Mag-log inThe moment Mike saw Dr. Zeller and his father fall silent, and noticed the way the people around him suddenly started avoiding his eyes, his heart sank.He had guessed right.A sharp rush of worry and heartache hit him all at once. He struggled to push himself up. “Where is she? I want to see her.”“Mike, don’t get worked up. You just woke up, and you’re still very weak,” Justin said, hurrying forward to press him gently back.Dr. Zeller called from the side, “Mike, lie back down.”“Dad, let me see her. Just once.” Mike’s voice was hoarse, but the insistence in it was unmistakable. Those eyes, barely open again after months, were already full of pleading.Dr. Zeller and Justin exchanged a look. They both knew him too well. Once Mike set his mind on something, there was no talking him out of it.In the end, Dr. Zeller let out a quiet sigh. “All right. But you can only look from outside. Miranda needs complete rest right now.”A nurse brought over a wheelchair, and they carefully
By the time Raymond carried Miranda to the doorway, Felix was already there to take her from his arms.“Raymond, I’ll take it from here,” Felix said.“Mr. Gibson, Miranda’s exhausted. Please get her somewhere she can rest as soon as possible,” Raymond said.Felix could feel how frighteningly light she was in his arms. Her face was as pale as paper. Her forehead was damp with sweat, but she had already lost consciousness.Justin hurried over, his face full of worry. “Felix, get her somewhere to rest.”Felix nodded and, without wasting another second, carried her toward a vacant patient room on the same floor. His jaw was tight, and a flicker of panic flashed through his eyes.“Doctor. Quickly. Check her.”A doctor came over at once, began examining Miranda, and hooked her up to monitors to check her heart function and blood pressure.“For now, it looks like Dr. Stone collapsed from sheer physical exhaustion,” the doctor said. “We’ll start an IV right away and let her rest quietl
During those three days, he hadn’t gone out of his way to see her. He had only caught sight of her a few times in the lab hallway. And now, looking at her standing beside that massive piece of equipment, her frame looked thinner than ever, her face pale, while only her eyes remained as focused and steady as before.Something darkened in Felix’s gaze, but he said nothing.Dr. Zeller came over then. After speaking briefly with Justin and shaking his hand, he gave a few final instructions and sent Miranda’s team inside.Felix walked with Justin to the observation area behind the glass, where they would watch the procedure that might decide life or death.Inside the operating room, Miranda and Raymond completed the final checks. When Mike’s hospital bed was wheeled in, Miranda forced herself not to look at him too closely. If she focused on how gaunt he had become, she knew she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from crying. And right now, what she needed most was to stay calm.The ligh
“I’m fine. I’m already feeling a lot better,” Miranda said.“You just got over a fever. This isn’t something you can brush off.” Felix’s tone left no room for argument. “I’m sending Gavin over with the medicine right now.”“There’s really no need to go to all that trouble—” Miranda started to refuse again. Her head was already full of nothing but the work ahead.“Miranda.” Felix’s voice dropped, edged with frustration. “Do you want to collapse before Mike’s surgery? If you want to save him, then start by taking care of yourself.”Miranda froze.The words snapped her fully back to herself. In the end, she gave in. “All right. Thank you.”It struck her, not for the first time, that “thank you” seemed to be the only thing she ever said to him anymore.“Go do what you need to do,” Felix said, and hung up first.Miranda stood there with the phone in her hand for a second, but she didn’t let herself think about anything else. Then she turned and went back into the lab.For the next
Miranda and Raymond headed to the parking lot. Raymond had come by taxi, so he got into Miranda’s car and went with her to the lab.By the time they arrived, the chip had already been delivered. Miranda and Raymond immediately began working, moving with tight, controlled focus. After the first tense run, the chip performed perfectly, delivering the processing power the brain-computer system required.Miranda braced both hands against the edge of the table. Her face looked calm, but her heart was already pounding.Just then, her phone rang.She glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was Dr. Zimmer, Mike’s attending physician. A sudden sense of dread closed around her heart.She immediately stepped out into the hallway and answered, her voice tightening without her meaning it to. “Dr. Zimmer.”“Dr. Stone, just now, Mr. Lloyd’s vitals started fluctuating sharply. There are signs of cardiopulmonary failure. We’re trying to stabilize him, but the situation is not looking good.”Mir
Miranda went over from home and met up with Raymond there.As soon as they arrived, one of Ben’s assistants came over to greet them. “Dr. Stone, it’s been a while.”“Good to see you again, Colin,” Miranda said.“The chip has already been sent up to the testing floor,” he told her. “Come with me. We’ll go up and watch the test.” Then he added, “Mr. Gibson will be here shortly as well.”Miranda nodded and followed him upstairs.By the time they reached the top floor, the researchers in white lab coats were already preparing for the test around a massive circular platform. Miranda’s eyes went straight to the precision shockproof case at the center, the one that would soon be opened.Just then, the automatic doors to the testing area slid open without a sound.A tall, cool figure stepped inside, surrounded by several senior executives from DE Corporation.Felix had arrived.The moment he entered, the project lead stepped forward to report. “Mr. Gibson, the Helios chip has arrived
Miranda scrolled through the research report on her phone, completely absorbed.At nine forty-five, Felix’s assistant approached from the elevator.“Ms. Stone, Mr. Gibson is waiting for you in the conference room.”Miranda looked up in surprise. It seemed the front desk had already notified the e
“Wow! Mommy, look at the fireworks over there!”Miranda smiled, cheek to cheek with Mia. “They’re beautiful.”By ten that night, Mia was fast asleep. Miranda slipped into a soft robe and sat on the couch with a medical journal in hand.Her phone buzzed.“Is Mia asleep?” The message was from Feli
After hanging up the phone, Mike smiled and said, “My grandma’s been looking forward to seeing you. She probably prepared a few of your favorite dishes to welcome you.”They drove into a quiet residential area lined with elegant houses. When they reached a two-story home with a small garden, Mike l
“Let Dr. Liam know we’ll have a meeting this afternoon,” Miranda said evenly. “And ask her to have Felix come as well.”Adrian nodded and left the lab. Miranda leaned against the workstation, her expression tense. Her thoughts drifted to the woman at the hospital waiting for the new drug, the despe







