The sterile smell of antiseptic clung to the air, pressing on Elara's chest as she sat outside the operating theater. Her knees bounced restlessly, hands clasped together in a prayer that had no end. The red "Surgery in Progress" light above the door had been on for hours, each passing second stretching into eternity.
Her mother's fragile face, pale and tired, haunted her mind. She had watched the nurses wheel her in, and that image wouldn't leave her.
Beside her, Adrian leaned against the wall, arms folded, as if none of this was new to him. He had been the one to pay the bills—swiftly, almost casually—signing documents and authorizing payments that would have taken Elara years to save.
"You don't have to be here," Elara muttered at one point, her voice barely above a whisper.
His eyes flicked toward her, unreadable. "You're right. I don't." He paused, his voice lowering, softer. "But I am."
She had no words for that. She just stared back at the glowing red light, whispering silent bargains to fate.
Finally, hours later, the doctor emerged, pulling down his mask. "The surgery was successful. She's stable. She'll need plenty of rest, but she pulled through."
Elara nearly collapsed in relief. Her tears came fast, hot, and unrelenting. She turned toward Adrian, wanting to thank him—but he was already slipping his phone into his pocket, face impassive.
"Your mother's safe. That's all that matters," he said, then turned and walked down the hall, leaving her trembling between gratitude and frustration.
---
It wasn't until the next morning that her mother stirred. Elara had dozed off in the chair beside her bed, but the faint whisper of her name jolted her awake.
"Mama!" she gasped, clutching her mother's frail hand. Tears blurred her vision, but relief filled every crack of her chest. "You're awake… you're okay…"
Her mother gave a tired but soft smile. "You… stayed with me."
"Always," Elara said, brushing back her hair.
But then came the question she dreaded. Her mother's weak eyes scanned the hospital room. "How… did you pay for all this, Elara? The doctors, the surgery…"
Elara froze. Panic rippled through her chest. She couldn't tell her mother the truth—that it was all thanks to a contract, to Adrian's money, to a bargain she'd been forced into. Not when her mother was so weak.
So she forced a trembling smile. "My… boyfriend helped, Mama. He took care of it."
Her mother's tired face softened with joy, lighting up despite her exhaustion. "Your boyfriend?" she whispered, voice thick with hope. "You've finally let someone in? Elara… you must bring him. I want to meet the man who saved me."
Elara's heart squeezed painfully. She nodded quickly, hiding her dread. "Later. For now, just rest."
---
Two days later, when her mother was stronger, Elara went to fetch food from the cafeteria. But as she returned to her mother's room, balancing the tray, she froze at the doorway.
Her mother was laughing softly—the sound both fragile and heartwarming. And seated by the bed, holding a bouquet of lilies, was Adrian.
Her breath hitched. What is he doing here?
He leaned slightly forward, his voice warm, smoother than she'd ever heard it. "You raised a strong daughter," he said, gazing at her mother with a sincerity that made Elara's chest tighten. "I'm only lucky she let me stand by her side."
Her mother's frail hand reached out, touching his. "Thank you… for loving her. And for saving me."
Adrian's lips curved into an easy smile, natural and convincing. "She means everything to me. I'd do anything for her."
From the doorway, Elara's heart pounded violently. She wanted to drag him out, demand why he was here, why he was weaving himself so perfectly into her lie. But her mother looked so happy, so safe, that she swallowed the protest rising in her throat.
She stepped into the room with a forced smile. Her mother lit up instantly, eyes darting between them. "Elara! You didn't tell me he was this handsome. You've chosen well."
Adrian turned his gaze toward her then, his smile never faltering. For a fleeting second, their eyes locked. His look was calm, almost smug, carrying an unspoken message only she could hear:
Relax. This is the part where you play along.
Elara's pulse raced. She had spun a lie to protect her mother, but Adrian had just taken control of it—and there was no turning back.