The Price of a Perfect Match

I slowly opened my eyes, squinting against the harsh light. The air was still thick with disinfectant. Pain radiated from deep within my body, a searing agony concentrated in my back.

It felt like I'd been torn apart.

"You're awake!" Caspian's voice trembled, a strange mix of shock and relief. He gripped my hand, his own fingers shaking.

His eyes were bloodshot, his face etched with guilt and worry. "I thought you…" He broke off, pressing his forehead against my hand as his shoulders trembled.

I could feel his tears on my skin—warm, yet they only made my heart grow colder.

"Aurora, I'm so sorry. During the crash, a piece of wreckage was pressing on your spine, and the doctors… they had to perform an extremely risky bone marrow extraction to save your life. I… I didn't know what else to do…"

He spoke with difficulty, as if each word was a shard of glass. Then, he whispered a promise. "But I'll be with you, even if we can't ski in the Alps anymore. We can… we can do yoga together."

"I promise, you'll always be my queen."

He sounded so sincere, anyone would have believed him. But for me, it felt like my heart was being crushed under the weight of his lies. Every feigned word of concern was just another thread in his web of lies.

"Is something wrong, Aurora?" The agony on my face sent him into a panic. He shot to his feet. "I'll get the doctor. Wait for me. I'll be right back."

He rushed out, leaving his secondary cell phone behind on the nightstand. Silence consumed the room, broken only by the soft hum of medical equipment.

Then, the phone vibrated, shattering the quiet.

I slowly reached for it.

A text from Scarlett lit up the screen: "Caspian, where are you? Text me back."

"Don't forget to talk to Aurora about adopting Julian. It's not like she can have children anymore, anyway."