No More Mrs. Nice Wife (Eleanor) novel Chapter 710

Still, he was now acting as if he were Eleanor’s boyfriend. He couldn’t see her expression from where he sat, but it was clear she had tacitly accepted the role.

Ian sat by the window in the same row as Eleanor, his gaze drifting over, unreadable and guarded.

After Mansfield took his seat, he winked at Eleanor. She shot him a wry smile, resigned; if she wanted to swap seats, she’d at least need a reasonable excuse.

Vanessa glanced back at Ian, who was staring out the window, his handsome profile tense, jaw clenched.

She looked away, her face clouded with frustration.

From what she knew of Ian, he was proud—someone who always held the upper hand in a relationship, never one to change for anyone, least of all for Eleanor.

Yet as she mulled this over, Vanessa bit her lip, a swirl of conflicting emotions welling inside her. So much had shifted between them, quietly and irreversibly.

When she looked up, she found Henry watching her with concern. If there was one thing she could be sure of, it was that Henry’s feelings for her had never changed.

She managed a small smile and shook her head, reassuring him she was fine.

The plane lifted smoothly off the tarmac. As they climbed through the clouds, Eleanor instinctively gripped the armrest, knuckles white.

Mansfield’s large hand settled gently over hers, steady and reassuring.

She didn’t pull away. Instead, Eleanor offered him a grateful smile and closed her eyes, willing herself to ride out the pressure in her chest.

Ian’s eyes drifted over, catching the sight of Mansfield’s hand over Eleanor’s. He swallowed hard, tamping down the surge of emotion.

Once they reached cruising altitude, the flight attendants bustled around, all warmth and efficiency. Eleanor sipped a glass of iced cola, settling her uneasy stomach. Later, she folded down her tray table and opened her iPad, catching up on the summit documents she hadn’t finished reading.

Mansfield glanced over at the dense medical terminology and felt genuine admiration. He couldn’t help but wonder how much effort she’d poured into her work to achieve what she had.

He left her in peace and asked a flight attendant for a magazine.

Vanessa stared at the black cars with government plates, her nails digging into her palms. She couldn’t help but recall how, not long ago, Eleanor had been nothing more than a housewife—and now, she was accorded this kind of respect.

“Henry, do you know where they’re going?” Vanessa asked, unable to keep the question in.

Henry shook his head. “Not exactly. But whoever’s meeting them must be someone very powerful.”

A weight settled on Vanessa’s chest. She remembered Eleanor standing on stage at a medical conference, earning a standing ovation. Now, seeing this scene, it was even clearer to her.

Eleanor was no longer just Ian’s former wife. She stood shoulder to shoulder with him—and in her own field, she shone even brighter.

“Let’s head to the hotel,” Henry said gently.

Vanessa nodded and climbed into the car Henry had sent for her.

Outside, rain was falling in Kingston. Through the shimmering curtain of water, three government cars sped off together into the city.