Chapter 506
A wave of warmth swept over Hazel-Eleanor was really thoughtful.
“Alright then, I’ll get going. Make sure you eat plenty.” Hazel grinned as she spoke, then slipped out of the office.
Eleanor hadn’t eaten much at lunch, and now hunger gnawed at her. She was just nibbling on a pastry when, outside the door, a surprised voice called out, “Mr. Goodwin? Are you looking for Eleanor p>
It was Callie.
“No,” came a cool male reply.
Callie blinked in surprise as lan brushed past her, files in hand, heading straight into Eleanor’s office.
“What did Mr. Goodwin want with you just now?” Callie asked, her curiosity piqued.
Eleanor, completely unaware that lan had even been at the door, shook her head. “No idea. Here, have a snack p>
“Mmm, that smells delicious!” Callie grabbed a couple pastries and left, clearly pleased.
Eleanor picked up her phone and typed out a grateful message to Henrietta: “Thank you for the soup and pastries, Mrs. Vaughn. That was so thoughtful of you p>
Henrietta replied almost instantly: “It’s no trouble at all, dear. If you ever want more, just let me know-I’ll have someone bring it over p>
Eleanor hesitated-she couldn’t keep troubling the Vaughn family like this. She quickly typed back, gently refusing: “Mrs. Vaughn, my work schedule changes a lot. Please don’t go to the trouble of sending anything p>
Henrietta seemed to catch her meaning and replied, “Alright, then just come over to eat whenever you have time. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you and Evelyn p>
“Absolutely! Thank you, Mrs. Vaughn.” Eleanor sent her reply, then let out a small sigh. Navigating relationships had never been her strong suit.
Before she knew it, Thanksgiving was just around the corner. As Eleanor
wondered how to spend the holiday with her daughter, a new notice landed on her desk.
Kingston was opening a second clinical trial site. Ten trial patients were lined up for the new medication, and the lab was sending Eleanor on a ten-day assignment to oversee the rollout at Kingston Hospital.
The news left her momentarily stunned, but duty was duty-there was no way she could refuse.
Simone had considered swapping roles with her, but the ongoing trials in Ashford City were already under her direct supervision. That left Eleanor to head to Kingston. As the lead researcher behind the new medication, she had both the responsibility and obligation to see the trial through.
Eleanor didn’t protest-her only concern was what to do with her daughter.
Of course, she could leave Evelyn with the Goodwin family. That wouldn’t be a problem, but―
The trip to Kingston would overlap with Thanksgiving. Whether she’d actually be able to spend the holiday with her daughter was anyone’s guess.
Two hours after the notice went out, Eleanor’s phone buzzed. It was a message from lan: “Don’t worry about Kingston-I’ll take care of Evelyn while you’re away p>
Eleanor rolled her eyes. Honestly, she’d rather lan and Vanessa travel abroad and let Evelyn stay with the Goodwins, where the only people around her would be her grandmother and great-grandmother.
Almost as if he’d read her mind, lan sent another reassurance: “Don’t worry, I won’t let Evelyn spend time with anyone you object to p>
Clearly, he’d figured out that Eleanor didn’t want Vanessa anywhere near their daughter.
“How can you guarantee that?” Eleanor shot back, skeptical.
“She’s going abroad. She won’t be in the country for the next couple of weeks,” lan replied almost immediately.
Eleanor suspected lan would go with Vanessa, and if that was the case, she was fine with Evelyn spending ten days at the Goodwin house.
A new message flashed on her screen: “Eleanor, the success of this new clinical trial is critical to the entire project. I hope you’ll give it your full attention p>
A wry smile curved Eleanor’s lips, and a glint of mockery flickered in her eyes.
lan’s eagerness to care for her daughter was nothing but a way to keep the project moving smoothly and secure the enormous profits looming on the horizon if the new drug succeeded.
He wasn’t wrong; the potential rewards were immense.
“Fine,” Eleanor replied. She actually preferred lan to keep things strictly professional, rather than letting personal motives cloud his judgment or threaten to take her daughter from her.
Once this phase of the trial wrapped up, Eleanor would be done with his lab for good. Maybe she’d join a smaller research team somewhere else—anything would be better than working under lan’s thumb.
Still, she had a dream she’d never given up on: one day, she’d run her own independent research lab. For now, though, it was just a hope she kept quietly to herself.