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Semua Bab After I Died, He Truly Panicked: Bab 21 - Bab 30

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Chapter 21: Life and Death

Regina’s POVMachines surrounded Mia’s bed. My little girl looked so small against the white sheets, her golden hair spread across the pillow. Tubes snaked from her tiny arms to IV bags. A dialysis machine was beside her bed, cleaning her blood since her kidneys couldn’t manage the task anymore.“How bad is it?” I asked Frederick, though part of me didn’t want to know.He stood beside me in his white coat, clipboard in hand, but his composure had slipped. I could see the worry underneath.“Her kidney function has dropped to twenty-five percent,” Frederick said quietly. “The damage from the drugs is accelerating faster than we anticipated.”Lindsay sat in the corner chair, tissues clutched in her hands. She’d been crying since we arrived, watching me break down as I saw my daughter hooked up to these machines.“But she’ll recover, right?” Lindsay asked desperately. “Like the other times?”Frederick’s expression grew grave. “This episode was different. More severe. We stabilized her, bu

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Chapter 22: Little Lies Unraveled

Maxwell’s POVThe airport arrival gate was packed with travelers dragging suitcases and families embracing after long separations. I checked my watch—Ivan and Mother’s flight should have landed fifteen minutes ago.“Daddy!”Ivan’s voice cut through the noise like a beacon. I turned to see him running toward me, his small legs pumping as fast as they could carry him. Behind him, Mother walked more slowly, managing two large suitcases.Ivan crashed into my legs, wrapping his arms around my waist. He felt solid, healthier than when they’d left six weeks ago. The European sun had given him color, and he seemed more energetic.“I missed you so much,” he said, his face pressed against my stomach.“I missed you too, buddy.” I lifted him up, surprised by how much heavier he felt. “You grew while you were gone.”“Grandmama says I ate too much gelato in Italy.”Mother reached us, slightly out of breath but beaming. “Maxwell, darling! This trip was absolutely magical, but we’re so happy to be ho

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Chapter 23: The Kidney Transplant

Regina’s POVWithin two hours of my phone call, my parents arrived at the hospital with Alexander in tow. I met them in the pediatric ICU waiting room, where families sat in uncomfortable chairs hoping for good news about their children.“Where is she?” Mother asked breathlessly. She was still wearing her gardening clothes, dirt under her fingernails from where she’d dropped everything to rush here.“Room 304,” I said, leading them down the hallway. “She’s stable now, but…”“But what?” Father demanded. His usually composed demeanor had crumbled the moment he heard Mia was in the hospital.“She’s going to need surgery. A transplant.”Mother stopped walking. “What kind of transplant?”“Kidney. The damage from five years ago is getting worse.”We reached Mia’s room, and Mother gasped when she saw her granddaughter. My little girl was awake, sitting up in bed with a coloring book, but the machines surrounding her painted the real picture.“Grandmama! Grandpapa!” Mia’s face lit up despite

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Chapter 24: The Identity of the Phoenix

Morgana’s POVI couldn’t sleep. Maxwell’s questions about Ivan had planted uncomfortable seeds of doubt in my mind. Did the child really pull away from me? Had I been imagining warmth that wasn’t actually there?At three in the morning, I gave up on rest and went to my laptop. Work might distract me from these troubling thoughts.I opened my browser and searched for Phoenix Design Studio, the mysterious architectural firm that kept appearing in industry publications. Their latest feature in Architectural Digest called them “revolutionary” and “the future of sustainable luxury design.”I scrolled through images of their completed projects.Resort complexes that seemed to grow organically from tropical landscapes. Corporate headquarters that incorporated living walls and natural water features. Residential developments that maximized views while minimizing environmental impact.Each design was more impressive than the last. Whoever this anonymous architect was, they had genuine talent.

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Chapter 25: The Photograph in the Attic

Maxwell’s POVI couldn’t concentrate on the quarterly reports spread across my desk. The numbers blurred together as Regina’s face from the conference dominated my thoughts—not the broken woman from the rehab center, but someone coldly powerful who’d looked at me like a complete stranger.My investigator had left multiple voicemails with disturbing information about hospital record discrepancies.The vehicle that had transported “Regina’s body” to the morgue had made an unexplained two-hour stop at an undisclosed medical facility. Official documentation mentioned no such detour.Nothing about that night made sense anymore.My phone rang constantly—anxious clients asking questions about the conference, aggressive competitors circling like sharks sensing blood in the water.The Meridian Holdings loss had sent devastating ripples through the industry.“Daddy!” Ivan’s voice drifted down from the attic above my study. “Come see what I found up here!”I climbed the narrow wooden stairs, gra

