Contracted Hearts Novels & Stories

“Same depth, same angle, same contrast. He’s… worse.” “Don’t editorialize,” Lyra said absently. “You’re not paid to panic.” The tech made a noncommittal noise and retreated, leaving her alone with the images. She tapped the screen, cycling through views. Angled slices of his heart appeared—short axis, long axis, four-chamber, two-chamber. No matter how she looked at it, the story was the same: progressive conduction system damage. His heart was a traitor. Slow, insidious.

So, he picked her up, cradling her like glass, and rushed her to the hospital himself. That call saved her life. The doctors said she had barely made it. They used twelve liters per minute of oxygen to stabilize her. Twelve. She was almost gone. And at that moment, so was he. As he stood behind the transparent hospital door, watching her fight for her life, Noah felt his own heart stall. Her body convulsed with every electrical surge. She had gone into cardiac arrest, and the doctors administered defibrillator shocks, one after the other. Ten shocks. Fifteen. Twenty-one. Still nothing.

returning to his cold gesture, with this he walked out of the room. Betty’s heart skipped a beat.

Love is not a clause you’re permitted to entertain; emotional involvement of any kind is strictly prohibited. “A bunch of stupid rules,” Elara muttered. He must have an impossibly high opinion of himself. She looked at her brother, frail and fighting for survival. The doctor’s words were a cold knot in her stomach: they had to transfer him to another hospital with specialized equipment they didn't have. This ridiculous contract was her only option. What was she going to tell Noah? Noah would be livid. "His fucking girlfriend is married to her ex," she whispered, already picturing his righteous fury. She wasn't going to tell him. But what if he saw her online, or on a billboard, or in a magaz

Everyone was silent, but Dennis's survival with the artificial heart was a living example and the medical board would not drag their feet with the certification. With that, Irene told everyone to go to work while she cleaned up her office. Finn soon returned with the patient's medical history, and it was indeed a congenital heart defect with no other possible treatment, which was why they were eager to try the artificial heart. After all, when there was no option, even a risky chance brought hope. Irene, however, was staring at the patient's file in silence. Finn then said, "The patient told us that they would sign an agreement if we provide an artificial heart—whatever happens, we will not

"Oh, well, then, I have good news for you. My neighbor down the street would be a perfect match. He's quite the carpenter and a very lovely man, but his family has a long and sad history with a very rare heart condition. I think you'd find it fascinating." "Oh, well, I don't think-" "He was just telling me the other day that one of the big hospitals up north is trying to convince the family to be part of a ground-breaking study, but they really would like to work with someone at St. Agnes." Deanna frowned and leaned forward. "Do you know what this rare heart condition is called?" "Oh, my, let me think." Miss Sissie tapped her lips. "It begins with the letter B, I remember that . . . Brew-som

“Read it carefully and sign at the end if you agree to the terms.” Sophia picked up the contract and began to read, her eyes scanning the dense legal language. The terms were straightforward yet binding, outlining the duration of their fake relationship, the public appearances they would make, and the financial compensation she would receive. As she read, Alexander watched her closely, his gaze never wavering. Sophia felt the weight of his scrutiny but refused to let it break her focus. After several minutes, she reached the end of the contract and set it down. “I have a few terms I’d like to add,” she said, her voice steady despite the nerves she felt. Alexander raised an eyebrow but gestur

How could he be so heartless? Her mind wandered to the day Uncle Matt signed the deal and informed her. “Hey kiddo” uncle Matt said when she walked in that evening from work. “Come seat, I have something to tell you.” This was very unusual for uncle Matt. The only thing surprising about today was uncle Matt's unusual behavior; and didn’t expect him to be back home by this time.

“Strong heartbeat.” Another contraction hit, and I clenched my jaw, my back arching off the bed. “Damn it,” I hissed, squeezing the hand of the nurse standing nearby. The pain was all-consuming, but beneath it, there was something else - a deep, primal strength. I could feel it building within me, pushing me forward, a force as unrelenting as the contractions themselves.

Two hours passed, each one marked by silence and the cold efficiency of his work. When he finally turned to me, his face was heavy with the same grim look he wore the day he first told me about my heart. "Axel, I’m afraid you’ve deteriorated further," he sluggishly let out. "The hole in your heart is expanding rapidly." "I can feel it," I admitted, my tone void of surprise. Cedric sighed. "And we still don’t know the cause. This isn’t something I’ve seen before—it’s beyond science." I leaned back, exhaling sharply. "Then there’s no solution. What about a new heart?"