Wade stood up and moved toward the window, his back to me. I wasn’t sure what he was doing, but


    i found myself quietly stepping closer to the bed.


    Now that I was up close, I could really see it she wasn’t just gorgeous, she looked a lot like me.


    If my parents were still alive, I would’ve gone straight to them and asked if I had a long–lost sister.


    As those thoughts ran through my mind, my eyes drifted to the namete on the bedside: Narelle


    Yule, 28 years old.


    Miss Yule, hello. I’m Keira, I silently introduced myself,


    Wade’s voice broke the stillness. “Come back in,” he said into his phone, calling the caregiver back.


    The caregiver returned quickly, and I took that as my cue to slip out of the room. Wade followed


    silently, and we walked side by side in heavy quiet. It wasn’t until we’d walked some distance that


    he finally spoke.


    “The doctors say there’s no chance she’ll recover. Her family… they’ve already given up.”


    “But you haven’t,” I said.


    Wade’s steps slowed, his voice barely a whisper. “People always say there’s a chance for a miracle,


    right?”


    Miracles did exist, sure. We see them on TV, hear about them in stories, but in real life, they’re


    rare–rarer than winning the lottery.


    “You told me she’s been like this for a year, right?”


    “Almost two years now,” Wade corrected, his voice hollow.


    Two years. If a miracle was going to happen, it would have by now. The fact that even her family


    had given up said everything.


    “You could still try to convince them,” I suggested, hoping to offer some kind offort.


    Wade lowered his gaze. “I already did. Last week, they wanted to pull the plug. I begged them for


    more time. They gave me one more week. Now… there are only three days left.”


    it all made sense now. The deadline was looming, and with Narelle still unresponsive, hopelessness


    was


    closing in on him.


    “Are you holding on because you can’t let go of her? Or is it because you don’t want to live with the


    guilt?” I asked, trying to understand what was driving him.


    Wade swallowed hard. “Even if she wakes up, I’ll still owe her.”


    He was right. From the moment Narelle sacrificed herself to save him, that debt became part of him.


    Even if she woke up perfectly fine, that burden would always be there.


    So, it was not just guilt; he didn’t want to lose her.


    You can’t convince her family, and it’s making you feel powerless, isn’t it?” I asked, already knowing


    the


    answer.


    Wade’s steps slowed almost to a stop. “I’m not anyone important to her. I don’t have the right to


    decide


    His voice cracked 1 don’t even have the right to protect her


    Seeing him so defeated, I hesitated for a moment before asking the question that had been hanging


    in the ant “Do you love her?


    Wade looked up at me, his eyes wide with shock and panic. He didn’t need to answer–his reaction


    said it


    I didn’t know the full story between Wade and Narelle, but from the looks of it, it was a tragic one


    trange wave of empathy washed over me. I felt for Wade, for the weight he was carrying, but i alen


    that no words from me could truly ease his pain Everyone has their own wounds, and only they can


    reel and heal from them


    Wade stayed quiet as he walked me back to Yuna’s room. When we got there, he handed me the


    fruit with


    a soft, sincere. “Thank you”


    I knew what he meant and just nodded lightly. “Keep moving forward.”


    He gave a faint hum, then turned and walked away. I watched him disappear around theer


    I didn’t move until I felt a sudden lightness in my hand. Looking up, I saw Hayden standing in front


    of me


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.