No More Mrs. Nice Wife (Eleanor) novel Chapter 563

Ian taking the seat next to Eleanor looked unremarkable to everyone else. After all, he was the boss; he could sit wherever he pleased.

But to Faye, the gesture carried another meaning entirely.

Ian was, at the end of the day, a man—and men had their own innate drive for dominance. Even when it came to an ex-wife he claimed to be done with, a man might still want to prove something in front of her.

No matter how extraordinary Ian’s abilities were, he was still subject to the same impulses as any other man.

Though Faye was annoyed by it all, she kept a mask of focus, appearing completely absorbed in the meeting.

Ian hadn’t brought any documents, so without missing a beat, he reached over and picked up an extra folder sitting in front of Eleanor, flipping through the pages as if it belonged to him.

Eleanor, face cool and composed, listened intently to Byron’s report, acting as if Ian wasn’t even there.

Across the table, Faye noticed every detail. Ian might have looked as unbothered as ever, but his actions were tinged with something subtle, probing—a question flickering in his eyes.

Had Ian really not moved on from Eleanor?

The thought left Faye unsettled. Ian just didn’t seem like the kind of man who would revisit the past.

And yet, there was the undeniable fact: Eleanor had been about to leave the lab for good, but Ian had personally asked her to return, assigning her as lead researcher on their most critical project.

Faye shot a glance at Ian. So much for men being above it all, she thought with a trace of disdain.

She couldn’t help but feel sorry for Vanessa, who had devoted so many years to this man.

“Mr. Goodwin, do you have any suggestions regarding the lab equipment upgrades?” Byron asked, turning to Ian.

Ian looked at Eleanor. “Send the upgrade proposal to Dr. Sutton. Let her decide.”

Eleanor nodded at Byron. “Just forward it to me, VP Chase.”

Byron nodded back. “Alright. That’s it for today. If anyone has questions, post them in the group chat.”

As the meeting wrapped up, people stood and began to file out. Eleanor quietly collected the folder in front of Ian, then walked out without looking back.

Faye watched her go. Outwardly, Eleanor’s attitude toward Ian seemed cold, even impatient, but who didn’t know she was secretly pleased? No woman would be indifferent to being put in charge of a flagship project by her ex-husband—Eleanor had her pride, too.

Eleanor made a quick stop at the restroom. Soon after, a group of assistants came in, chatting and reapplying their makeup.

“Did you hear? Faye’s sister is dating Mr. Goodwin. I bet she’s jealous now that Eleanor’s on the brain-machine project team.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s already causing drama behind the scenes!”

“I’ll bet Mr. Goodwin’s sweet-talking her as we speak.”

“Oh, I’d love to see how Mr. Goodwin makes it up to a woman. He must be so charming when he wants to be!”

“Thank you for leasing the lab to Mr. Windsor,” Eleanor added gratefully.

“A lab should be used for research. Letting it sit empty is just a waste,” Xavier said with a laugh. “Let’s grab a meal together sometime.”

“Sure. I should get back to work now,” Eleanor said.

At lunch, Eleanor ate in the company cafeteria with Gwenda. Meridian Dynamics’ cafeteria was famous for its top-notch food; Gwenda speared a piece of fresh salmon and sighed, “At this rate, I’m going to gain at least a few pounds.”

Eleanor grinned. “Well, the work is intense too. You’d better be ready for that.”

“I’m not worried. I’ll give it my all,” Gwenda replied, determined.

Later that afternoon, Eleanor got a call from York, asking her to come by for an introduction.

She hurried to the presidential suite at the Vesper Joy Hotel, where she found a middle-aged couple, both in their early fifties, sitting on the sofa.

“Eleanor, this is Tanya and Julian Grant. They’re from the Montclair research division.”

“I’ve been following your published papers over the past year. We’ve read every one—impressive work,” Tanya said, her short hair and glasses giving her a sharp, intelligent air.

“We met your father a few times, actually—shared a meal at Drexford College. You must have been just a child back then,” Julian added with a warm smile.

The mention of her father made Eleanor feel instantly at ease. “It’s nice to meet you both,” she replied.