The embrace was so sudden that Eleanor didn''t have time to react, but in that moment, she didn''t resist.


    His chin rested gently on the top of her head, his arms strong and secure around her, as if he had been longing to hold her like this for a very, very long time.


    "Ellie-" His voice came from above her, filled with pain, regret, and a plea that was almost desperate. "Please, give me one more chance. A final one."


    Eleanor closed her eyes but didn''t answer. She had made peace with the past, but she had no intention of re-entering a marriage.


    At the very least, a person who had been hurt and had fallen once would always be more cautious.


    Marriage sometimes felt like shackles, and for now, Eleanor had no desire to be bound again.


    Though she now understoodn''s past and saw his remorse and his efforts to change, the wound in her heart hadn''t fully healed.


    She could let him get closer, and she didn''t mind his embrace, but that didn''t mean she was ready to entrust her entire life and emotions to him again.


    Perhaps, she thought, she didn''t need any of that for the rest of her life.


    Feeling the prolonged silence from the woman in his arms,n slowly loosened his embrace. A wave of panic washed over him, but he forced himself to remain calm.


    He knew that pushing too hard would only be counterproductive.


    All he could do now was respect her pace and prove himself with time and action, not with words and pressure.


    "I''m sorry,"n said, his voiceced with understanding and restraint. "I know now isn''t the time to talk about this. Don''t worry about it. Let''s keep walking. There''s still a lot I haven''t told you."


    Eleanor nodded and continued walking with him.


    "Vanessa''s behavior was extreme. When she asked me to sign that additional use, I refused. She called me in the middle of the night and jumped into the river right in front of me. I was terrified. Her life, at that point, was my mother''s life."


    Eleanor''s heart jolted again. Just how many times had Vanessa used such threats against him?


    And given his position at the time, there was only one thing he could do:promise, agree, and cate her with material things.


    "I jumped in and pulled her out, then called an ambnce. She contracted pneumonia from it and ended up in the ICU. She almost died. Later, when my mother''s gic condition was confirmed, I couldn''t take any more chances."


    Eleanor thought about how he had taken their daughter abroad before. He must have been getting her screened.


    "I saw her true nature then, but my hands werepletely tied. She was holding three lives hostage, which left me in a bind. I knew that if I mishandled it in the slightest, she would do something even more drastic."


    Eleanor''s chest ached with a dull pain. She could understand the impossible situation he had been in.


    "That night, I saw Xavier with you-he seemed very attentive to you."n turned to look at Eleanor, deciding not to avoid the topic any longer.


    Eleanor blinked but didn''t say anything.


    Eleanor was taken aback. She remembered that day. Xavier Vaughn''s car had pulled up beside her and given her a ride home.


    "My car was right behind Xavier''s. I watched you get in—"


    "So, after the drowning incident, when Xavier saved me, you were sulking with jealousy?" Eleanor asked him. "You didn''t say a single word to me? Not even one word of concern?"


    "I''m sorry. I was aplete bastard


    that day."n''s voice was low and filled with self-loathing. "It wasn''t that I didn''t care about you-I was scared I let my emotions get the best of me. I was jealous of you and Xavier, and I was terrified you would confront me and ask why I d?ng save you first. I was hiding my mother''s illness from everyone, and I


    knew I had to hide it from you, too. I


    chose the most foolish way to


    handle it."


    Eleanor remembered his silence that night. In her state of mind back then, she had interpreted it as pure indifference.


    "After you left, drove out after you, but I saw that Xavier had beaten me to it. He was already there to pick you up.n looked up, confessing honestly, "I felt so jealous. I was the one who deserved to be damned, but that night, I was just so jealous. The next day, I heard you were sick. I wanted to take care of you, but you refused me I thought you I didn''t. didn''t need me anymore, that you had Joel Kingsley and Xavier, and that I was the only one you didn''t want."


    Eleanor''s heart tightened. He had stormed out that day, but he had still called Joslyn


    toe home and look after her.


    "Then you suddenly brought up


    ve


    divorce. My mind went nk for a long time thought about it a lot. gave you eightpanies because I didn''t want to sever our tiespletely. I put the five-year remarriage use in there to give myself a chance."n admitted it all with a hint of helplessness." thought if I just had time, if I could find a cure for my mother and you


    could cool down, we''d have a chance to start over." His voice


    became distant. "But I never


    expected you to leave so decisively. You turned around and reached the


    pinnacle of the medical world, shining brighter and brighter, surrounded by more and more outstanding people. It became harder and harder for me to get close to you. All I could do was throw money at your research to make you see me."