No More Mrs. Nice Wife (Eleanor) novel Chapter 417

Ian wasn’t entirely sure Eleanor could handle what was unfolding. He was just about to rise from his seat when he saw Eleanor already stepping onto the stage, accepting the microphone Byron offered her.

As Byron handed it over, he leaned in close, speaking in a voice only Eleanor could hear. “Eleanor, it’s up to you to save the day.”

She gave him a small, reassuring nod. Byron added, “Joel’s got a presentation on my laptop. I’ll put it up for you—you can follow along with the slides to make it a bit easier.”

Eleanor nodded again.

From the audience, Ian fixed his gaze on her. In that moment, he knew—she would be just fine.

He hadn’t forgotten the last time, half a year ago, when she’d delivered a stunning keynote in flawless English.

He narrowed his eyes, hesitated, but finally stayed seated.

Meanwhile, backstage, Vanessa hurried through the side aisle. When she saw Faye crouched on the floor, hugging her arms and sobbing, her heart ached with sympathy, but she was also frustrated at her sister’s lack of composure.

Such a golden opportunity—wasted. In the end, it was Eleanor who’d benefited.

And to make matters worse, her foolish sister had just made Eleanor look even more capable by contrast.

On stage, Byron called for the assistant to queue up the presentation for Eleanor, but just then, a technician rushed over, flustered. “Mr. Chase, I forgot—I left the flash drive back at the office.”

Byron’s face turned pale. Of all times, how could something so important be forgotten?

The technician looked helpless. How could he have known Faye would freeze up?

Eleanor was standing nearby. As Byron shot her a panicked glance, she stepped forward and said, “I have a copy of the presentation in my email. You can use that version.”

Byron breathed a sigh of relief. At least Eleanor had come prepared.

In truth, she hadn’t planned for this at all. She’d only thrown the slides together on a whim when she heard she might have to present. It would have to do.

In the audience, guests began murmuring among themselves again. Clearly, no one had expected so many hiccups at Meridian Dynamics’ launch event.

Just then, the massive screen flickered to life as the crew got things ready. Eleanor tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her gaze bright and steady as she looked out over the crowd.

“Good afternoon, everyone. I’d like to discuss our breakthrough in AI-driven biomimetic cell technology from three different perspectives—”

Her voice rang out, clear and confident, carrying the calm assurance of a true professional. She turned, picked up a laser pointer, and began her presentation, guiding the audience through complex ideas with clarity and ease.

The panel of experts, who had been whispering among themselves on stage, gradually fell silent. Even those in the audience who weren’t specialists, who just moments ago had seemed bored or impatient, were now captivated by Eleanor’s steady voice and the sense of authority she projected.

Serena fell silent. Vanessa patted Faye’s shoulder. “Don’t lose heart. There will be more chances.”

But Faye knew, deep down, she’d never stand on a stage this grand again.

Out front, Eleanor was reaching the heart of her presentation. The audience was utterly silent, many snapping photos or taking notes, some lost in thought as they absorbed her words.

Ian watched from his seat, a mix of emotions in his eyes. Whenever Eleanor stepped into her field of expertise, she shone with talent and confidence from every angle.

Though she had her slides as a guide, she barely glanced at them, delivering her talk almost entirely from memory. The presentation was there for the audience’s reference, not hers.

He remembered: after her mother died, Eleanor had lived with her father, who had himself stood on countless stages, presenting his research with composure and conviction. Clearly, she’d absorbed that same confidence from a young age.

In the crowd, Xavier watched her with a newfound intensity. He’d stopped listening to the content of her talk—his attention was fixed on Eleanor herself: the way she swept her hair back, the quiet joy in her smile as she discussed her breakthroughs, the grace and brilliance she radiated.

Every facet of Eleanor drew him in, stirring a fierce possessiveness he’d never known before. He wanted her—wanted her to belong to him alone.

As Eleanor approached the end of her talk, her voice carried through the hall. “Finally, I want to thank the entire team for their dedication. Scientific progress is the result of collective wisdom, not individual effort.”

With that, she bowed gracefully to the audience.