Rose Murdock's POVAll that time, I had worried endlessly about whether his surgery would succeed. I often hid in some corner of the hallway and cried quietly.Now, knowing he would soon leave me, I found I couldn't cry anymore.After Adrian passed, I fought a lawsuit against his father, who tried to snatch his inheritance. That man only cared about money. With the help of a private investigator and a lawyer, I gathered evidence of his fraud and crimes and finally had him sent to prison.While sorting through Adrian's belongings, I found a photo of him and his sister tucked inside his wallet. Carrying his ashes and that picture, I kept the promise I once made to him—to take him to see the northern lights.Six months later, I returned to the Northern Territory. The day my plane landed, a call came in from Northvale as soon as I turned my phone back on.On the line was a stranger who introduced himself as a therapist."I haven't been able to reach you these past six months. Someon
Rose Murdock's POVTo ensure the donor's heart was in good condition, the transplant had to be performed within twelve hours of the donor's death.Daniel immediately gathered the medical team and rushed Adrian toward the operating room, quickly changing into scrubs himself.As Adrian lay on the bed, being wheeled out of the ward, he reached out and gently clasped the back of my hand. My palms were slick with sweat from nerves, but he smiled and whispered to reassure me."Don't be afraid. Everything will be fine."I watched as he was brought into the operating room.Suddenly, chaos broke out on the donor's side.When I rushed over, I saw the donor's family blocking the medical team, knives in their hands. Grief had driven them past reason."We don't want to give away his heart!"We want our son buried whole. Only then can he be healthy in the next life—he can't be missing even a single part!"The donor and his family had already signed the donation consent forms, but raw, fres
Rose Murdock's POVThe night we set foot in Northvale, unease crept over me after Adrian was admitted to the hospital. Maybe it was the strangeness of being in a foreign land.I lay on the narrow cot beside his bed. For the first time in years, the nightmares returned.Raymond's voice was hysterical while he accused me. In the dream, my parents stood there, covered in blood, looking at me with grief and disappointment.I jolted awake. The room was drowned in silence. The steady beeping of the monitor echoed like a hammer in my chest.Adrian slept beside me, his body frail but resting—he needed every ounce of strength for the surgery ahead.This was the crucial stretch. I should have been watching over him, but the shadow inside me clawed its way up, dragging me toward the edge.I slipped out of the ward.The winter night in Northvale was harsh. I wandered up to the hospital rooftop.One step over the rail—that was all it would take. Then I could see my parents again, beg for f
Raymond's heart clenched. He was nearly crying tears of joy."Daniel, you know where Rose is, don't you? Please tell me—"The voice on the other end cut him off, calm and unyielding. "Raymond, given your behavior these past few days, I won't reveal anything about Rose or Adrian's whereabouts."Raymond panicked. "I swear I won't interfere with the treatment! I just need to know if she's okay. I'm really worried about her. Her heart isn't good. I heard her tell the healer she often struggles to breathe…"Daniel's tone remained steady. "I've reviewed her records. Her heart is perfectly healthy. The shortness of breath comes from years of recurring depression."Raymond snapped instinctively. "That's impossible! She's been fine all these years, hasn't she? How could it be something psychological—"He suddenly stopped talking.Had she really been fine?He thought back over the last seven years—her lifeless eyes and the way she seemed to drift through days as if nothing mattered. She
Raymond got into the driver's seat and slowly drove away from the mountain.An unease gnawed at him. It had been there ever since he and Jenna left Daniel's house, clinging to him like a shadow.He knew Adrian could never get out of bed so soon, and Rose wouldn't leave him. And yet, the weight in his chest pressed heavier and heavier.Jenna lingered at a stall to buy some food. The snow had only just melted, and the wind was still chilly.It was nearly New Year's Eve. The village was alive with festivity. Bright decorations were hung, and villagers moved around in pairs and groups. Laughter and chatter were everywhere.Raymond suddenly remembered—every holiday, he used to return to his grandmother's house with his parents and Rose. They would visit together as a family.But then, his grandmother passed away. Their parents, too, were gone.After that, he and Rose never really celebrated again.So when he saw her now, fussing over some stranger's illness, dragging herself home wi
Rose Murdock's POVI frowned. "What do you mean by that?"Raymond, calm and self-assured, walked toward me at an unhurried pace."You probably don't know this, but Daniel is famous around here for being a dutiful son. His mother's not doing too well right now. I've even been keeping her company the past few days. I told the old lady that holidays are better with family close by. So tell me, do you really think Daniel would abandon his mother during the holidays just to take care of some stranger?"I could hardly believe Raymond would say something so vile. I was furious, and before I knew what I was doing, my hand flew.Smack!Raymond froze, the sneer still etched on his face—suspended there, unfinished. My palm burned with pain. Realizing what I had just done, my mind spun in chaos—regret, relief, I couldn't tell which.I glared at him. "Are you insane? That's a life!"I went back upstairs to tend to Adrian.The blizzard had passed, and the skies were finally clear. Adrian