No More Mrs. Nice Wife (Eleanor) novel Chapter 1121

The man who'd just turned away paused, his expression darkening at her words. A server passed by, and he reached out, taking a glass of whiskey from the tray before heading toward the center of the room.

"Ellie, we meet again," Elara said with a smile. Three years younger than Eleanor, she had a more lively and playful air about her.

"Shona."

"Just call me Elara."

Mrs. Ellington's arrival immediately drew the attention of several society ladies, and soon a crowd had gathered to greet her. Caught up in the social obligations, she turned to her daughter and said, "Why don't you go chat with Eleanor for a bit? I'll come find you two later."

Eleanor and Elara found a quieter spot to talk. Eleanor tried to suppress her question, but she couldn't hold it back any longer.

"Elara, has your cousin Mansfield been in touch with the family recently?"

Elara shook her head, a flicker of worry in her eyes. "There's no news yet, but don't worry, he's always like this when he's on a mission. Do you miss him?"

Elara smiled reassuringly. "When he gets back, I'll make sure he makes it up to you properly."

Eleanor pressed her lips into a faint smile. "I'm just worried about him."

Not far away, Vanessa watched as Walden Wells chatted with his friends, leaving her feeling neglected. She was merely his date for the evening, not close enough to be included in his work discussions.

Her gaze inevitably drifted to Ian. He stood at the center of a crowd, holding a glass, surrounded by industry tycoons. He moved among the guests with ease, maintaining the grace and presence expected of the President of The Guild of Commerce.

He was wearing those gold-rimmed glasses again tonight. But he wasn't nearsighted, so who bought them for him? And who was he wearing them for?

Eleanor's reputation was already well-known in high society, and seeing her relationship with the Ellington family, they treated her with even more respect.

Walden Wells basked in the envious looks he received from his friends because of Vanessa. Just then, he received an important work call. "I'm going to the lounge to take this call," he told Vanessa. "You can mingle for a bit."

Vanessa nodded with a smile. After he left, she saw Ian finish his conversation with several entrepreneurs and walk toward the terrace.

Seeing her chance, Vanessa immediately followed him.

On the terrace, Ian stood alone, leaning against the railing. The whiskey in his hand glowed an amber color in the moonlight, and the night breeze gently lifted his silver-white hair. Behind the gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes were as deep as the ocean.

"Ian," Vanessa called softly from behind him.