Liam’s mind and chest were both in turmoil.
Guilt, anger, and anxiety swirled together, making every step feel heavy.
He had to go back upstairs.
He needed Yuni.
For some reason, simply seeing that woman’s face eased the unrest in his chest a little.
He needed to remind himself that he had responsibilities now.
He had a sacred bond.
Even if that bond had initially been born from a transaction.
Liam strode toward the basement elevator.
The elevator doors opened.
Liam stepped inside without looking back even once.
The doors slowly closed, leaving Vanessa still standing there, her face filled with anger and curiosity.
The elevator chimed when it reached the seventh floor.
Liam stepped out hurriedly.
Cold sweat dampened his temples and shirt collar.
His heart pounded wildly.
The anger left over from his encounter with Vanessa still burned in his chest, but another anxiety, one he couldn’t explain, suddenly stabbed him in the pit of his stomach.
The feeling grew stronger as he walked toward VIP Room 701.
The hallway seemed much longer than usual.
His heavy footsteps slapped against the gleaming granite floor.
When he reached the thick wooden door, Liam stopped.
He drew a deep breath.
He tried to calm his thoughts before reaching for the doorknob.
Click.
The door opened.
Cold air from the air conditioner immediately washed over his face.
But the room was anything but peaceful.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
The medical monitor blared.
Fast.
One alarm after another.
The green line on the heart monitor moved erratically. Its waves rose and fell irregularly, showing that the patient’s pulse had suddenly spiked.
“Yuni!”
Liam’s voice caught in his throat.
He immediately ran to the side of the bed.
His heart seemed to stop when he saw Yuni’s fingers trembling violently on top of the white blanket.
The woman’s chest heaved with ragged breaths beneath the respirator tube.
A sheen of sweat covered her pale forehead.
“Yuni! What’s wrong?!”
Liam turned toward the door in panic.
“Doc! Dr. Arman!”
His hand immediately slammed the emergency call button beside the head of the bed again and again.
Then he reached for Yuni’s fingers.
Liam’s rough hand clasped those cold fingers, his panic no longer something he could hide.
“Yun, listen to my voice.”
His voice trembled.
“Stay calm, Yun. I’m here.”
Liam tightened his grip on her hand.
“Please, don’t let anything happen to you.”
The alarms kept shrieking.
Liam bent closer to her ear. He didn’t know why he was saying it. Maybe because it was the only thing he could hold on to.
“A woman found me in the basement, Yun.” His voice cracked. “Vanessa. The one who left me when Dad got sick. She thought I was still alone.”
He swallowed hard.
“I told her the truth. I told her I’m married.”
His thumb moved slowly across her cold knuckles, over the loose gold ring.
“I’m your husband, Yun. I don’t care how this marriage started. I’m your husband, and I’m not going anywhere.”
But Liam didn’t know.
Beneath the white blanket and the stiff fingers he was holding, a miracle—and a storm of emotions—was taking place.