Chapter 5

The moment the paramedics rushed Lucian into the emergency room, Jonas felt his heart drop into a bottomless pit. Every second seemed to last forever, and he was terrified the night would swallow his best friend whole.

By the time Jonas found him, Lucian had already been buried under a layer of snow, his body stiff as a statue in winter.

Even in that state, Lucian kept whispering Vivian's name over and over. It was a devotion colder than the snow around him, yet somehow burning hotter still. It was etched into every corner of his life, and impossible to erase.

After a harrowing round of emergency treatment, Lucian was pulled back from death's grip, if only barely. He was hanging on like a candle flickering in the wind.

Jonas spared no expense in bringing in the world's top specialists, who offered one sliver of hope. It was an experimental new drug still in development, which was maybe the key to a miracle.

"Lucian, you have to hold on. For yourself, and for everyone who loves you."

Jonas held him tightly, but all he felt in return was his friend's hollow stare and a body that seemed to have lost its soul. It broke his heart.

In the days that followed, the hospital became Lucian's second home. However, the new drug didn't bring the turnaround they'd hoped for. If anything, it made the pain worse, each attack tearing harder at his already fragile life.

Lucian knew that his time was almost up.

That was when Jonas told him the truth. Caleb's "kidney failure" had been an elaborate lie. It was nothing but ordinary nephritis. Everything had been a performance staged to win Vivian's sympathy, all while he schemed to take Lucian's kidney too.

The news stunned Lucian. For the first time, something flickered across his face. However, it was more confusion and exhaustion than anger.

Lucian shook his head weakly. "Jonas, just let it go..."

He didn't have the strength left to get tangled up in that fight anymore. All he wanted now was a little peace in whatever time he had left. As for Vivian, his feelings about her were a tangled mess. He didn't know what she'd think if she ever found out the truth.

One day, Sabrina came to his hospital room, bringing warmth and sunlight with her. She suggested they go out for a walk.

Something stirred in Lucian, and he asked to visit the city's church. There, it felt like he'd stepped back through time, back to a younger, more innocent version of himself. He was finally coming back to fulfill the vow written on the prayer request he'd hung there once.

Standing beneath the wishing tree, Lucian closed his eyes and pressed his palms together, silently making a wish.

'If there is a next life, let me forget everything from this one. Just let me live in peace and free of worry.'

Just as he sank into his own thoughts, a familiar yet strange voice broke the quiet.

"Lucian."

He didn't even need to turn around to know it was Caleb.

Lucian's heart stayed steady. He was about to walk away when a gentle voice that made something in his chest tighten rang out.

"Is your arm alright now?"

It was Vivian. Her soft voice brushed against the softest part of Lucian without even trying. His whole body tensed, and he nearly lost his footing. He caught himself just in time, resting a hand against the cold stone wall, searching for something to hold onto.

Vivian's eyes settled on him. Wrapped in a black wool coat, his face looked thinner behind his sunglasses. He looked pale, almost to the point of transparency, like the last patch of snow clinging to winter. It broke her heart to look at him.

"Are you... not feeling well?" she asked, the concern in her voice unmistakable.

Lucian shook his head. "I'm fine. And about what I promised you, don't worry. Everything's moving forward. You'll have your wish soon."

His voice was calm, but carried a thread of tenderness he couldn't quite hide. There was something deeper hiding behind his words.

As his eyes slid toward Caleb, the corner of his mouth lifted into a knowing smile. "As for my kidney, I hope it makes a fitting gift for you, dear brother."

Caleb's eyes flickered with unease, his grip on Vivian's arm tightening without him realizing it. What did Lucian mean by that? Had he figured something out?

To cover his nerves, Caleb quickly slipped back into his usual sweet tone, saying, "Lucian, Vivian and I came to the church today to pray for our marriage. The wedding's set for next week. You're my only family. You have to come."

Wedding.

The word cut through Lucian's chest like an invisible blade. He'd known it was coming, but hearing it out loud still hurt more than he expected. His hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white with the effort of silently holding every emotion inside.

That was when a warm hand settled over his. Sabrina had appeared beside him without him noticing.

She offered him a hot drink. "Here, have some tea. It'll help."

Her eyes were full of concern for him, and nothing but cold indifference for Vivian and Caleb.

She gently looped her arm through his. "It's getting windy. Let's head back."

Every move she made was careful and protective. Lucian understood exactly what she was doing and gave her a grateful smile. He leaned into her like she was a shelter from the storm.

As they passed Vivian, he spoke softly, his voice carrying a finality that was hard to miss.

"No matter what happens, take care of yourself… Vivian, I hope you're happy... Goodbye."

Vivian watched his figure grow smaller in the distance, an inexplicable ache rising in her chest, like something was pressing against it. Without thinking, she reached out a hand, as if to hold onto something, but she was already too late.

She had no idea that this goodbye would be the last one.