Eleanor stiffened, watching this man who usually stood so tall and seemed capable of anything. Right now, he looked as vulnerable as a child.

Her heart ached for him. Although she was grieving too, the cycle of life and death was the one thing no one could control. All she could do was offer him a shoulder to lean on.

Feeling the damp warmth of his tears soaking through the fabric on her shoulder, Eleanor reached out, gently rubbing his back to comfort him.

"My grandmother is slipping away," he whispered, his voice laced with devastating

sorrow.

The suffocating weight of his grief washed over her, and silent tears tracked down her own cheeks.

The door opened, and Gina stepped out, her eyes red. "Come in, both of you."

They followed her into the hospital room, where Serena's heart-wrenching sobs filled the air.

Magdalen lay peacefully on the bed, looking as though she were simply asleep, save for the absolute stillness of her chest.

Eleanor's mind went blank. Tears spilled freely from her eyes as she watched Gina lead lan and Serena to the bedside, collapsing by the mattress in despair while the doctors hurried in to make their final assessments.

Eleanor slowly sank to the floor beside lan, her tears hitting the ground. She remembered how Magdalen had taken a grueling long-haul flight just to help care for her postpartum. Remembering the older woman's warm smile and gentle voice, a huge lump formed in Eleanor's throat. In her heart, Magdalen had been like her own grandmother.

lan stayed by the bed, gently smoothing Magdalen's hair before pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. Standing up, he helped his mother and sister to their feet. When he reached Eleanor, he wrapped his arms around her for a brief, tight hug, helping her up as well.

"She went peacefully, without any pain," Gina choked out. "Let her rest."

Gina leaned on her son's shoulder, weeping uncontrollably. Serena threw her arms around Eleanor, è crying her heart out. Serena thought of all the times she had been willful and spotted brushing off her grandmother's advice as nagging. Now, she would give anything to hear another lecture, but the chance was gone forever. The realization only made her cry harder.

Eleanor let her own tears fall in silence.

lan stepped up to handle the arrangements, discussing the funeral details with his mother. When he finally walked back over to Eleanor, the exhaustion and sorrow in his eyes were profound.

"I'll have Gavin take you home. Please look after Evelyn for the next couple of days. I need to take care of Grandmother's arrangements."

Eleanor nodded, her eyes rimmed with red. "I'll take good care of her. Don't worry."

Gavin approached softly. "Miss Sutton, right this way."

Eleanor followed Gavin out. By the elevators, she glanced back down the corridor: lan was speaking with the doctors, his head bowed slightly, but his back was as straight as ever. He handled everything with methodical precision, looking like man who could never be broken.

But Eleanor knew the shattered, desperately guarded heart beating beneath that

resilient exterior.

She looked away and stepped into the elevator.

On the ride back, Eleanor stared

silently at the city streets passing by

the window: Magdalen was gone.

The sweet woman who always

smiled se warmly, who always called her Ellie, who had supported her unconditionally-she was truly góne.

A piece of Eleanor's heart felt completely empty.