The words did not falter, though she felt their weight more clearly now that they had been spoken aloud, and for the first time since making the decision, she became aware not of what it would accomplish, but of what it would cost, and though that awareness did not change her resolve.
Her mother closed her eyes weakly wrapping one of her arms around her. "You made this decision alone."
"There was no time to do otherwise and I know you would have refused."
"I can't watch my only daughter walk into a pit of fire." Her mother cried.
"It does not matter," Lin Yue said, and now there was a sharpness in her voice that cut through the restraint she had held until now. "It cannot matter as long as you are happy."
The room fell silent.
Her mother looked at her for a long moment, and when she spoke again, her voice had softened, though it carried a weight that Lin Yue could not ignore.
Her mother closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again. "Do not do this."
"I have to… I'll be fine."
"No you won't."
"I will, wait for me and everything will be fine. You will be fine again… didn't you always want to see me get married?… I'm about to get married."
"Not like this." Her mother shook her head.
Lin Yue rose, reaching for her coat, her movements precise though her thoughts were no longer as calm as she had made them seem, and as she drew the fabric over her shoulders, she became aware of the finality in it.
"I will return later," she said.
"Lin Yue."
She paused.
"If you walk into this," her mother said, "do not expect to walk out the same."
Lin Yue inclined her head slightly, acknowledging the truth of it without yielding to it. "I do not expect to," she said.
She went to the door and opened it, and for a brief moment she stood there, aware of the room behind her, of the life she was leaving in increments too small to measure.
Her hand remained on the door a moment longer after she stepped out, her fingers resting against the smooth surface as if the coldness from the steel might wake her up from this madness.
When she finally let go, the corridor stretched ahead of her. She suddenly felt the journey was too long.
Suddenly, the sharp ringing tone from her phone snapped her out of her daze. She quickly reached into her bag, her movement slowing with hesitation as she saw the name of the caller.
She picked it up. "Hello… Yes, I've already decided to go through with the contract… I'll be outside in three minutes."
Then the call hung up.
She let out a deep sigh as she walked through the corridor without turning back, the sound of her steps faint against the polished floor, and when she reached the elevator she pressed the button and waited.
Her gaze fixed ahead, her reflection appearing only when the doors slid open, her expression was calm and tired. Yet she could see the dread beneath her eyes.
The elevator descended without any stops, the soft humming sound was constant, and when the doors opened again a man in a dark suit stood waiting, his posture straight, his expression neutral, and when she stepped out he inclined his head just enough to acknowledge her.
"Miss Lin," he said. "The car is ready."
She gave a slight nod and followed him without asking anything, because there was nothing to ask that would change the outcome.
Outside the air felt cooler than she expected, the evening settling over the city in a way that covered the edges of buildings and lights, and the car stood at the curb with the engine running, the driver already holding the door open.
Lin Yue paused for a brief moment before getting in, "Thank you." She muttered.
Her gaze drifted toward the direction she had come from, the building of the hospital stared coldly back at her.
She bent slightly and stepped inside, the door closing behind her with a quiet, final sound. Dread slowly crept into her chest as her eyes scanned the luxurious interior of the car.
Even the seats were softer than her bed. She swallowed nervously, folding her hands in front of her lap.
The car moved smoothly through the streets, and the city passed by in fragments of light and shadow, familiar corners and storefronts slipping past the window, yet she paid no attention to them.
Her mind was already racing about the outcome of her decision, her problem would be solved but she knew bigger ones were coming. But if her mother could be healed then she was more than ready to face whatever problems came her way.
After some time, the man in the front seat said, "We will arrive in twenty minutes," his tone calm, as though the distance itself were formality.
Lin Yue answered with a quiet, "Alright."
The silence settled back into place, broken only by the muted rhythm of the road beneath them.
The city thinned gradually, the buildings giving way to wider streets and quieter surroundings, and when the car slowed and turned through a set of gates, Lin Yue felt her heart racing immediately.
The man with short black hair and a pair of glasses resting on the bridge of his nose immediately stepped forward.
When she came out of the car, her breath caught in her throat as her gaze locked with his.
'Could this be the famous mysterious Mr. Gu… he looks quite handsome… not bad.' She thought inwardly.
"Mr. Gu." She greeted.
"Miss Lin Yue," he greeted before continuing. "I'm Gao Hu, the secretary of Mr. Gu." He replied with a stoic expression.
"My apologies." Lin Yue lowered her head, closing her eyes at the blunder.
"It is okay, come with me." Gao Hu said as he gestured towards the entrance of the building.