At noon, she went to the cafeteria all alone and sat by the window. She glanced around and noticed that everyone else was with friends or acquaintances, while she had nothing in front of her. She sighed and suddenly realized that Hugo Quinn was not there, making her feel truly lonely while staying at Grandeur. Gloria Galloway’s voice rang out as she carried a large tray and sat down beside her. The floor Gloria usually worked on was different and she normally wouldn’t come to this floor to eat. "Gloria, what are you doing here?" Gloria gave her a sidelong glance, then secretly leaned her head over. "Let me tell you, the whole company knows about the gossip between you and Hugo. Haven’t you noticed that everyone is scrutinizing you? I was afraid you’d be isolated, so I decided to check on you, and it turns out you really are isolated." Eleanor Hollis felt a trace of warmth in her heart. Gloria put a chicken drumstick into her bowl. "Is this all you’re eating for lunch? Eleanor, don’t tell me you’re on a diet. I really don’t know what you went through during your marriage, but you’ve become so thin." When Gloria returned last time, she noticed that the woman had become almost skeletal, still beautiful but definitely unhealthy. Eleanor’s poor appetite might be related to her five years with the Quinton Family; she had long been desensitized. "Are you used to being here? Is that boss still giving you trouble?" Gloria took a bite out of the other drumstick, looking utterly satisfied. "She doesn’t dare bother me now. Recently I helped the department solve a big problem, humph, I’m a hero." Seeing her triumphant expression, Eleanor couldn’t help but find it funny. She had always known Gloria’s capabilities, and her lips curled a little. "Maybe one day you’ll become an executive here. Hugo is fair and impartial, and he always looks at abilities, not age. You have a good chance." In other companies, being too young makes it difficult to get a foothold at the top. But Grandeur is different; it’s known for respecting the strong, so even the senior executives never let their guard down, learning new skills daily, wary of a young upstart taking their place. They chatted for a while before parting ways. Eleanor returned to the top-floor office and felt an unexpected sense of loneliness. Especially when she sat down, she’d subconsciously glance at the intercom. Previously, the intercom would ring once every half hour or so. When Hugo was around, she worked proactively, probably knowing he was in the building with her, so she feared nothing. Eleanor stared blankly at the pile of documents in front of her, and when her phone rang, her heart skipped a beat as she quickly picked it up to look. However, it wasn’t a call from Hugo, but rather from the Hollis Family. Nicholas Hollis heard her cold tone and a hint of hurt flashed in his eyes. "Eleanor, are you free after work? I’m downstairs at your company." Downstairs at Grandeur? Eleanor furrowed her eyebrows. She didn’t want to get involved with the Hollis Family right now, nor did she want to pathetically yearn for parental love as she did before. "Mr. Hollis, what do you want?" Meaning, if there’s nothing important, there’s no need to meet. "Eleanor, I’m your father. Do we really have to be so estranged?" Nicholas spoke in a low tone, a trace of regret in his eyes. He only wanted to invite her for a meal, and since when did it become so difficult for a father and daughter to have a meal together? Eleanor’s lips tightened then she sighed. "Wait for me after work." After that, she hung up the phone. When work ended, she deliberately dawdled for a while, hoping Nicholas would tire of waiting and leave. However, as soon as she went downstairs, she realized her hopes were dashed; her father was patiently sitting on a nearby bench, looking relaxed and calm, seemingly able to wait for another seven or eight hours. "Eleanor, you’re here." Nicholas saw her, a hint of a smile flashed in his eyes. The receptionists turned their heads to look; there’d been a lot of gossip about Eleanor Hollis in the company lately, with everyone saying she was the president’s current girlfriend. But who was this man? He might look older, but he appeared full of energy, and judging by his attire, he seemed wealthy. Was Eleanor taking advantage of the president’s absence to have an affair with someone else? What a scandal! Follow current novᴇls on 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩⟡𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚⟡𝘯𝘦𝘵 Yet Eleanor was unaware of all this as she followed Nicholas and got into the car. The car eventually stopped in front of a Chinese restaurant. "I’ve already ordered the food, not sure if you’ll like it." Nicholas said this somewhat apologetically, realizing as a father, he didn’t know his daughter at all. Eleanor said nothing, following him inside. The decor was very Chinese, with screens and yellow pear wood tables and chairs immediately catching the eye. Yellow pear wood is expensive, a restaurant choosing such material for chairs likely aimed for a high-end clientele. Eleanor had never been here; she and Hugo hardly ever ate outside. Last time, although they went to see a movie, they still didn’t end up dining out. "Try this, I heard you like it." Nicholas, eager to please, put a piece of braised pork into Eleanor’s bowl. Eleanor’s eyes flickered slightly; he must have done some homework before asking her out. He probably called back to ask Grandma, finally willing to reconnect with the elder? She quietly ate the braised pork, then calmly looked at him. "Mr. Hollis, I don’t like beating around the bush. Did you ask me out to say something?" Nicholas paused with his chopsticks, then set them down. "Eleanor, come back to the Hollis Family. I’ll make up for the love you missed. I know you’re not fond of Hollis Family now but at least give me a chance to change." Nicholas spoke sincerely, looking at her with hopeful eyes. Eleanor’s lips twitched, and she put her chopsticks down as well. "Has your wife agreed to this? Mr. Hollis, have you forgotten that my fate clashes with Mrs. Lynch’s? If I go to the Hollis Family, what if she dies?" Nicholas used to think that she was just a child who didn’t like Rachel Lynch, but now it seems she hates her to the bone. "Eleanor, Stella is your mother. Even if she did do something wrong, can’t you forgive her for giving you life?" Eleanor raised an eyebrow, finding it amusing. What right did the Hollis Family have to ask her to forgive anyone? "Grandma said mom used to be gentle, loved to hold me, and was kind to people, but the current Mrs. Lynch doesn’t match that description. Mr. Hollis, you should find an exorcist to cleanse your wife; I’m afraid she’s possessed by something."