No More Mrs. Nice Wife (Eleanor) novel Chapter 1124

After mingling with several high-status ladies alongside Mrs. Ellington, Eleanor casually glanced up and saw Vanessa. She was by Walden Wells's side, clinging to his arm and whispering intimately in his ear, looking like a couple with a large age gap.

Eleanor understood immediately. Vanessa had found a new patron. And judging by Walden Wells's behavior during the last Guild of Commerce election, he was clearly unhappy about Ian taking the presidency.

It seemed Vanessa's approach to him was driven by a strong motive.

The banquet was halfway through when Ian, as the host, went on stage to give a speech. He stood in the spotlight, his silver hair catching the light with a cool sheen, which did nothing to diminish his powerful aura.

"Thank you all for attending tonight's banquet. As the new President of The Guild of Commerce, I will continue to be dedicated to promoting business development, technological innovation, and supporting exceptional talent—"

As Eleanor was taking a sip of her champagne, Elara leaned in and asked in a curious whisper, "Ellie, how did your ex-husband's hair turn white?"

Eleanor paused for a moment, looking at the figure speaking on stage. "Probably from working too hard," she answered naturally.

Elara looked at the man on stage thoughtfully, figuring that must be it. Managing such a large corporation and serving as the President of The Guild of Commerce had to be incredibly stressful.

"Elara, I'm going to the restroom," Eleanor said to her.

"Okay," Elara replied with a smile.

Eleanor was washing her hands at the sink when suddenly, Vanessa's reflection appeared in the mirror. She walked over to Eleanor, her high heels clicking on the floor.

"What a coincidence," Vanessa said slowly as she washed her hands, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "It looks like you've gained a lot tonight. From now on, you can keep reaping the benefits of your relationship with your ex-husband."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Eleanor replied coldly.

Vanessa sneered, lowering her voice. "Are you telling me that Ian becoming the President of The Guild of Commerce won't bring you any advantages? Your company, your research funding—which of those can't he help you with?"

Eleanor frowned, not wanting to engage.

Vanessa held her ground. "Let's not pretend, Eleanor. Your success was bought and paid for by him. So drop the 'independent and strong' act. Who exactly are you trying to convince?"

When Eleanor returned to the ballroom, she glanced at her watch. It was almost eight-thirty, and she planned to leave early.

She went to say goodbye to Mrs. Ellington, who took her hand affectionately. "You must come over for dinner sometime. Even though Mansfield isn't here, don't be a stranger."

Eleanor saw the way Mrs. Ellington looked at her and knew that Mansfield had told her about their relationship.

A light blush crept onto Eleanor's cheeks as she nodded.

A few steps away, Ian stood watching. The way Mrs. Ellington held Eleanor's hand and spoke to her was clearly the affectionate way an elder would speak to a younger family member. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as an uncontrollable pang of bitterness spread through his chest.

"Mr. Goodwin?" a guest beside him noticed he was distracted. "Are you alright?"

Ian quickly composed himself, a polite smile on his lips. "I'm fine. Now, where were we?"