"Okay."n took his daughter''s hand and led her to the dining table.


    Just then, his phone buzzed with a message. "Mr. Goodwin, Miss Sutton has some superficial injuries and a sprained ankle. Major General Ellington has a prating wound to the shoulder and will need to be hospitalized for observation."


    In the hospital room, Eleanor sat by the bedside, looking at the thick bandages on Mansfield''s shoulder. Tears welled up in her eyes again. "This is all my fault. If it weren''t for saving me, you wouldn''t be so badly hurt."


    Mansfield raised his uninjured hand to wipe away her tears, his smile meant to beforting. "This is nothing. I''ve had much worse injuries in the military."


    Mansfield tried to lighten the mood. "Besides, getting to y the hero for a beautiful woman was worth the price."


    His joke worked. Eleanor shot him a re. "How can you be making jokes at a time like this "


    Seeing her smile, Mansfield''s expression turned serious. "Eleanor, protecting you is something I do willingly. Seeing you safe is more important than anything else."


    "But—" Eleanor was still terrified by what had happened.


    "No buts." Mansfield took her hand. "You have no idea how d I am that I made it in time."


    Otherwise, he would never have forgiven himself.


    Eleanor sighed and looked at his wound. "Does it hurt? Do you want some painkillers so you can sleep better tonight?"


    "It really doesn''t hurt, don''t worry." After he spoke, Mansfield gently touched her cheek. "Does your face still hurt?"


    Eleanor had put ice on it earlier, and the pain had subsided. She shook her head. "Not anymore."


    "You should get some rest on the other bed," Mansfield told her. Eleanor shook her head again. "I''ll stay with you."


    He tried to persuade her a few more times, but when he saw she wouldn''t budge, he let her be. He had lost a lot of blood, and soon, he drifted off to sleep.


    In that moment, the hospital room was quiet and serene.


    The next morning, Evelyn opened her eyes in her father''srge bed. She didn''t see


    him and let out an indignant huff. Daddy didn''t even stay with her.


    Evelyn got out of bed and went to the living room, where she saw her father sleeping on the sofa with his eyes closed.


    "Daddy, your hair-" Evelyn gasped, covering her mouth in disbelief.


    "Daddy, are you sick?" Evelyn''s voice trembled as she threw her arms around him, her tone on the verge of tears.


    When he stood in front of the bathroom mirror,n himself froze for a few seconds. His hair, which had only been streaked with gray, had turnedpletely silver white overnight content


    He forced a smile for his daughter. "It''s nothing, Daddy''s just... very tired."


    Evelyn''s lower lip quivered, and then she burst into tears. Ian held her tight, knowing he had scared her.


    "Shh, don''t cry, Evelyn. Didn''t you say Daddy is handsome no matter what?"


    Evelyn nodded in his embrace. After crying for a moment, she looked up at her father, and then, surprisingly, giggled. "My daddy is handsome no matter what."


    Asn took his daughter upstairs to get ready, Joslyn saw him and gasped, pointing at his hair. "Mr. Goodwin, your hair—"


    "It''s fine. Please help her get dressed and pack her school bag. I''ll take her to school,"n said calmly.


    Joslyn took Evelyn''s hand, her heart aching for him. What could have happened to Mr. Goodwin to make his hair turn white overnight?


    Downstairs, Lanny was waiting forn and his daughter. The moment he saw his boss, he was visibly stunned, but he quickly regained his professionalposure. "Mr. Goodwin all the kidnappers have been taken into custody and are awaiting interrogation."


    "Because my daddy works too hard. He got tired and his hair turned white," Evelyn exined, not seeming to mind it at all.