No More Mrs. Nice Wife (Eleanor) novel Chapter 828

He paused, his tone becoming more serious. "My asking you to look after Eleanor is as a friend. As for your relationship with her, let things take their natural course."

Xavier detected a sense of resigned surrender in Ian's words, which surprised him. "Ian, what exactly is this personal matter you're dealing with abroad?"

"Just some personal business," Ian replied, his calm exterior revealing nothing.

"If you need me or Henry, don't hesitate to ask," Xavier said with a nod. "I'll look after Eleanor and Evelyn. Don't worry, just focus on what you need to do."

"Thank you." Ian glanced at his watch and stood up. "It's about time. I need to get to the airport."

"Alright. Be safe, and have a good trip," Xavier said, rising as well.

They walked out of the coffee shop together. The easy understanding they'd shared since childhood meant no more words were needed as they went their separate ways.

Walking back through the complex, Xavier felt a sense of unease. He rarely saw Ian ask for help, and it felt like his old friend was hiding something.

Of course, looking after Eleanor was something he was more than willing to do—in fact, it was exactly what he wanted.

That evening, Eleanor was chatting with her daughter, who was cuddled in her arms. Evelyn suddenly asked with a little pout, "Mommy, why didn't you tell me Daddy lives downstairs?"

Eleanor froze, realizing that when Ian had carried her downstairs on Friday night, Evelyn must have woken up and figured it out.

"Did I not? Mommy must have forgotten," Eleanor said, trying to deflect.

Evelyn tilted her head, thinking hard, then snuggled closer. "You definitely didn't tell me."

Eleanor chuckled at her daughter's adorable seriousness and hugged her tight. "Alright, you caught me. It's late now, time for bed."

She went straight to the examination room.

A few other colleagues taking the re-test were already there, and the atmosphere was tense. Faye found a seat, determined to give it her all.

She had initially thought her connection to Vanessa would be enough to get her a prime position in the new division with a single word from Ian. But with Joel in complete control, connections meant nothing.

At nine o'clock sharp, Joel, the project lead, entered. His expression was stern, and he wasted no time on pleasantries, immediately handing out the exam papers.

"You have two hours," he announced succinctly.

Faye quickly scanned the paper. The questions were harder than she had anticipated, covering advanced technologies and complex decision-making scenarios.

Still, she had an advantage over her colleagues from other departments; she had spent the last two years working on Meridian Dynamics' core projects.