ATHENA

"She shouldn''t be doing this."n tries to block me, but I ignore him.

I will be the one to do this surgery. I have to.

I scrub in as the nurses rush around, prepping the instruments, adjusting

monitors, and testing the drug, ensuring it''s safe to use since so many years have passed.

It''s a kind of drug that has to go straight to the heart, so some surgery is required. It''s not much, but it''s extremely delicate. The shot has to be precise so the heart can regenerate. Any mistake can be fatal.

My heart is a drum in my chest, steady but brutal.

"She''s emotionallypromised-" Another doctor says.

"This is what happens when you try to y hero."

I turn to face everyone waiting. My eyes fall on Ariana, and her eyes are red from

how much crying she has been doing. Eli is holding her, but when we share a look, he nods.

He believes in me.

That''s enough.

"I''m the only one who knows his heart, so I

I will do this surgery. If you have objections, you can sue me or take it up with mywyer."

"Who would even want to defend you in such a case? Against the Kings?" Mateo scoffs.

"I will." Ariana stands, wiping her tears. "So unless you want to be the first one I sue, I suggest you shut up and let her do her job!"

Luca stands just outside the ss partition, his arms folded and his jaw tight. He has a look of debate on his face. He''s had it since I told him I''d do the surgery withoutn.

We can''t have two emotionally connected people.

"Athena-"

"No." I snap off the glove from my left hand and look straight at him. "You brought me in because I''m the best, didn''t you? You trusted me to save his life before, so what has changed."

“This is different, I thoughtn would help but doing it alone?" he says quietly. "You love him."

I pause for half a breath. His words sinking inside my bones.

Love him?

Is that what I feel?

This deep ache wanting to set everything on fire if he decides to leave me! The constant craving for his touch, wishing he could recover quickly so he''d annoy me.

Is this love?

I don''t know, but it''s worse.

It''s need.

It''s desperation wing at my insides, demanding he lives even if he never looks at me the same way again.

Even if he stops loving me. I need him to live. Our son needs him to live. My heart aches for his mother. I can only imagine how she is feeling.fn46e6 This content belongs to fι?dnοvel/fn46e6

"I don''t care what it is," I respond hoarsely, pulling on a fresh glove. "Love, obsession, stupidity, call it what you want. But if he dies, I die with him. Not physically... but everything human left in me will rot away."

The room goes silent.

Luca''s eyes harden, but he nods.

Ariana steps forward and ces her hand on my shoulder. She doesn''t say

anything, but her eyes tell me all I need to know.

Come back with him.

I inhale deeply as I kick the door, which slides open automatically.

The operating room is cold and too sterile for what''s about to happen.

"Vitals?" I ask.

The nurse replies, "Stable but weak. We''re ready when you are, Dr. Dawson."

I walk to the table and halt.

There he is.

Wires snake across his chest. His skin looks pale, too pale. Not the man who used to taunt me with nothing but a smirk and a cruel

smile. Not the man who scared the

whole world with a single re.

s

He looks peaceful and asleep. Something tugs inside my chest. A foreign feeling.

A feeling of iming him as mine.

My man and the love of my life. It spreads in my chest like a fire out of control and that makes me more determined than anything to make this a sess.  s

I have so much to say to him.

Mine.

My man.

I repeat as I release a breath.

"Scalpel."

They hand it to me and I take it. My fingers don''t shake this time.

Everyone watches. I bet the whole world is waiting to hear about the oue. But

that''s none of my concerns.

I know other snr doctors are not

happy about this. They''re probably waiting for a tremor or a slip. A

single hint that I''m not as in control as im to be.  s

But my hands are steady.

My mind is steel.

I will not lose him.

Not today.

Not ever.

As I begin the incision, a voice echoes in my head.

"No one can know you have the form. Even if my heart stops, don''t use it on

me. Do you understand?"

I huff.

No one but you, Alex.

You''ve always been an exception.