The beeping sound stopped.
The line flattened.
Sonia's heartbeat stopped.
For a fraction of a second, the world seemed to freeze.
The air in the ICU thickened, pressing down on everyone present like an unseen weight.
The sharp, rhythmic sound that had anchored reality moments ago vanished, leaving behind an eerie silence that screamed louder than any alarm.
Cyndi stood rooted to the spot, her fingers clenched tightly by her side, her gaze fixed on the monitor as though staring hard enough will ensure the line never rose again.
Alex, out of instinct, ran to the bedside.
For the past six months, this moment had been all he waited for, all he dreamed of. Every night, every restless thought, every suppressed hope had led here.
Yet now that reality stood before him, raw and undeniable, anxiety clawed viciously at his chest.
He was anxious.
He was no longer sure this was what he wanted.
Maybe he had never imagined he would falter when reality finally came knocking; cold, merciless, and final.
"Sonia! Sonia!!" he rasped, gripping her hand as though his strength alone could anchor her to this world.
His heart thundered violently against his chest as he watched her slipping past his fingers.
Slipping into a world beyond his reach.
His heart tightened… a feeling he had never felt before.
It had always been a nominal marriage, a marriage to please his grandmother because she felt obligated to reward her life saviour.
A union that sprang out of gratitude.
It never mattered… not then… not when hospitalized, but why was it painful now?
He had always kept her at arm's length, but it seemed he underestimated her presence.
Memories of the time spent together replayed before his eyes.
Moments of quiet happiness.
Moments of care he had dismissed as routine.
Moments when they argued over trivial things, yet she would still wait up late just to make sure he got home safely.
On rainy days, she would stand at the door holding an umbrella, her eyes lighting up the moment his car pulled in.
Every morning, he woke to a steamy breakfast, carefully prepared. He always grumbled, always complained about the menu or the timing, yet he would silently savour the taste—a unique flavour only she could create.
The evenings were no different. His suits were custom-made, expensive, and required careful handling. They were meant to be sent to professionals.
Yet Sonia had always washed them herself.
By hand.
Every single one.
And every day, he left the house wearing clothes she had personally selected and laid out while he showered—ties matched, cufflinks chosen, everything meticulously prepared.
They were never supposed to share the same room. It had been part of the unspoken agreement. But he hadn't wanted his grandmother to suspect anything.
So the bed had been partitioned, a silent barrier dividing them night after night. Neither of them ever crossed the line.
Until that one wild night.
A night neither of them spoke of afterward.
By morning, it was as though it had never happened.
And their life returned to how it had always been.
Alex swallowed hard.
He couldn't admit the feeling lodged deep in his chest.
The feeling of impending loss.
The feeling of that vacuum that might never be filled… maybe not in this lifetime.
He drew a deep breath, chided himself… this was what he wanted. A dream he had long set to achieve.
The hallway was busy, doctors rushed towards the ward, nurses shouted out in alarm.
Code blue!
ICU!
Patient in distress!
Voices overlapped, blending into a blur of sound as medical staff pushed aside everyone in their path. Equipment was wheeled in, defibrillators prepared, hands moving with trained precision.
"Vacate the ward!"
"Activate resuscitation!"
Alex stood frozen as they worked on Sonia, his mind struggling to process the reality unfolding before him.
Staring in a daze as they rushed to save Sonia… Cyndi's heart raced with mixed feelings.
Over the years, she had always been jealous of her. They were childhood friends who grew and bonded in the same neighbourhood; they shared every bit of their life together until four years ago.
Four years ago, when the Hort family's matriarch chose Sonia as their daughter-in-law.
A decision she made after Sonia coincidentally saved her life in that accident.
Rather than a cash reward, she had given Sonia to her grandson… Alex Hort.
Cyndi's crush for five years, but she never had the opportunity to come close to him or even express her feelings.
As though fate was on her side, their paths had crossed a few days before the matriarch's order.
An order her grandson could never object to… not for a lifetime. Just like that… the love she hoped to build was taken away before it took root.
Cyndi was never reconciled with such an outcome.
Alex had been obedient, cutting off ties with her, but no, she wasn't ready to give up.
At first, she didn't expect Sonia to be the chosen bride until she asked her to be her chief bridesmaid in a week's time.
"Please leave the ward for a moment," the nurses said as they ushered them out of the ward, and the door shut with a soft thud.
Alex leaned on the wall, staring at the door, his eyes boring holes into it.
How much he wanted to be in there, to watch them resuscitate her.
Cyndi glanced at him, then at the shut door; she sighed.
She had always known Alex was soft-hearted towards Sonia… or maybe had already fallen in love with her, but as a billionaire with low EQ, how would he understand the matters of the heart?
Her fist clenched. Even at this moment… Sonia was still interfering, making him anxious.
"Honey," she said softly, stepping closer. "She is dead, right?"
Alex looked at her but said nothing. The words refused to leave his mouth. He couldn't bring himself to say it… it was his fear.
"It's usually said when the heart monitor flattens… it only means one thing," she pressed.
"It's noisy," he snapped, turning away.
He needed silence.
He needed space to sort through the chaos inside him.
And listening to Cyndi rant… shouldn't be part of it.
Her impatience, her certainty was unbearable. A truth he didn't want to brush at all.
If nothing else, it was he who lost his wife. And he had to live like one…grieve like one… if only for this moment.
"Alex," Cyndi followed him, her voice tightening. "You can't be grieving her. This was supposed to be our dream come true. We waited for this moment, remember?"
"Honey," she called softly. "She is dead, right?" she asked.
Cyndi's fist clenched by her side as she followed behind him. "Alex, you can't be grieving about her… it was supposed to be our dreams come true… we waited for this moment, remember."
Alex's footsteps faltered; in fury, he slammed his fist into the wall, his fist split, blood trailing down, but he didn't feel the pain.
"Alex," she gasped and blocked his path, anxiously checking on the injury. "Quick, let's go and have it treated."
"There's no need to," he smirked, taking his hand away from her grasp. His eyes were blurry as tears clouded them, threatening to fall.
"Alex," she snapped. "What's the meaning of this… shouldn't you be relieved that, at the end, we aren't waiting for another month?"
Alex glanced at her; he really wanted to… He wished to, but then his heart seemed not to accept that truth.
At least not now.
"I know it's not easy for you to, but that's the truth, and we must face it," Cyndi explained.
Alex sank into the chair at the side, his eyes closed briefly as he tried to calm his mind… he really needed to get a hold of himself.
He needed to, and maybe he was wrong to have felt that way.
He inhaled sharply, his gaze returning back to the shut door.
But the next moment, the door was pulled open; a few nurses had their heads lowered as they made their way out of the ICU.
Cyndi's and Alex's brows furrowed as they exchanged a quick glance between themselves.
Alex swallowed; slowly, he rose to his feet. His heart thumped hard against his chest.
After what felt like eternity, the doctor stepped out of the ward. He removed his mask, his gaze flickering between Cyndi and Alex.
"Doctor," Alex asked, his voice trembling. "What's the situation?"