Eleanor sat frozen for a few seconds, too stunned to pull away and confirm what she had just heard.

She reasoned that even if he were genuinely sobbing, it was likely over his grandmother's passing. For days, he had maintained an indestructible facade for the rest of the world, locking away a profound grief that had nowhere else to go.

Regardless, Eleanor's heart fluttered with chaotic uncertainty in that moment.

"Don't do this." She slowly lifted her head. Ian had his eyes closed, but beneath his thick lashes, a clear, wet trail of tears traced down his cheek. The corners of his eyes were still damp.

Cautiously, Eleanor raised a hand, her thumb gently brushing away the moisture near his eye. "I'm so sorry for your loss," she murmured soothingly.

lan opened his deep, dark eyes, a flash of intense resentment burning within them. Clearly, her comforting words had completely missed the mark.

He wrapped his arms around her again, burying his face even tighter into the crook of her neck. His searing, ragged breaths hit her skin in rapid succession, his voice thick and impossibly stubborn. "Stay with me. Don't leave—"

Eleanor let out a soft sigh. "Evelyn was picked up by your sister this morning to stay at your mom's."

Her unspoken implication was clear: she was free to stay and keep him company.

lan hummed softly in approval, seemingly put at ease. With their daughter out of the house, he could monopolize all of her time.

"Eat something and get some sleep." Eleanor knew the absolute best thing for him right now was rest so his fever could break.

lan didn't argue. He took her hand and brought it to his lips, pressing a lingering kiss to her skin. It was as if he desperately wanted to kiss her lips, but held himself back out of fear of getting her sick. Kissing her hand was the only way to satisfy the unbearable craving in his chest.

Pet

Feeling the damp warmth against the back of her hand and seeing the nearly reverent expression on the man's face, Eleanor felt a tremor fun through her heart. A tangle of complex emotions blossomed in her chest.

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Slowly, lan lifted his head. He didn't let go of her hand; instead, he gripped it tighter, holding on as if she were a priceless treasure he had just recovered from the ashes.

"Eleanor," he murmured hoarsely, his emotions stabilizing slightly. "I know we had a lot of problems in the past, but can't you just give me one more chance?"

"Let's just be like a normal couple. We can start over. Get to know each other again, date each other properly. Just give me the chance to show you exactly who I am now."

Eleanor gently pulled her hand free and took a step back. "I might have been too harsh last night, and my timing was awful, but you know what meant." She locked eyes with him if you want to date, I'm sure there's a line of women out the door waiting for you. It doesn't have to be me."

A sharp, agonizing pang ripped through lan's chest. Gripping the armrest of the sofa, he pressed his other hand over his heart and looked up at her, his voice cracking

really dont have a chance anymore, do ?"

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Eleanor saw his hand clutching his chest. His face had grown dangerously flushed, and his breathing was turning shallow and rapid. She knew she couldn't push him any further right now.

"We can talk about this later. Go to bed and rest," she urged him.

lan braced his weight against the sofa to stand. He took two steps before suddenly pinching the bridge of his nose, his towering frame swaying precariously. He was getting dizzy.

Panic flared in Eleanor's chest, and she instinctively rushed forward to support him. "Do we need to go to the hospital?"

lan draped a heavy arm around her shoulders, squeezing his eyes shut. "I'm fine. Just help me to bed."