27

Elena's POV

I had barely slept, my thoughts tangled in an endless web of dread, relief, and… something else I couldn’t name. As I walked down the sterile hospital corridors, Jason’s hand was a firm, comforting weight on my back. I knew Aurora’s plans had finally crumbled, that she was being taken away in handcuffs. Justice, at last. It should have felt like a victory, yet the hollow ache in my chest grew with each step. There was no joy here—only a lingering sadness and the faintest trace of regret.

I could still feel Lucas’s pain, his every grimace, every stifled sigh of discomfort as if they were my own. I had known him long enough to know how much he must be hurting, even if he’d never admit it.

The door to his hospital room was slightly ajar, and I peeked inside. Lucas sat in his wheelchair, his face a mask of stoic resolve. His jaw was set, eyes fixed on some distant point outside the window, lost in his thoughts. Jason’s hand tightened around mine as if sensing my hesitation. He gave me a reassuring nod, his eyes filled with quiet understanding, and led me inside.

Jason greeted him first. “Lucas,” he said, his voice soft, respectful. I could feel the subtle tension between them, the quiet acknowledgment of all that had transpired. Lucas finally looked at us, his eyes dark, unreadable. He nodded in acknowledgment, then took a deep, steadying breath.

"I want to be alone… if you two don't mind," Lucas said, his voice even, yet tinged with a raw vulnerability that caught me off guard. “And I guess… this is the last time we’re going to see each other again.”

The words hit me like a slap. I blinked, the sting of his resolve pressing down on me. “What do you mean by that, Lucas?” I asked, stepping forward, my voice trembling despite my efforts to keep it steady. “You’re in this condition because of me, and it’s my duty to see you through it. To check on you, often.”

He shook his head, a weary smile ghosting across his lips. “No, Elena. I’ve been pestering you enough these past weeks. It isn’t right. You don’t owe me anything,” he said, his voice softening. There was something so final in his tone, something that twisted painfully in my chest. “You deserve something better.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but Jason’s hand was there, gentle but insistent on my shoulder. “He’s right, Elena. I’ll take care of you from now on,” he murmured, pulling me closer into his side. “You don’t need to carry this weight anymore.”

But I couldn’t tear my gaze from Lucas. His face was pale, his lips pressed tightly together. I saw something shift in his eyes—pain, perhaps regret, though he tried to hide it behind a mask of indifference. "Lucas, I’m not walking away. You saved my life; you lost your legs because of me," I said, the words coming out more forcefully than I intended. His sacrifice… it was something I couldn’t just walk away from.

Lucas’s eyes darkened, a mix of sorrow and understanding. “Think of it as a price for my redemption,” he said softly. “For how I treated you during our marriage.” His words were measured, carefully controlled, yet there was a hint of sadness in his eyes, an unspoken apology I could feel more than hear.

Jason shifted, pulling me even closer, his voice laced with determination. “Elena is my fiancée, Lucas. Trust me, I’ll take care of her,” he declared. He turned back to Lucas, his expression sincere, almost pitying. “And don’t worry about yourself. I’ll get you the best medical experts for your legs. And if your business ever has trouble, reach out. You can count on me.”

Lucas gave a reluctant nod, turning his wheelchair to face the window, his shoulders sagging slightly. The resignation in his posture was painful to watch, a silent admission of defeat that left an ache in my heart. Jason took my hand, guiding me gently out of the room. We walked in silence down the corridor, but my mind was reeling, my heart a whirlwind of emotions I couldn’t control.

Halfway down the hallway, I stopped, pulling my hand from Jason’s grasp. “Jason, I have something to tell you,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I felt his gaze on me, warm and steady, filled with the patient kindness that I’d come to appreciate so much.

His eyebrows knit together, a hint of concern flickering in his eyes. “What is it? You can ask me anything,” he replied, his tone soft, reassuring. He reached out, gently touching my shoulder, his expression open, expectant.

I swallowed hard, my throat tight with the words I didn’t want to say. But they forced their way out anyway, raw and unfiltered. “I… I can’t marry you, Jason,” I confessed, my voice trembling. “I still… I still love Lucas.”

The words hung between us, a bombshell dropped in the quiet stillness of the corridor. Jason’s eyes widened, shock flashing across his face. I could feel his hand tense on my shoulder, his grip loosening as he took a step back. “What?” he breathed, his voice laced with hurt and disbelief.

“I… I know you wanted a future with me, and I appreciate all you’ve done, but my heart… it’s still with him,” I said, my voice cracking as tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. I could see the hurt in his gaze, the way his jaw clenched, the flicker of betrayal that shadowed his features.

Jason closed his eyes, exhaling sharply, his face a mixture of frustration and sorrow. “Elena,” he began, his voice strained, struggling to keep his composure. “You don’t need to do this. I love you. We can take care of him, together… you don’t have to choose.”

Just then, I heard a faint hum from behind us. I turned, finding Lucas watching us from his wheelchair, his expression blank, unreadable. His voice was soft, almost resigned. “Elena, don’t stay with me out of guilt. You deserve happiness. A man who can give you a real future.”

I shook my head, a tear slipping down my cheek as I locked eyes with him. “Lucas… you *are* a good man,” I said, my voice barely more than a whisper. “And I’m not doing this out of guilt.”

Jason reached for me, desperation in his eyes. “But what about me?” he asked, his voice breaking. I could see the pain etched on his face, the way he struggled to hold back the raw hurt that must have been burning inside him. “I love you, Elena. I thought… I thought I was enough.”

I closed my eyes, the weight of his pain pressing down on me. “I’m sorry, Jason,” I whispered, my heart breaking for him even as I spoke the words. “But there’s only room in my heart for one. And that’s Lucas.” My lips curved into a sad, trembling smile as I met his gaze. “I’m truly sorry.”

Jason’s face fell, his expression twisting with a bitter mix of sorrow and acceptance. His hand dropped to his side, and he nodded slowly, his gaze distant. “I… I see,” he murmured, his voice hollow, defeated. He looked over at Lucas, his lips thinning into a resigned line. “You won,” he said simply, his tone laced with bitterness.

He turned and walked away, shoulders slumping as he walked away. I watched him go, a pang of guilt stabbing through me, but there was a finality to it that I couldn’t ignore. When he disappeared around the corner, I turned back to Lucas, who watched me with a mixture of surprise and sadness.

We held each other’s gaze, a silent understanding passing between us. I felt a smile tug at my lips, soft, hesitant, and he mirrored it, his eyes warming with a spark of hope. The tension of the last few weeks faded, replaced by something gentle, fragile, yet infinitely precious.

For the first time, standing in that empty hospital hallway, I felt the weight lift from my heart. And I knew, finally, that this was where I belonged.

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