No More Mrs. Nice Wife (Eleanor) novel Chapter 185

Eleanor let Joel know she was taking a cab home. Not long after, she received a friend request on her phone—it was Byron, VP of Meridian Dynamics. He messaged her, expressing his hope that they could communicate directly about research directions from now on.

Eleanor responded politely, exchanging a few brief messages with him.

Around four in the afternoon, she found herself wandering to her daughter's school, pausing beneath a canopy of cherry trees while scrolling through her phone. Across the street, a silver Bentley glided into the parking lot and came to a stop. Xavier, sitting in the driver's seat, reached for the door handle but froze when he spotted Eleanor.

He didn't get out. Instead, he sat back, watching her through the window. There was a quiet elegance in the way he observed her, more like an artist admiring a muse than a voyeur—his gaze clear, intent, and unclouded by any ulterior motive.

A sudden breeze sent Eleanor's long hair flying across her face. She gathered it with a graceful sweep of her hand, her lively, fresh features momentarily touched by a playful innocence.

Unlike the commanding presence she'd shown on the stage at her last lecture, in these quiet moments, there was a kind of untouched beauty about her—gentle, unguarded, and yet somehow impossible to fully understand. It was the sort of allure that made people want to get closer.

Just then, a petal drifted down and landed on Eleanor's hand. She blinked in surprise, finally realizing she'd been standing under the blossoming trees all along. A smile curved her lips.

Watching from the car, Xavier found himself smiling too, the expression unbidden and catching him off guard. The next thing he knew, an irresistible urge had him pushing open the door and crossing the street toward her.

Eleanor didn't notice him at first. When she sensed someone approaching, she quickly stepped aside, thinking she was blocking the path. A low chuckle sounded behind her. "Did I startle you?"

She turned, only to see Xavier. She gave a soft laugh. "Not at all."

Just then, a well-dressed mother approached with a friendly smile. "You're Evelyn's mom, right?" Without waiting for a response, her gaze shifted to Xavier, her eyes lighting up. "And you must be Vivian's uncle!"

"That's right," Xavier replied with a polite nod.

Eleanor smiled and nodded too.

Eleanor and her daughter had barely walked a hundred yards when Xavier's car pulled up beside them. He rolled down the window. "Hop in—it's about to pour."

"Thank you," Eleanor said gratefully, ushering the girls into the back seat.

The two girls hugged each other with delight. Evelyn piped up, "Vivian, have you been to my new house? Do you want to come over and play?"

"I'd love to!" Vivian turned to Xavier, pleading, "Uncle, can I go to Ms. Sutton's house?"

Xavier caught Eleanor's eye in the rearview mirror. She smiled, clearly happy with the idea. "Vivian's welcome at our place. You can pick her up after dinner."

"Sounds great." Xavier replied, his smile genuine.