Chapter 10

Back in my room, Gregory showed up within minutes.

I knew exactly what he'd come to talk about—whatever his buddies had been pushing him on.

And sure enough, he sat down and cut straight to the chase. "Nancy doesn't want me sacrificing my happiness to keep her alive. She refuses to accept your heart this way."

"I'm sorry. About the marriage—I'm taking it back. But I'll grant you one wish. Anything. As long as it's not marriage."

It all clicked. Nancy's words that day in the restroom—I'm not going to let that wedding happen. This was her move.

I looked at him, calm as still water. "My wish is—move the surgery up."

Gregory's composure cracked. He stared at me for a long moment before finally finding his voice. "That's your wish? The only thing you want is to have the surgery earlier?"

I nodded, nothing but clarity in my eyes. "Yes. I want you to see Wilson小姐 healthy as soon as possible."

And I'd get to see Grayson healthy too.

Gregory. You get what you want. I get what I want. Everyone wins.

He was completely thrown. He'd pictured a hundred different ways I'd react—tears, begging, throwing out demands he'd have to shut down. Not this.

If I'd sobbed, pleaded, thrown a fit—it would've been easier to handle.

He rubbed his brow, frowning hard. Finally, he said, "Cynthia... why do you love me this much?"

Our eyes met. And through his dark gaze, I saw someone else. The one I'd loved and lost.

I smiled, my voice steady as stone. "I came to this world for you."

It was the truth. He was the whole reason I existed here.

But Gregory heard it as a confession. Something flickered in his eyes. After a pause, he said, "After the transplant, I'll prepare a surprise for you. Consider it my apology."

I smiled softly, then reached for a box by the bed and handed it to him. "Funny you say that. I've got a surprise for you too."

He blinked, confused. He started to open it—but I stopped him.

"Wait. Don't open it until after my surgery."

"Why?"

"Because the surprise only works that day."

Inside the box was a single item—a recording pen.

The one with Nancy and her friends.

This was my gift to him. Repayment for the thirty slaps. Repayment for those three hours in the freezing ocean.

Gregory didn't catch the weight behind my words. Surgery was tomorrow—he didn't want to fight about something this small.

He gripped the box tight and nodded.

---

Surgery day. I was wheeled into the OR in a sterile white gown.

As I moved past him in the hallway, Gregory stood watching. Something in his chest seized—so violently it knocked the color from his face.

Like something important was slipping away. Like he was losing something he couldn't name.

He grabbed the surgeon's arm before he could follow me in, his voice rough. "Are you absolutely sure the artificial heart won't fail?"

The doctor nodded quickly. "Mr. Evans, the technology is well-established. Miss Martinez will be fine."

He finally breathed.

Then he sat down on the bench outside.

Inside the OR, I stared up at the blinding white lights, my heart pounding so loud it filled my ears.

Finally. Finally.

I'd waited so long for this.

Soon—everything would end.

My love would wake up. And everything would go back to the way it was supposed to be.

The noises around me started to blur. Then—darkness.

I don't know how long I was out. But when the transplant was done, the voice I'd been waiting for finally came through—

"Congratulations, Cynthia. Mission complete. Your lover has been resurrected. You will now be removed from this world."

The next second—flatline. The monitor screamed.