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Chapter 26: The Children Meet

Regina’s POVMia was finally well enough to leave the hospital for a few hours. The doctors insisted she stay within ten minutes of the medical center in case of complications, but they agreed that fresh air might help her recovery process.Lindsay suggested the small playground near the Veyron estate—quiet, safe, and close to home if Mia needed to return quickly for any medical issues.“Are you sure you want to come along?” Lindsay asked as we prepared to leave the hospital. “You could rest while we’re out. You haven’t slept properly in days.”“I need fresh air just as much as she does,” I said, pulling on sunglasses and a baseball cap. “Besides, I want to watch her play. It feels like forever since she’s been healthy enough for normal activities.”The playground was small and well-maintained, surrounded by mature oak trees that provided plenty of shade. A few other parents sat on benches while their children played on swings and climbing equipment.I chose a bench partially hidden b

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Chapter 27: The Hiding Spot

Regina’s POVMaxwell’s head turned toward the tree where I crouched, his eyes scanning the shadows for Mia’s ‘mommy’.I fumbled for my phone, ready to text Lindsay again, when I spotted her running across the street from the ice cream cart. She dropped the two cones she’d been carrying, vanilla and strawberry melting on the hot pavement.“There you are, sweetheart!” Lindsay called out loudly, rushing toward the swings. “Mommy was getting you ice cream!”She scooped Mia into her arms just as Maxwell reached them. My daughter looked confused for a split second, then caught on to the game.“You dropped the ice cream,” Mia said, playing along perfectly.“I’ll get you more later,” Lindsay replied, settling Mia on her hip like she’d done it a thousand times.Maxwell stopped a few feet away, Ivan at his side. “Sorry, my son wandered off. I hope he wasn’t bothering your daughter.”“Not at all,” Lindsay said brightly. “They were having such a nice time together. Ivan’s been helping Mia with th

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Chapter 28: When Panic Attacks

Regina’s POVIvan ran straight toward my hiding spot, his small feet crunching through the wood chips. The toy robot lay just three feet from where I crouched, and Maxwell was walking directly behind his son.Panic shot through my entire body. I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Couldn’t do anything except move.I spun around and ran.Branches whipped across my face as I crashed through the trees behind the playground. My baseball cap fell off, catching on a low branch. The sunglasses bounced off my nose and landed somewhere in the undergrowth.I didn’t stop running until I reached the street on the other side of the small wooded area. My lungs burned. My legs shook. Blood dripped from a scratch on my cheek where a branch had caught me.A mother pushing a stroller gave me a strange look as she passed. I probably looked insane—disheveled hair, bleeding face, breathing like I’d run a marathon.I ducked behind a parked car and pulled out my phone. My fingers shook so badly I could barely

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Chapter 29: The Wrong Kind of Healing

Regina’s POVFrederick arrived the next morning with a leather medical bag and serious news written across his face. He found me in the garden, watching Mia play with her dollhouse under the covered patio.“We need to discuss the transplant timeline,” he said, settling into the chair beside me.We sat under the garden pergola, sunlight shining through the wooden slats above us and making me squint. Mia’s voice drifted over as she narrated an elaborate story about princess dolls and their dragons.“Alexander’s test results?” I asked.“Perfect match. Better than I’d hoped, actually.” Frederick opened his folder and spread out charts and medical documents. “His kidney function is excellent, no underlying health issues, ideal age and size compatibility.”I stared at the numbers and graphs that represented my brother’s willingness to sacrifice part of himself for my daughter.“When can we schedule the surgery?”“I’ve spoken with the transplant team. They can do it next month, but Regina…”

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Chapter 30: Complete and Utter Disaster

Regina’s POV“Stop pushing me toward Frederick like I’m some broken doll that needs fixing!” The words ripped from my throat before I could stop them.The garden went completely quiet.Mia dropped her princess dolls. They clattered against the stone patio, tiny plastic arms sprawling at odd angles. My daughter’s gray eyes went wide as she stared up at me. She’d never heard me shout like this. Never seen me lose control.Frederick rose from his chair. His face was tight with discomfort. Family drama wasn’t his territory, and he clearly wanted to escape.Mother’s face turned red. The smugness drained away, replaced by hurt and embarrassment. Her matchmaking enthusiasm collapsed like a punctured balloon.“Regina—” she started.“No!” I pointed at her, my finger shaking. “You think because I had a panic attack, I need a man to make me whole again? You think I can’t handle my own life?”Mia’s bottom lip trembled. She pressed herself back against her dollhouse, trying to make herself smaller

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