“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay here until you wake,” Deviana’s voice was hoarse as she tightened her grip around Adrian’s cold fingers.

She sat on the chair beside the hospital bed, eyes swollen from crying. The IV was taped to Adrian’s arm; the heart monitor’s slow rhythm filled the room like a steady test of Deviana’s endurance.

Lila stood near the door, looking worried. “Dev, you need to rest. I can watch him for a while.”

Deviana shook her head quickly. “No, Lila. I… I can’t leave him again. If he wakes up and I’m not here, I’ll never forgive myself.”

Lila exhaled slowly. “You said you wanted to...