Chapter 62
On a transatlantic flight from Montclair back home.
First class.
lan flagged down a flight attendant and requested a newspaper.
She recognized him instantly-his reputation preceded him-and made sure every detail of her service was perfect.
lan was strikingly handsome. The deep blue shirt he wore accentuated his tall, athletic frame, and his sharply defined features lent him an air of authority. His eyes, intelligent and coldly perceptive, only added to his allure.
The flight attendant couldn’t help but steal a glance at the woman beside him: the renowned concert pianist, Vanessa. At the moment, Vanessa was fast asleep, an eye mask on and a blanket pulled up to her shoulders.
lan unfolded the newspaper and began to read, flipping through until a medical journal article caught his eye. He stopped, focused intently, and read with genuine interest.
When he finished, a glimmer of admiration flickered in his deep-set eyes. The article was brilliant-enough to reinforce his convictions about where to invest next.
He glanced at the author’s name, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
Eleanor S.
lan stared at those two words for a moment, his brow furrowing. Then he moved on, searching for other news that might catch his attention.
Despite sharing the same name as his wife, he couldn’t imagine she’d be the one behind such a groundbreaking medical article.
At the airport, Trent had been lurking for nearly ten days, waiting for lan and Vanessa’s return. Finally, his patience paid off. He found a good vantage point and discreetly began snapping photos with his phone.
Suddenly, a hurried male passenger nearly collided with Vanessa. Anticipating the move, lan reached out, pulling Vanessa protectively into his arms.
Vanessa looked up at him and smiled sweetly, exuding the content glow of someone just back from a pleasant journey.
Then, as if remembering something, lan paused, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a surgical mask. He carefully slipped it over Vanessa’s face himself. Vanessa’s eyes sparkled with happiness above the mask.
To anyone watching, the scene radiated the effortless intimacy of a couple in love: a handsome, attentive man shielding his girlfriend from the world, making sure she was protected-even though he didn’t wear a mask himself, her safety came first.
Few gestures could be more caring.
Trent captured every moment, sending the batch of photos directly to Eleanor.
She scrolled through them, her composure unshaken. The more lan doted on Vanessa, the more eager he’d be to cut ties when it came time for divorce- ultimately, that could only work in her favor.
With hospitals around the country overflowing, Eleanor’s new medication had been fast-tracked and hit the market sooner than expected. Reports from two hospitals where the drug was being trialed were promising: six severely ill patients had already been transferred from intensive care to regular wards, and the clinical results were remarkable.
“Ellie, get ready. There’s a news crew coming next week-they’ll probably want to interview you,” Joel called out to her.
Eleanor looked up at Joel, her eyes clear and luminous. She smiled. “Okay, I’ll be ready p>
“Not planning to keep it secret from him anymore?” Joel teased, reading her thoughts.
“It’s time I ended this marriage,” Eleanor replied calmly.
She’d already won back her daughter’s affection. Now, it was time to prepare for divorce.