Chapter 1539

"I won't be reading this contract. But no matter what, I truly appreciate the

sentiment," Eleanor said firmly.

lan frowned. He wanted to argue, but the words died in his throat. He looked up at her. She was backlit by the sun, yet her eyes shone brilliantly. There was no petty anger, no false pride, just complete, rational clarity.

It suddenly hit him that he might have been wrong. He just wanted to make things easier for her, but some paths had to be walked alone. She needed to clear her own hurdles so she could claim the victory with absolute pride and authority.

At that realization, a wave of complex emotions washed over him. Disappointment, yes, but mostly overwhelming admiration and a deep sense of relief.

He let out a low, indulgent chuckle, rising from his chair and walking toward her.

Eleanor didn't step back. He reached out and took her hand. "I was short-sighted. I was so focused on giving you the best that I completely forgot to ask what it was you actually wanted."

Her fingers twitched slightly against his palm.

He let go of her hand. "We'll do it your way. I'll have Byron withdraw the contract."

"It's getting late. Let's grab lunch together," he offered.

"Alright," Eleanor agreed easily. "My treat."

"We've got some time before then. I have a quick stop to make first. Come with me?" lan asked suddenly.

"Where?" she asked, confused.

"To the MD Proving Grounds," he said, adding, "The company recently backed a new smart electric vehicle, and I need to test drive it."

She wasn't surprised. His empire was built around tech, healthcare, and emerging supply chains, with deep ties to domestic auto manufacturing.

"I don't know much about cars," she admitted. She wouldn't be able to offer any useful feedback.

"You don't need to know anything. Just keep me company," he smiled, his eyes shining with anticipation.

She nodded. "Fine."

lan led her out of the room, gave

some quick instructions to Byromet

and soon the two of them along with

and Assistant Lower were heading to the testing facility.

It took about twenty minutes to reach the MD Proving Grounds.

On the way, lan talked about the car's cutting-edge design concepts, and Eleanor found herself genuinely impressed by the sheer potential of his company's vision.

The core logic of tech revolutionizing daily life was something that truly fascinated her.

It also made her think back to that one time lan had been so furious over a project's lack of progress that he had fired the entire engineering department on the spot.

The car they were testing today was the direct result of him poaching an elite

overseas team to overhaul the project.

They pulled into the facility, which

looked like a massive, enclosed

testing track. Several men in

engineering uniforms rushed over the second they spotted lan. Mr. Goodwin, welcome."

"This is Dr. Sutton," Byron introduced her.

The men shook her hand before guiding them toward a sleek, aerodynamic sports sedan parked in the center of the track, listing off its specs.

It was space-gray, maintaining a low profile while radiating absolute power.

"Mr. Goodwin, here's our prototype. We're honored to have you test it today."

lan didn't get in immediately. He slowly circled the car, scrutinizing every detail with

a focused, hyper-critical eye. It was obvious he was genuinely intrigued.