Chapter 1078

Eleanor suddenly grabbed the front of his shirt, her voice urgent and pleading. “Ian, save him! Please, save him! I’m begging you, take him to the hospital p>

“Eleanor, I’m fine,” Mansfield said, trying to reassure her. He could see how terrified

she was.

lan turned to his men and gave a sharp command. “First aid kit p>

A bodyguard was at his side in an instant with a medical kit, starting emergency treatment. Mansfield remained compliant during the bandaging. All focus was on stopping the blood flow.

lan’s gaze fell on Eleanor’s face, then swept over her body, silently checking for injuries. Finally, he asked in a hoarse voice, “Are you hurt p>

Eleanor shook her head, her eyes fixed on Mansfield, her expression a clear reflection of her worry and heartache.

Mansfield’s gaze was also on Eleanor. Their eyes met and held.

“Your wound-” Eleanor began softly, her voice trembling.

“It’s just a flesh wound,” Mansfield said with a slight smile, his eyes meeting lan’s in the air above her.

In that moment, an unspoken understanding seemed to pass between the two men. Some battles, once lost, are lost for good.

“Lanny, take Major General Ellington and Miss Sutton to the nearest hospital,” lan ordered as soon as Mansfield was bandaged.

Eleanor tried to stand, but she wobbled. Ian immediately reached out to steady her. He noticed she had twisted her leg. “I’ll get you to the car,” he said in a low voice.

The next second, he swept her up into his arms. Mansfield turned to look, and their eyes met again. It was as if, on the matter of protecting Eleanor, they had reached a silent agreement.

Eleanor was placed in Lanny’s car, and Mansfield got in from the other side.

The moment the door shut, lan felt as if a piece of his heart had been brutally torn out. He stood frozen, watching the car carrying Eleanor and Mansfield drive away until its taillights completely vanished into the night.

He slowly turned around, the night wind messing up his hair. The last trace of warmth in his eyes had faded, leaving only a terrifying crimson hue, with the glint of what might have been a tear.

“Bring him here,” he said, his voice as cold as ice.

The kidnapper leader was dragged roughly before him. Before the man could even beg for mercy, lan’s foot slammed into his chest. The crisp sound of breaking ribs was unnervingly clear in the silent night.

“Who sent you?” lan knelt, yanking the man’s hair to force his head up.

“Mercy—we were fools, we were wrong, Mr. Goodwin, please let us go—” the leader begged, spitting up blood.

A fierce glint flashed in lan’s eyes, and his fist crashed into the man’s face again and again. He didn’t stop until the kidnapper was unconscious at his feet. Only then did he

she

straighten up, panting heavilyas hë

leaned on his knees.

Under the moonlight, this man, usually so composed and refined, appeared

disheveled and lost for the first time.

No one knew what he had lost tonight.

A bodyguard silently offered him a handkerchief. lan took it, wiped his hands clean, and walked toward his cấp Have the police handle this. want these men to rot in prison p>

As he settled into the car, his bodyguards quickly followed. He

rubbed his brow, his ming

efr

the look in Eleanor’s eyes as she gazed at Mansfield-it was something he once had but had personally thrown away.

It was love.

On the way to the hospital, lan received a text from Eleanor.

“I’m staying at the hospital to look after him tonight. Could you please watch Evelyn for me? I’m sorry to ask p>

Eleanor was pleading with him for another man.

lan stared at the message for a long time before finally replying, “Just focus on taking care of him p>

He knew that if Mansfield hadn’t arrived first, Eleanor would have suffered a horrific fate. Mansfield deserved her care.

lan tossed his phone aside, his brow furrowed in a pained expression, as if a headache was attacking him.

The streetlights whizzed past, casting flickering shadows across his face.

At Eleanor’s home, Evelyn was eagerly awaiting her mother’s return, but it was her father who arrived. “Daddy, where’s Mommy?” she asked curiously.

“Mommy has something very important to do tonight, so Daddy will stay with you,” lan said, ruffling his daughter’s hair and giving her a kiss.

Evelyn nodded. Joslyn came out and said, “Mr. Goodwin, I’ve made dinner. Why don’t you eat with Evelyn p>