to me. You earned your spot back in the group on your own merit."


    Eleanor recalled how young and headstrong she had been to make such a bet with Simone. Looking back, it was only two years ago. She smiled faintly. "I remember."


    "At the time, he didn''t know how capable you were. Later, when he saw your scores from the advanced cement exams, I think he was quite surprised. He called me privately and asked me to mentor you well," Simone said with augh. "I could tell. He might seem a bit cold, but he''s very good to you."


    Eleanor rememberedn''s confession-he had poured money into theb just to have a professional connection with her. As for profiting from her research, his own biomedicalpany hadn''t even been listed at the time.


    And his Neural Interface Project was only just starting to show results, yet the money he''d invested was already close to a hundred billion dors.


    When it came to favors, the debt between them was impossible to calcte.


    It had been incalcble from the very beginning, when he gave her father ten billion dors to build ab. He knew she might carry the mutated gene for leukemia, yet not only did he not shy away, he was willing to marry her. For that alone, the Suttons were already indebted to him.


    "Professor Langley, thank you for telling me all this," Eleanor said gratefully.


    "You''re both still so young, not even thirty yet, right? Thest time I sawn, he had a full head of white hair. I wonder if it''s from overwork," Simone remarked, a note of sympathy in her voice.


    Eleanor lowered her gaze. The nightn''s hair began to silver from the sheer stress and heartbreak was the same night she had been at Mansfield''s side-the same day she had agreed to date him.


    So his hair turned white because of her?


    Eleanor suddenly realized she was so slow to notice things. She really was oblivious.


    If the reason his hair turned white overnight was truly her, then—


    Aplex, heavy ache settled in her chest.


    "Ellie, I hear you''re about to start new research. Keep it up. You can do it."


    "Thank you for the encouragement, Professor Langley. I will," Eleanor replied, her voice a little hoarse.


    "Ellie, in a rtionship, there''s no right or wrong. Misunderstandings and ack ofmunication can often lead to a breakdown. That boy,n, he''s a bit cold, but he''s loyal, values his rtionships and has a strong sense of responsibility. You two should talk, really open up to each other. Whatever the oue, at least you won''t have any regrets."


    Eleanor nodded. "I will. Thank you, Professor Langley."


    Not far away, Faye Yeaton sat on a chair. Her quality of life had clearly declined recently, and she looked haggard.


    Gwenda, carrying a tray, looked for a seat and found an empty one next to Faye. "Faye, have you been busy with worktely?"


    Faye looked up at Gwenda, who seemed unchanged. "It is what it is. It''s not like it''s a job with a future, anyway."


    Faye''s gaze drifted to Eleanor in the distance. "Not like some people, who have a billionaire ex-husband backing them."


    Gwenda followed her gaze to where Eleanor and Simone were chatting. She sighed at Faye. "Faye, shouldn''t you let some of these grudges go? Aren''t you tired of being jealous of Eleanor all the time?"


    Before Faye could speak, Gwenda continued, "Have you ever thought about Eleanor and Mr. Goodwin? They were once lovers who were truly i love. Even if they got married, divorced, and fell in love again, it has nothing to do with us. Why do you have to obsess over it?"


    Faye''s fists clenched under the table. Gwenda''s words had struck a nerve.


    But she just couldn''t stop herself


    from being jealous of Eleanor, who had everything she had ever dreamed of brilliant talent the admiration of everyone, and the affection of so many exceptional men.


    Just then, Eleanor''s phone buzzed. It was a text fromn. [I''ll bring Evelyn to pick


    you up for dinnerter.]


    Eleanor read it and replied, [Okay.]