No More Mrs. Nice Wife (Eleanor) novel Chapter 815

815 /850

Ian fell silent as well, his gaze fixed on the operating room doors across the hall, his thoughts unreadable.

Just then, the sound of the elevator announced another arrival. A figure, looking slightly travel-worn, strode around the corner. It was Xavier, a suit jacket draped over his arm, his expression a mixture of urgency and concern.

His steps faltered for a moment when he saw the three people sitting on the bench, but he quickly composed himself and walked over.

"Eleanor, Ian," Xavier greeted them, then turned to Mansfield with a polite nod. "Major General Ellington."

His eyes returned to Eleanor. He saw that while she was pale, she seemed to be holding up, and he breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

"Xavier, you're here," Ian said, raising an eyebrow.

"Mr. Vaughn," Mansfield acknowledged.

Eleanor was the most surprised of all. She couldn't believe he had come.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, standing up. She had assumed he would just check in via text, not drive all the way from Ashford City.

"I had a business trip in Kingston and heard about your mentor's surgery, so I thought I'd… stop by," Xavier said, his eyes shifting slightly as he quickly changed the subject. "How is Professor Langley's surgery?"

"It was a success," Eleanor replied, still a bit stunned.

"That's good to hear," Xavier said, his voice full of genuine concern.

Ian watched Eleanor and Xavier talk, his expression unreadable. Xavier's excuse about a business trip might have fooled Eleanor, but he and Mansfield knew better. Mansfield, for his part, remained impassive. Even if he could see through the pretext, he didn't show it. After all, everyone there had come for Eleanor; none of them were just "stopping by."