"You have water at your ce," Eleanor pointed out, deliberately calling his bluff.


    "It''ste, and I have to work," she frowned, rejecting him.


    "I promise I won''t disturb you. I''ll just sit for a bit and leave," he insisted, genuinely reluctant to go.


    Eleanor left the door open and walked back to the sofa. She picked up a half- finished research paper, her fingers resuming their typing. Wearing blue-light- blocking sses, she looked intensely focused.


    at bay.


    Under the lights, she perfectly embodied grace and sophistication.


    He sat in the armchair opposite her, stretching out his long legs. Spotting a book next to her, he picked it up to browse.


    It was a dense medical text in German, filled with her handwritten notes.


    "You know German? When did you learn it?" he asked curiously.


    "Joel taught me, and I self-studied a bit," she replied without looking up.


    He looked at her focused profile. She waspletely immersed in her work, a sight


    that fascinated him but also brought a faint trace of mncholy.


    He set the book down, took a sip of water, and stopped bothering her. Still, he couldn''t bear to leave.


    He simply sat there, keeping herpany.


    Eleanor finally finished. She took off her sses and rubbed her temples. Ian immediately asked, concerncing his voice, "Are you exhausted? Should you get some rest?"


    "I''m fine. This paper was just on a tight deadline," she said, finally seeming to notice he was still there. "You should head back and get some sleep too."


    He suddenly stood up. She thought he was leaving, but instead, he stepped behind her. Before she could react, hisrge hands began gently kneading her neck and shoulders. Her body stiffened instantly, her instincts telling her to pull away.


    "Don''t move. Just rx," he murmured softly. The pressure was perfect, expertly working out the knots in her shoulders.


    Feeling the tension melt away, she finally let go of her tight posture. She furrowed her brow, swallowing the rejection that had been on the tip of her tongue.


    They used to be incredibly intimate, but after three years apart, that familiarity had faded into distance.


    Still, after clearing up all their misunderstandings, she no longer resented him. It was just going to take time to adjust to his touch again.


    She closed her eyes, letting his hands work their magic. The room was perfectly still, filled only by the faint sound of their breathing.


    Feeling her rx, he kept massaging and spoke softly. "Work is important, but so is your health. Don''t push yourself too hard."


    She hummed in acknowledgment, opening her eyes. "Alright, you should go get some rest."


    He didn''t argue. He simply leaned down and pressed a kiss to her hair. "Goodnight."


    She looked up at him in surprise. This time, he didn''t pull away or avoid her gaze; he waited for her to scold him or kick him out.


    However, she just stared at him for a few seconds before turning her head, breaking eye contact. "It''ste."


    She didn''t scold him, nor did she reciprocate. She just reminded him of the time.


    Amusement danced in his eyes. He knew he was crossing the line again, but this time, she seemed to allow it.


    "Goodnight," he repeated, his voice low andced with affection.


    With that, he didn''t linger and walked toward the door.


    Sitting on the sofa in the quiet living room, Eleanor btedly realized her heart was racing.


    She knewn was testing the waters, and inch by inch, she was letting her walls down.


    She opened the digital file from her father. She hadn''t finished watching all the videosst time, and tonight, she wanted to see if he had left any messages for her.


    After only a few clips, tears were streaming down her face. She pressed a tissue to


    her eyes, fighting through the grief to keep watching.


    Princess seemed to sense her sadness, resting at her feet and looking up with big, soulful eyes as if trying tofort her.


    ет


    She clicked on another video. Her father was in hisb coat, holding a notebook, talking to someone off-camera. "The data stability isn''t there get. If we could get that new microspectrometer, it would solve everything. But importing it is heavily restricted and incredibly expensive."


    Suddenly, a hand entered the frame, gently patting her father''s shoulder. Then, a youngern''s profile appeared. His voice was steady and calm Don''t worry, Dad, I''ll figure out a way to get the equipment."


    Her father looked hesitant. "Won''t that be too much trouble for you?"


    "This is crucial for you, and for Ellie. The sooner we get the gear, the faster we can perfect the data. Don''t worry about the money."


    Eleanor''s breath hitched. She rewound the clip, listening ton use her nickname.


    Ellie.


    The camera shook, and the video ended. Her father seemed in a rush to get back to his experiments.


    Her fingertips lingered on the screen as silent tears fell. Back then,n had supported her father''s research without hesitation, giving whatever it took.


    This video was like a key, silently unlocking a door in her heart she thought had been permanently sealed.


    She let out a sigh and closed herptop. She knew things were truly changing. Not just withn, but with herself.