Chapter 522
Eleanor added three more dishes to the order and handed the menu back to the waitress. Once the waitress left, Xavier slid a folder across the table toward her. “Here’s the detailed information on the National Research Institute. I thought you might be interested p>
She took the folder, momentarily stunned-Xavier had prepared this for her? Flipping it open, she immediately recognized the name of the national research team she’d heard of before.
Eleanor was engrossed in the documents when, all of a sudden, she noticed movement near the restaurant entrance. Ian walked in, flanked by several foreign clients.
He was dressed in a charcoal three-piece suit, radiating an air of professional authority with every step.
As Xavier sipped his tea, his gaze met lan’s across the room. Ian leaned over to whisper something to the colleague beside him, who immediately guided the clients toward a private dining room.
lan, however, headed straight toward Eleanor and Xavier.
Xavier glanced at Eleanor, who was still absorbed in the folder, and made no effort to alert her.
Eleanor only looked up when she sensed a shadow falling over her. The moment she saw lan, her expression turned icy.
lan’s sharp eyes caught the bold print on Eleanor’s paperwork, and his brow furrowed slightly. “Already considering other research centers?” he asked, his tone clipped.
Xavier simply took another sip of tea, unruffled.
lan looked at Xavier now, clearly suspecting that Eleanor wasn’t the one planning a move-Xavier was the one laying out options for her.
“The National Institute for Biomedical Research is recruiting,” Xavier said, arching
a brow. “I think Eleanor would be an excellent addition p>
He didn’t mind saying it outright. After all, Eleanor was leaving his lab, and if he could help pave the way to something better for her, he was more than willing.
lan’s expression darkened, and his voice grew cold. “Eleanor certainly deserves a better platform. But she hasn’t wrapped up her current experiments. It’s a little early to talk about switching teams p>
Eleanor turned away, refusing to engage with him.
Xavier smiled. “Ian, I believe joining the national research team would be a great step for Eleanor p>
lan fixed his gaze on Xavier, his words loaded with meaning. “If she wants to join the national research team, she hardly needs your help. All it would take is a word from the Secretary p>
Xavier hesitated, unable to decipher the full implication behind lan’s remark.
Eleanor, however, knew exactly what he meant. She shot lan a look of disgust. “Can you not ruin our lunch p>
“Excuse me,” lan replied stiffly, then turned and walked away.
Xavier regarded Eleanor thoughtfully. What did lan mean by that? Did Eleanor have some connection to the Secretary as well?
He didn’t press the issue. Instead, he smiled and said, “Let’s eat first. Take the folder home, go through it at your own pace-it’ll be useful for you p>
“Thank you,” Eleanor said gratefully. “You’ve really gone out of your way p>
“It’s nothing,” Xavier replied with a low chuckle. Eleanor leaving lan’s lab was, in his view, for the best.
It was time for her to draw a clear line between herself and her ex-husband.
Just then, Eleanor’s phone buzzed with a new message. She glanced at the screen.
“How long do you plan to keep your relationship with Mansfield Ellington a secret from him p>
From lan.
Eleanor’s fingers tightened around her phone. Without a word, she flipped it face- down on the table.