Mansfield watched as Principal Maxwell and his father fell silent. The others in the room averted their gazes. His heart sank. He had guessed correctly.


    A sharp pang of concern and urgency shot through him. He struggled to sit up. "Where is she? I need to see her."


    "Mansfield, don''t get agitated. You just woke up. You''re still very weak," Garth said, rushing forward to hold him down.


    "Mansfield, lie down," Principal Maxwell urged.


    "Dad, just let me see her. Just for a moment," Mansfield''s voice was hoarse but unyieldingly firm. His newly opened eyes were filled with pleading.


    Principal Maxwell and Garth exchanged a look. They both knew Mansfield''s stubborn nature. Finally, Principal Maxwell sighed. "Alright. But you can only look from the outside. Eleanor needs absolute quiet."


    A nurse brought a wheelchair, and they carefully moved him into it. Principal Maxwell himself pushed him out of the room. Mansfield covered his mouth and let out a light cough; his body was indeed still very weak.


    They went down the quiet corridor to a room with arge ss observation window. Through it, Mansfield could see inside.


    Under the soft light, Eleanory quietly in the hospital bed, an IV drip in the back of her hand. Beside the bed,n sat with his back to the window. He was holding Eleanor''s other hand, pressing it to his forehead.


    The sight made Principal Maxwell tense up, and he nervously nced at Mansfield, afraid he might have a strong reaction.


    Mansfield looked at the sleeping Eleanor and also noticed the exhaustion and worry etched onn''s face.


    Inside the room,n''s attention waspletely focused on Eleanor, oblivious to the eyes watching from outside.


    Mansfield''s face, thin and somewhat gaunt, appeared remarkably calm in the light. There was no jealousy, only aplex understanding.


    Though he didn''t know the details of how Eleanor had woken him, he knew thatn had provided all the funding for her research.


    Now, looking at the scene through the ss, he suddenly understood that some bonds couldn''t be severed by a piece of paper.


    That man was still deeply in love with her.


    Mansfield watched quietly for a moment longer, then gently raised a hand, signaling for Principal Maxwell to wheel him away.


    He didn''t want to disturb them.


    On the way back to his room, he leaned back in the wheelchair and slowly closed his eyes. A mix of emotions churned within him-he felt a gang of heartache for all Eleanor had done, but there was also a sense of resigned finality.


    In truth, the moment he had decided to go on that rescue mission, he had already made his choice.


    He loved Eleanor. His feelings were genuine and profound. But because he loved her, he was keenly aware that the path he had chosen was fraught with danger and long separations.


    He couldn''t give her a stable, secure future. He couldn''t be by her side like a normal


    partner, and he certainly couldn''t guarantee he woulde back alive every time.


    He couldn''t be so selfish as to bind


    her to a rtionship filled with waiting and worry. She deserved


    someone who could give her Stability and happiness, someone who could protect her at all times.


    And that person was clearly not him.


    Seeingn by Eleanor''s bedside, though it caused a slight ache in his chest, made him hope for a more stable future for her.


    He was helped back into his bed by a nurse. Everyone else left, leaving only Garth and Dr. MacLeod with him.