An operating room's cool green light glowed from above, and the hospital was filled with an air of suspense as if time had momentarily stopped. The doctor exited the room, his face etched with relief, and everyone gathered around him.
Aiden approached with hesitant steps, his eyes following every move the doctor made. His heart pounded fiercely, desperate to hear the news that would dispel the creeping anxiety.
"How is he? Will he be okay?" he asked in a low but firm voice.
The doctor smiled gently, trying to soothe the tension. "Don't worry, his condition is stable... We'll move him to a regular room soon to rest."
Aiden exhaled, but he didn't dare to let it out. At that moment, the silence was broken by the ringing of Sera's phone. She answered quickly, but her mother's voice cut through the air, sharp and worried: "Sera! Where are you? It's getting so late!"
Her mother's words trembled in Sera's ear. Her eyes filled with distress, and she replied softly, "I'm sorry, Mom, I'll be right back."
Holding the phone to her ear, she took a deep breath, then turned to Aiden. She wished she could stay longer, but she knew that time didn't wait.
"I have to go now..." she said in a hesitant tone.
Aiden looked at her, collecting his thoughts for a moment. Then, he gently reached for her head, his fingers slipping through her hair as if trying to etch the touch into his memory. He pulled her towards him softly, hugging her slowly, as if she were his only source of safety in this tumultuous world.
"If you hadn't been with me today... I don't know what I would have done," he whispered in her ear, his voice filled with affection.
Sera's cheeks flushed with shyness, but her heart soared with the warmth of those words. She hugged him back for a moment longer, but her duty called. She pulled away shyly, almost a whisper, "Okay, I'll go..."
Aiden smiled as he watched her leave, then said confidently, "I'll take you... and then I'll be back soon."
His voice held a promise and a hope for a quick reunion that made everything seem more bearable.
The weather was warm and summery, with the night breeze wafting through the quiet streets, carrying the scent of night-blooming flowers as if nature itself were whispering secrets to those who would listen. The air was refreshing, filling the chest with an indescribable comfort, a mix of jasmine and night-blooming jasmine with the gentleness of the evening.
Aiden's car stopped quietly in front of the entrance to Arcadia Vaulta. He remained seated behind the wheel, his shoulder relaxed, but his gaze fixed on her. He didn't speak, didn't move. He just watched her in silence, as if his eyes were trying to memorize her features before she disappeared.
Sera opened the car door softly but didn't get out right away. She slowly turned to him, her brown eyes sparkling under the yellow street light, carrying deep and sincere affection. Her look held a mix of gratitude and a quiet sadness.
She gently reached out and touched his cheek, then leaned in slightly, giving him a light kiss on his lips... It wasn't long, but it left a deep impression.
"Arin needs you now... He's alone, and he needs you more than you can imagine," she said in a hushed voice mingled with the night air.
Then she got out quietly, closing the door softly behind her. Aiden stayed in his place, his hand still on the steering wheel, his eyes following her steps until she disappeared behind the building's gate.
The engine roared under his feet as he turned the wheel, the car's growl in the quiet street making it seem like a caged beast that had been released from its prison.
As for Sera, she walked lightly towards the elevator, looking at the ground as if reviewing her last words with him. She pressed the button and waited for a few short moments. When the door opened slowly... she found herself face-to-face with her mother.
Her mother stood there, her eyes wide with worry, looking at her daughter with a mix of relief at seeing her and reproach for being late.
Sera slowly raised her hand, as if afraid the scene in front of her would vanish, waving to her mother from afar.
A slight, nervous smile formed on her trembling lips as she said in a hushed voice, barely audible, "Hello... Mom."
She walked towards the elevator with hesitant, soft steps, as if every move she made was carefully measured. She pressed the elevator button with her fingertips, feeling her mother's angry gaze piercing her like a burning arrow, asking a thousand questions without uttering a word.
"Do you know how worried I was? We were about to call the police!" the mother said in a voice charged with anger and concern as soon as she got closer.
