Chapter 1558

At noon, lan took charge of the kitchen. As he walked in, Eleanor noticed he was carrying an iPad. He absolutely refused to let her help or even step foot inside.

She guessed he was looking up tutorials to learn how to cook on the fly.

Deciding not to disturb him, she took her phone out to the patio swing, enjoying the sunshine while browsing the internet, with Princess keeping her company.

Princess dug around in the grass near her feet before joyfully chasing a passing butterfly.

About half an hour later, the mouthwatering aroma of food drifted from the kitchen. Putting her phone down, Eleanor grew curious about what he had managed to whip up.

She walked over but didn't go inside, simply leaning against the doorframe to watch.

lan had his back to her, busy at the counter. The sleeves of his dark grey shirt were rolled up, revealing his strong, muscular forearms. He was intensely focused on mixing some kind of sauce.

Squinting, Eleanor realized it was a sauce for steamed fish.

Sensing her presence, lan turned his head. His features softened into a smile. "Hungry? The fish just needs another fifteen minutes tops."

"Do you need help?" she asked.

"No, and you shouldn't be touching cold water right now," he reminded her, turning back to his sauce. Finally, he gave it a good stir and poured it over the fish.

Fifteen minutes later, three dishes and a soup were placed on the table. Surprisingly, they looked incredible. There was a steamed sea bass garnished with julienned scallions and drizzled with hot oil that smelled divine, alongside broccoli, braised eggplant, and a seafood tofu soup.

lan set a bowl of rice in front of Eleanor. Instead of sitting down, he leaned his hands against the table, his dark eyes locked onto her. "Try it."

There was a visible hint of nervous anticipation in his gaze.

Eleanor picked up her silverware and tried a piece of the fish. It was perfectly tender and seasoned just right. She nodded. "It's really good."

lan let out a visible breath of relief. "Thank God. I was worried I'd disappoint you."

The other dishes were equally delicious. For someone learning on the spot, the man's practical skills and ability to adapt were downright terrifying.

After lunch, Eleanor took a nap to ensure she had enough energy for the evening banquet.

At three o'clock, lan dropped her off at a high-end boutique before heading out to run an errand. He promised to pick her up around five-thirty.

After selecting her dress and getting her makeup done, Eleanor waited for him in the boutique's VIP lounge.

Outside, a few wealthy socialites and well-known celebrities had gathered. Eleanor kept a low profile, while the actresses were surrounded by their assistants, loudly discussing their upcoming projects.

Suddenly, an assistant recognized Eleanor. She quickly leaned in and whispered to her actress, "The woman sitting by the window behind you is lan Goodwin's ex-wife. She's a massive figure in the scientific community."

The actress immediately turned to look. She couldn't believe that the legendary billionaire's ex-wife was this understated, sitting entirely alone without an entourage.

And sitting quietly by the window, she was breathtakingly beautiful.

She wore a midnight blue velvet gown that was elegant and sophisticated. Her hair was swepte up loosely, highlighting her slender neck and delicate collarbones With flawless, luminous makeup, she carried an aura of quiet, untouchable grace.

She stood in stark contrast to the loud, gossiping socialites nearby.

Λ'

The actress, an A-lister herself, knew perfectly well how many women in the industry tried to sink their claws into a titan like lan Goodwin. Even a fake scandal with him could skyrocket a career, but the man was notoriously untouchable. He was like a ghost in the corporate world, entirely devoid of romantic entanglements-save for a brief rumor with a pianist years ago, he had an immaculate record.

A researcher like Eleanor was

naturally expected to be low-profile, divorce had

had

but when he led her to have a

accidentally

net worth of billions of dollars, she had instantly cemented herself as a

self-made powerhouse.