The next morning, the rm on the nightstand red, jolting Eleanor awake. The blinding re of the sun forced her to squint, and she raised a hand to shield her


    eyes.


    The feeling of summer drifted in from outside the window. Eleanor nced at the time. Though she was sleep-deprived, she had to get up and finish thest of her program.


    Eleanor rose and walked to the mirror. The woman reflected back had swollen eyes with dark circles, but her gaze was clear, no longer clouded by confusion.


    Eleanor smoothed her hair and changed into a smart suit.


    The past couldn''t be changed, but the future was long. At least now, she had the courage to face it all.


    Eleanor picked up herptop bag. After sorting out her feelings overnight, she decided to face everything head-on.


    There was always a solution to every problem.


    Just as Eleanor opened her door, she sawn leaning against the opposite wall in the hallway. With one hand in his pocket, he asked, "Want to get some breakfast together?"


    Eleanor was nning to grab a bite downstairs before leaving anyway. She nodded. "Okay, let''s go."


    They walked side-by-side to the elevator. The hotel was quiet in the early morning. It was just the two of them in the elevator, and the faint scent ofn''s cologne hung in the air.


    "Did you sleep well?"n broke the silence.


    "I did," Eleanor nodded, adding, "I''ve figured some things out."


    They arrived at the restaurant, a circr space with floor-to-ceiling ss windows, filled with the warm, golden light of the morning.


    After getting their food from the buffet, they sat down at a table by the window.


    Eleanor took a sip of her coffee and looked at him. "Last night, thank you for telling me about my dad."


    Eleanor shook her head. "It doesn''t matter anymore." She looked up atn''s bloodshot eyes. "I don''t me you. Between us, it wasn''t about who was right or wrong."


    Eleanor looked up. "Did you ever read my old chats with Joel?"


    "Did you think I was cheating back then?" Eleanor asked directly.


    Ian thought for a moment before answering honestly, "I suspected it."


    "If you read our conversations, you should have known we mostly talked about medicine," Eleanor said, her gaze dropping.


    Eleanor was taken aback. "Why would you think that?"


    throat tightened. "Eleanor, do you


    know? I could give you the most I


    give


    Eleanor''s eyes widened slightly.


    expression, while I... I could only


    stand on the sidelines and watch


    He added with a bitter smile, it''s stil


    the same even now."


    "So, when you saw those chat logs back then, you just assumed..." Eleanor bit her


    lip.


    "I didn''t think you were cheating,"n interrupted her hastily, struggling to describe


    what he had felt. "I was just..."


    He paused, then let out a rare,


    ene


    self-deprecatingugh. "I was just jealous of a man who could the depths of your soul. I was jealous of the unspoken


    understanding you and Joel shared. That feeling made me believe I could never truly have you. A part of your soul was opening up enthusiastically to another man, and I was- I was powerless."