Sera lowered her eyes in shame but composed herself and replied in a tone she tried to keep calm, "I have two things to tell you... First: I got a job, a one-year contract. And second..." she paused for a moment, then sighed deeply, "I was at the hospital."
Her mother's eyes widened in astonishment, and the anger in her gaze turned to overwhelming worry. She approached her fearfully, looking at her arms, examining her face, and touching her shoulders. "What? Where are you hurt? Why didn't you call me? Why didn't you tell me?"
Sera smiled, a warm smile this time, like a gentle breeze passing over a lit flame. She then gently took her mother's hand, squeezing it with affection. "I'm fine... Don't worry." Then she added in a soft voice with a hint of sadness, "Do you remember our neighbor, the one who took Black? His friend was in an accident and was taken to the hospital. I was there with him. I couldn't leave him alone. I saw him alone, scared... And by chance, I met him at the pharmacy when he got the news. He was in no condition to be alone."
In the hospital—where silence enveloped the place except for the sound of the pulse monitor:
Beep... beep... beep...
A faint light filtered through the window, caressing the face of the young man who was unconscious. Aiden sat on a chair beside the bed, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees, and his hands clasped in front of his mouth as if he were praying or pleading. His eyes watched Arin's face, which looked pale and still, with no movement except for the chest that rose and fell slowly.
"Why did you do that? Why can't I leave you alone?" Aiden whispered to himself, as if he didn't have the courage to say it aloud.
He closed his eyes for a moment, recalling the last moments, his voice, his gazes, then opened them suddenly and looked at Arin with a confused look, full of bewilderment and worry.
And in the midst of this stillness, the sound of the machine continued to pulse with life.
Beep... beep... beep...
Home - Evening
Sera stood at her bedroom door, her hand on the knob, and her eyes on her mother standing at the end of the hallway. Her voice had no sharpness, but a small tremor that hid something greater than fatigue.
Sera (in a low, anxious voice):
"Mom... I'm sorry I worried you today."
She paused for a moment, took a deep breath, then looked directly into her mother's eyes, as if searching for a last glimmer of understanding.
Sera (continuing in a voice saturated with confusion):
"But... what if I knew something? Something important... something that could change someone's life completely? What would you do if you were in my place?"
The mother didn't answer directly. She looked at her steadily, her features calm but filled with pain and experience.
Mother (in a calm, firm voice):
"It's not easy, I know. But no matter how long it takes... you have to tell the truth because if the secret stays inside you, it will choke you."
They exchanged silent glances for a moment before Sera quietly turned and entered her room.
In Prison - Visitation Room
The iron door opened with a dry sound. The man entered with measured steps, following the officer to a glass table that separated him from the inmates. He sat in the chair in front of Luna, separated by thick glass with small openings.
He picked up the attached phone receiver, looking at the restrained woman in front of him.
Man (in a sarcastic tone):
"I didn't expect to see you here, crazy Luna."
Luna slowly raised her face, her hair covering part of her eyes, but as soon as she looked at him, her gaze turned into a blade.
Luna (in a steady voice tinged with defiance):
"Madness isn't a flaw, my dear. I was never guilty... I just wanted to protect them. But he... he deceived me."
Man (his tone suddenly changing, stern):
"Aiden... why?"
Luna's expression changed completely. It became cold, rigid, and her gaze turned into a sharp knife.
Luna (in a heavy whisper):
"He told me to keep going... to trust him. He promised me... that I would be the one to kill him. Because I'm the only one who truly loved him. But he didn't come. He left me here alone... but not for long."
She leaned closer to the glass, her gaze penetrating through the openings as if tearing apart his silence.
Luna:
"And you? Why did you come? Did you find a new victim?"
Man (smiling a wicked smile):
"Rather, I found a new love. I saw her... and I liked her. Beautiful, different. I have a folder of her pictures... I love her, but she doesn't even know I exist."