No More Mrs. Nice Wife (Eleanor) novel Chapter 93

Joy, worried about upsetting Eleanor, quickly changed the subject. But Eleanor remained calm; these days, nothing seemed to faze her anymore.

After dinner, Joy drove Eleanor home. On the way, she tried to reassure her. "Ellie, don't let any of this get to you, okay?"

"I won't." Eleanor offered a faint smile.

Joy glanced over at her, a little puzzled. "Ellie, you've changed, you know that? It's like nothing bothers you now, like nothing matters anymore. Just four months ago, you called me sobbing—"

Of course Eleanor remembered. That night, she'd cried her heart out over the phone, telling Joy how much she loved him, how she couldn't let go.

"People change," Eleanor said softly, exhaling a quiet sigh.

Joy's heart ached for her friend. After hearing what Thalia had told her, she was more convinced than ever that Ian and Eleanor were doomed from the start.

Vanessa had been Ian's first love. Marrying Eleanor had always just been his way of repaying a debt.

The next morning, Eleanor checked her email. Joel had forwarded several articles about the Marlowe Village incident.

The hospital and government agencies were putting pressure on the lab, urging them to form a task force and get to the bottom of things as soon as possible.

Eleanor stepped into Joel's office to discuss the new cases. Faye's assistant approached, saying, "Dr. Kingsley, Ms. Yeaton's team has a lead. She'd like you to come over."

As she spoke, the assistant glanced pointedly at Eleanor, making it clear she wasn't invited.

Eleanor got the message. "Joel, I'll head back to the lab," she said.

She returned to her workspace, picked up a tray of fresh samples, and settled in at the microscope. Immersed in her work, she spent the morning analyzing slides. By around eleven, she'd isolated methylmercury—commonly known as mercury—from multiple samples.

Vanessa paused in surprise. What was Eleanor doing in the lab team?

Faye stood and turned to Joel. "Joel, I'll be right back."

He nodded, but just then his phone rang. He picked up. "Hello? Mr. Goodwin."

"Dr. Kingsley, do you have a moment? I'd like to talk," came Ian's low voice. "I'm right outside your office."

"I'll be there in a second." Joel hung up and glanced at Eleanor. "I need to head back to my office."

Eleanor nodded, although she hadn't expected Ian—and Vanessa—to show up.

What were they doing here?