Chapter 3

Less than five minutes later, every monitor connected to me began emitting a piercing beep. With that, Emily let out a laugh, pulled on her mask, and walked out of the hospital room.

Doctors and nurses immediately rushed inside, and the room descended into chaos.

“This is bad! The patient’s blood-clotting ability is deteriorating. At this rate, she'll die from infection! We have to get her back to Nueva York immediately. They have medication there that takes effect quickly!”

"But it’s almost midnight! There aren’t any flights to Nueva York right now!"

Everyone panicked.

Then suddenly, someone shouted, “Call the Don! Didn’t Don Vaughn deploy his private jet a few hours ago? Have him take the Donna back to Merica first! Hurry! Call him!”

I was so weak that I couldn’t even speak, but my eyes held a faint spark of hope.

That was right. I didn’t want to die; I wanted to live.

However, no matter how many times they tried, Lucien wouldn’t answer his phone. That was when the young nurse, who stayed by my side, suggested they stop calling and take me directly to the airport with the medical equipment attached.

Sweat covered their foreheads as they rushed me through the corridors, desperately racing against time in hopes of catching Lucien’s private jet. When we arrived at the airport, we found Lucien and Emily just moments away from departure. The nurse immediately ran forward and grabbed Lucien’s arm.

She shouted in a panic, “Don Vaughn! Hurry! You need to take the Donna back to Nueva York! Her condition is critical! If she doesn’t get back soon, she’ll die!”

“How could she be dying? Where are the specialists?”

“The doctor and the rest are all urgently coordinating with the treatment team in Nueva York! Don Vaughn, Olivia is really in danger! If you don’t believe me, I’ll put you through to the doctor right now!”

The nurse pulled out her phone, but the line to the doctor’s number was busy.

Meanwhile, Emily feigned a timid act and said softly, “Lucien, Olivia is probably jealous. That’s why she got her nurse to lie for her. The private jet only has room for two people. You should take her back to Nueva York. I'll be fine on my own.”

“No.” The originally hesitant Lucien immediately frowned. “I confirmed that Olivia was out of danger before I left. How could her condition suddenly worsen in only two hours? Don’t try to fool me. She was probably sedated, and you brought her here to find me, didn’t you?”

“No, Don Vaughn! The Donna came down with sepsis suddenly. She’s really in danger! You–”

“That’s enough.” Lucien interrupted the nurse, who was so distraught she had burst into tears. He frowned at me and said coldly, “Olivia, I know you're upset because I'm escorting Emily, but please try to understand. I'll come back and stay with you as soon as I've delivered her safely. Don’t be jealous.”

However, I wasn’t jealous. I was really dying.

I lay on the stretcher, unable to speak through the agony. I could feel my life slipping away little by little. My consciousness had also slowly faded, yet Lucien assumed it was simply the sedatives taking effect.

Gently, he pulled aside my oxygen mask and brushed a hand across the rotting wounds on my face.

He whispered, “Wait for me. It'll only be a few hours. When I get back, I'll take you to see the most famous sunset in the region.”

I didn’t want to see a sunset or wait for him; I just wanted to live. Unfortunately, it was too late. I could only watch helplessly as Lucien boarded the private jet with Emily.

Beside me, I heard the nurse break down in tears. “What do we do, Donna? Let’s go back and see the doctor! Maybe he can convince the Don! Or maybe we can find another private jet…”

Looking at this stranger who cared so much about me, I managed a weak smile. With all the strength I had left, I raised my hand and gave her a small wave, letting her know it was okay. Whether it was my life or Lucien Vaughn, it was all over.

As the nurse sobbed beside me, I drew my final breath and closed my eyes.

At that exact moment, aboard a private jet already hundreds of miles away, a shrill warning sound suddenly rang in Lucien’s ear.

[Warning! Warning! The novel’s female protagonist has died. World collapse is imminent.]

Lucien’s eyes widened in shock.