No More Mrs. Nice Wife (Eleanor) novel Chapter 468

Eleanor had no choice but to politely decline.

On the other end of the line, Henrietta sounded a little disappointed. “Oh, I see! Well, maybe next time you and your mom can come over for dinner.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Vaughn, but I really need to get back to work now.”

“Of course, dear. I won’t keep you. Take care!” Though Henrietta was clearly let down, she didn’t seem upset.

Eleanor exhaled softly, checked the time, and refocused on her experiments.

……

Vaughn Shipping Group.

Xavier was in the middle of paperwork when his phone rang. Seeing it was his mother, he picked up. “Xavier, be honest with me—are you serious about Eleanor? This isn’t just a passing fancy, is it?”

Spinning his chair to face the window, Xavier looked out at the bustling city skyline. His voice was steady. “Mom, I’ve never been more certain about anything in my life.”

“What about Ian?”

“We’ve already talked. He won’t get in the way of me pursuing Eleanor.” Xavier didn’t mention the five-year marriage contract Eleanor had signed.

“That’s good to hear. Eleanor really is a wonderful girl—so polite and well-mannered. Evelyn raised her well. I was just thinking of inviting them both over for dinner tonight, but Eleanor said Evelyn has an evening English class.”

Xavier blinked in surprise. “You reached out to her?”

“I just called, that’s all.”

“Mom, next time please don’t contact her out of the blue. She’s got a lot on her plate at work.” Xavier was quick to caution her.

Henrietta could hear the protectiveness in her son’s tone and was a little taken aback—since when did her son get so cautious chasing after a girl?

Xavier eyed him curiously; there was an unusual seriousness in Henry’s expression.

“What’s with the secrecy?” Xavier took a seat across from him.

Once the assistant had brought in some coffee and left, Henry picked up his mug and took a sip. “Xavier, how long have we known each other?”

“Twenty-three years,” Xavier answered without hesitation. “What’s this about?”

Henry pulled out his phone and brought up a photo he’d snapped in secret. It showed a young man in military dress chatting animatedly with Eleanor in an auditorium. They were laughing, their eyes locked.

Xavier’s brow furrowed. “Who’s that?”

“His name’s Mansfield Ellington. I don’t know much about his family background, but he and Eleanor seem close—word is, he’s one of her suitors, and she’s interested.”

Xavier’s frown deepened as he studied the photo. The man was striking, clearly someone with a high rank in the military.