Chapter 1009:
Corey stood at her bedside, now clad in sterile surgical garb. Behind him, two assistants meticulously prepared an array of surgical instruments.
Alicia’s stomach churned. She knew these tools well – each one was for heart surgery. Her eyes met Corey’s. Despite the gravity of the situation, her expression betrayed no fear, no shock. Her pupils dilated slightly, but she remained calm.
You’re so calm.” There was a hint of annoyance in Corey’s tone. It seems you already know what I’m going to do.”
Alicia’s demeanor was unnervingly calm, as if she weren’t the one about to be sliced open.
“Would struggling help?” Alicia’s voice was unwavering, her tone cutting. “You probably wish I’d resist, so you could take my heart without hesitation-for Gemma’s sake.”
Corey froze for a moment, her words taking him by surprise. She had known about Gemma’s critical heart condition all along. But what unsettled him even more was her complete lack of fear – her calm acceptance of what was coming. “So are you ready to save Gemma?” he asked.
Alicia let out a cold sneer. “You think I’m some kind of saint? How could you ask such a ridiculous question?”
Corey found himself amused and picked up the anesthetic. “Alicia, at times like this, you remind me of Caden – stoic, unflinching, even when staring death in the face. ‘
Corey rolled up her sleeve. The sharp needle glinted under the sterile light before piercing her vein and injecting the anesthetic.
Alicia didn’t flinch or struggle. She sat there, calm, as if the pain was irrelevant. Corey’s eyes lingered on the syringe as it emptied, his hand unusually heavy. “Tell me the truth. Are you really not afraid? Not even a little?”
Alicia’s fist clenched, her steely gaze meeting his. “Would you really let me die?
For a brief moment, Corey’s eyes flickered with hesitation. In the two years they had spent together in Xada, the three of them-Alicia, Gemma, and him-had shared a strange semblance of family. He had grown fond of the sound of their laughter echoing through the house when he returned from work. He liked how they always included him in their plans, no matter how trivial or spontaneous. He enjoyed tagging along to everyday places.
Alicia and Corey schemed against each other in quieter moments, carefully weighing pros and cons, each occasionally tempted to eliminate the other. But for Gemma’s sake, they put aside their sharp edges and guarded hearts. Together, they played their roles so convincingly – sharing meals, smiling through tensions – that eventually even Corey couldn’t tell what was real and what was an act.noveldrama
As Corey withdrew the needle, a sudden wave of powerlessness washed over him. For the first time, he felt like a child, weighed down by an unbearable guilt. His voice was rough, barely a whisper. “Alicia, Gemma’s not gonna make it.
When Gemma was first diagnosed with a malignant heart condition, Corey had no intention of involving Alicia. But when a heart transplant became Gemma’s only chance, desperation drove him to Terryland and he spared no expense to find a match. Despite his best efforts, he failed.
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