Chapter 3

When Eleanor woke again, she was in a hospital room. A nurse was adjusting the IV in her hand and looked relieved to see her awake. "Ms. Hayes, you're finally awake. Your injuries are quite serious. You'll need to stay for observation, and we'll also need to contact your family to settle the medical fees." Eleanor stared blankly at the ceiling. "Ms. Hayes?" the nurse called again. "The bill's been paid." The deep, familiar voice at the doorway made her heart seize painfully. Eleanor jerked her head to the side and saw Alexander standing in the doorway, dressed in a black suit. Sensing the tension, the nurse quickly excused herself. Alexander entered the room, scanning her bandaged wounds in silence before reaching out, as if to feel her forehead. Eleanor tilted her head away. "Mr. Grant, you're a busy man. Why bother visiting someone who has nothing to do with you?" He froze for a moment. "If I didn't come, who else would?" he said. The words cut straight through her like the sharpest blade, striking the place she had tried hardest to protect. Who else, indeed? Her mother had died young. Her father favored his new wife, and her stepmother was a hypocrite. That house had never truly been her home. She had learned to hide behind arrogance and rebellion, pretending she needed no one and cared for nothing. For three years, it had been Alexander who appeared whenever she was at her lowest, until she'd grown used to his presence, mistaking it for safety. And now, it was he who had pushed her back into the abyss. Eleanor's heart ached to the point of numbness. "Even if no one else came, it's none of your concern. You're the one who said we were done, remember? Mr. Grant, I'm not pathetic enough to cling to someone who doesn't want me." She took a deep breath, clinging to the last trace of her pride. "You didn't seriously think I meant it when I said I had feelings for you, did you? It was all talk. "You treated me like a fling, and I treated you like a toy. You weren't even that good. Once I'm better, I'll find someone younger and better to keep me entertained." Alexander frowned slightly as he looked at her. She tried to look fierce, but her eyes were red with tears. Just then, a nurse burst in. "Mr. Grant, Ms. Amelia's tests are done. She's been looking for you." Eleanor's reaction was instant, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Go and take care of your perfect little darling. I don't need you here!" Alexander stared at her for a long moment before finally saying, "I'm not here for any other reason. You're Wendy's best friend, and she asked me to look after you." Eleanor finally laughed. It was a broken, shaking laugh that pulled at her wounds, though none of the pain in her body could compare to the one in her chest. "Relax, Alexander," she said, wiping her tear-streaked face. "I'm not that delusional." Alexander felt a faint tremor in his chest. Something seemed to flash through his deep eyes, vanishing so quickly it was impossible to catch. It was the first time Alexander had ever seen Eleanor cry. Even when he'd been rough with her in bed, she had only bitten her lip in defiance, looking at him with reddened eyes but never shedding a tear. He frowned deeper at the sight of her tear-streaked face. His Adam's apple shifted as though he wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing. He turned around and followed the nurse out of the room. As he turned and left the room, Eleanor's strength drained away. She collapsed against the bed, letting silent tears soak through her pillow. She thought she would cry for a long time, but strangely, the tears ran dry quickly. What remained was only a hollow, frozen stillness. The days that followed passed in solitude. She stayed in the hospital alone, tending to herself. The pain of changing her bandages left her drenched in cold sweat, and every meal tasted like ash. From the VIP ward down the hall, she often overheard people marveling at how fortunate Amelia was. They said Alexander was attentive and gentle, feeding her himself, staying overnight to keep her company, and caring for her as if she were something fragile and precious. As she walked past the ward one afternoon, Eleanor glimpsed through the half-open door and saw Alexander sitting by the bed, slicing an apple. Amelia leaned against his shoulder, smiling softly. The sight pierced her like a red-hot nail, burning its way into her eyes until her vision went dark and her chest clenched in unbearable pain. However, she didn't cry. Eleanor's greatest strength had always been knowing when to love and when to let go. From that moment on, she swore she would never shed another tear for Alexander. After being discharged, the first thing she did was apply for a visa. She didn't want to stay in this city for another moment.