"There's nothing I can't say." Ian's gaze darkened slightly. "The reason isn't complicated."

Eleanor shifted her gaze back to him.

Ian leaned forward slightly so they were at eye level. His deep eyes locked onto hers as he spoke, enunciating every word. "It was because of you."

Eleanor froze. Her fingers unconsciously tightened around her teacup. She hadn't expected him to be so blunt about the reason.

But Eleanor couldn't see how she was responsible for it.

lan realized his words had placed pressure and distress on her. He chuckled. "Well, actually, it had nothing to do with you. I was just under a lot of mental stress during that time and didn't get enough rest. I just worried myself gray."

lan took a sip of his tea, his Adam's apple bobbing. "The day you were kidnapped, I was so thankful Mansfield saved you in time. He took a knife for you and kept you safe. You were in tears, begging me to save him. When I carried you into the car and brought you to him, in that moment, I—"

lan's hand on the table unconsciously clenched into a tight fist. It was as if recalling the events of that night still plucked a fragile string in his heart.

He paused for a moment before looking down, his voice raspy and low. "I thought... you were going to become Mrs. Ellington."

Eleanor's breathing hitched slightly.

"That night, when I brought you to him, he was covered in blood, and your eyes were filled with nothing but concern. I actually caught myself wondering... if I had been the one to take that knife for you, would I have gotten that same concern from you?" lan looked up. "Would you have stayed by my side, just like you stayed by his?"

Eleanor had genuinely been so terrified by the sight of Mansfield's injuries that night that her mind had gone completely blank. Her only real memory of that night was Mansfield covered in blood. As a result her mergory of lan's actions was almost nonexistent. All she remembered was him stepping out of his vehicle, carrying her into the car, and shutting the door.

Eleanor's throat felt dry, but she still managed to calmly advise him, "It's best if things like that never happen again. You should really take better care of yourself."

lan was taken aback for a second before letting out a bitter laugh. "So, anyone else is allowed to get hurt for you, but I can't?"

Hearing this somewhat childish, unreasonable logic, Eleanor choked on her words. She frowned and said, "Getting hurt isn't exactly a badge of honor."

lan fell silent for a few seconds. He lowered his head and took a sip of tea, a trace

of self-deprecating amusement in his eyes. "Do you think I sound stupid?"

Eleanor decided it was time to clear the air. She answered honestly, "To tell you the truth, I was absolutely terrified that night. My mind was completely blank Aside from Mansfield's injuries, I didn't notice anything else."

Naturally, she hadn't noticed lan's emotions or reactions either.

"But I am still incredibly grateful that you came to save me that night. If you hadn't arrived in time, with Mansfield already injured... I don't want to know what would have happened." Even thinking back on it now, Eleanor broke out in a cold sweat.

But she never expected that lan's hair had turned white for her that very night.

lan ran his fingers through his thick hair and chuckled softly. "So, Dr. Sutton, it's your responsibility to turn it black again. After all, it went white for you."

Eleanor didn't know how to respond to that, but she still played along. "Alright. I'll ask around for some good remedies for you."

"That's what Dr. Sutton said last time, too. It seems you really don't care about my affairs." A gentle smile spread across lan's eyes. Even though his words sounded like a complaint, his mood was clearly fantastic.