Just then, the doors to the operating room flew open. "Family of Esther?"
I jolted forward and ran to the doctor. "I’m her daughter. How is she?"
"She just fainted from stress," the doctor said calmly. "She’s stable now and only needs rest."
I finally exhaled the breath I had been holding. Relief was just beginning to settle in—until the doctor continued, "However, during the examination… we found signs of leukemia."
The ground shifted beneath me. My knees buckled and I nearly collapsed—until someone caught me from behind. I fell briefly against Darien’s chest. For a heartbeat, I almost let myself lean into his warmth.
But the moment I realized, I shoved him away.
"Don’t touch me. All of this… everything that’s happening is because of you. You’re the reason we’re here."
Darien dropped to his knees right there in the corridor.
"Ellie, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. I was blinded by desperation. The Eugene Family didn’t go bankrupt, but we were hanging by a thread. If the Daelan Family hadn’t stepped in, we wouldn’t have lasted another week. That’s why I agreed to everything, but the truth is—I never stopped loving you."