No More Mrs. Nice Wife (Eleanor) novel Chapter 1263

Was it out of disdain, or was it because he was afraid?

Afraid that a confrontation, laying the conflict bare, would completely shatter their marriage and accelerate their divorce?

After all, Eleanor already knew about Vanessa's existence, and Ian had offered no explanation. Their marriage was already fragile at that point.

If his speculation was correct, then Ian's feelings for Eleanor were incredibly complex.

He had invested tirelessly in the scientific research community, which had helped shape the Eleanor of today. And for Mansfield Ellington's brain-computer interface project, he had spared no resource to help.

Although Eleanor had never said she liked Mansfield, Joel knew she did and that she might even marry him in the future. So what was Ian's motive for all of this?

Was he helping to bring about Eleanor's second chance at love?

For a man to do so much for his ex-wife, Ian's feelings for Eleanor had to be far deeper and more complicated than they appeared on the surface.

*Is he atoning?* The thought struck Joel.

In the end, Joel sighed. He was, and always would be, an outsider-a spectator who had only seen a fraction of the truth.

***

Eleanor took a shower, washing her hair, and then sank into the sofa on her balcony, feeling completely relaxed. She gazed at the city lights in the distance, her mind a blank slate. The night breeze lifted a strand of her long hair as she quietly enjoyed the view.

A warm shower had washed away the fatigue of the past few days and cleared the heavy weight from her heart. Wrapped in a comfortable silk robe, she lounged on the soft balcony sofa. In the distance, the city lights merged with the starry sky, creating a scene of serene tranquility.

At that moment, she just wanted her mind to be empty, to think of nothing at all.

Moonlight pooled over her, sketching out the soft lines of her body. Stripped of her usual professional rigor, she possessed a pure and unadorned beauty. She had a clean, quietly striking face, full mouth, smooth skin with a healthy flush.

Eleanor wasn't the kind of beauty that screamed for attention, but she drew the eye and held it.

Resting her chin on her hand, she suddenly thought of her father, that stubborn and headstrong man. If he were still alive, if he could see her now, would he feel even a glimmer of pride?

As far back as she could remember, her father had been strict, but he had also been omnipotent. Her mother used to say that when she was three, he would hold her and read medical books to her, trying to instill knowledge in her.

Eleanor could almost picture it: she, looking up at him with innocent, uncomprehending eyes, while he read with earnest seriousness, full of hope for her future.

If… if she had never met Ian.

What would her life be like then?

She would have dutifully completed her university studies, pursued a master's and a doctorate, and then entered the world of scientific research.

Perhaps she would have met Ian or Xavier Vaughn at some event, but she certainly would never have met Mansfield.

She was still young, with a bright future ahead of her.

Suddenly, everything that had happened felt unimportant.

What mattered was the present and the future.

The world of romance was too complicated. She had thrown herself into it once, and from now on, she never wanted to step back in.

She had a career she was passionate about and a beautiful, lovely daughter. That was enough.

Eleanor took a deep breath, filled with the calm that comes after untangling one's thoughts. She made up her mind. She was done with falling in love.

It wasn't out of spite or fear, but a sense of responsibility to herself. She would devote all the passion and energy of her remaining years to her career and to raising her daughter.

The road ahead might be lonely, but Eleanor felt a sense of security and peace she had never known before.

She could prove her worth through her work, take control of her own life, and pursue her dreams. What did it matter if she grew old alone? She had an entire world of her own to build.

As for love, maybe in the next life.

Eleanor stood up and walked back into the bedroom.