Rick and Carlo, finally satisfied with their torture session, forcefully returned me to the wheelchair and wheeled me to the sick bay. They callously threw me onto the floor in front of the horrified nurses. Among them was Lana, her face pale and filled with terror.

In a loud voice, Rick addressed everyone present, proclaiming: "Take this as a lesson to all of you. No one can resist us. No one can defy us. No matter how strong or stubborn you may be, you will end up like him. A broken puppet and an empty shell." He laughed wickedly and departed with Carlo, leaving me lying on the cold floor.

However, a few moments after their departure, something unexpected occurred.

I heard Lana scream my name and rush towards me. She enveloped me in her arms, burying her face in my chest. Her sobs were uncontrollable, and her tears soaked my shirt. Why was she crying? Hadn't Ryuji informed her that I was fine? Was this all part of an act? If so, she was an incredibly convincing actress.

But no, her tears were genuine. Her emotions were real. She held onto me tightly, as if afraid to let go. She gently shook me, as if trying to wake me up. Her cries echoed loudly, as if hoping to reach me. She was genuinely concerned about my well-being. She cared about me.

That damn Ryuji. He must have kept her in the dark, reveling in his foolish games and pranks. He must have found amusement in seeing her suffer, unaware of what was happening to me. He must have thought it was amusing, making her wait and wonder. I swear, I'm going to punch him so hard that he'll see stars.

After ten minutes of Lana's tearful clinging, three nurses approached and lifted me. They placed me back in the wheelchair and transported me to a bed, granting us some privacy. Lana never left my side for a moment. She stayed close, holding my hand and gently stroking my hair. She whispered in my ear: "How could you do this to me, you idiot? Didn't you promise to stay with me forever? Didn't you promise to repay your debt to me? I was waiting for the day we would escape from here together. I wanted you to meet my family and tell you that I... that I..."

I knew what Lana wanted to say, even though she couldn't finish her sentence. I could sense how she felt about me, just like I knew how the twins felt about me. I wasn't oblivious or stupid, but this wasn't the time or place for such discussions.

Tenderly, I touched her cheek and wiped away her tears. Looking into her eyes, I offered a faint smile. It wasn't that I didn't care about her and the twins or that I didn't share their feelings; it was simply that, at this moment, I had other priorities.

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Despite my hands being on Lana's cheeks, she still hadn't noticed my actions. However, after a few minutes of constant sobbing, Lana stopped and looked at me. She saw me smiling while caressing her cheek and was momentarily flabbergasted. Then, as though a realization hit her, she jumped up and was about to scream. But before she could make a sound, I placed my hand on her mouth and signaled for her to be quiet.

Understanding my actions, Lana sat down and looked into my eyes as if trying to gauge the reality of my existence. I smiled at her adorable-looking face, and before she could even say a thing, I started: "Lana, I know what you are going through right now. However, I had nothing to do with it. I clearly thought that Ryuji would come and tell you that I was okay and also tell you about what he had seen. However, it seems that he wanted to enjoy your reaction when you saw me in this state. So, if you want to blame someone for all the things that happened, blame Ryuji. And well, as the saying goes, revenge is a dish best-served cold. If I were you, I would use a metallic tray or a metallic bat and whack the shit out of him."

Lana, realizing that I was all right and that my condition was not at all urgent, and that I had heard all that she said and seen all that she did, had a blush creeping on her face, probably from embarrassment and anger. She then proceeded to leave while picking up a metal tray from the dresser next to my bed.

She looked at me, smiled, and said: "I'll be back. Just wait for me."

It shouldn't be necessary to describe to you what happened next. However, for the curious people out there, all I can tell you is that Ryuji was heard screaming and running for his life for the next 30 minutes while being smacked silly by the metal tray.

Having vented her anger and embarrassment on Ryuji, Lana returned with a smile on her face and a distorted metal tray. She then proceeded to sit right next to me and said in a whisper: "I'm glad you are all right, Xeno. I truly am. I am so happy right now that I think I will burst from all the emotions I'm feeling. However, there is something bothering me. When I saw you being taken out of the drug production lab, you were like an empty husk, a lifeless puppet. Like you were on the verge of death. Were you also acting at that time?"

I shook my head sideways, indicating that I was not acting.

I then proceeded to get my face closer to Lana and whispered in her ear: "It's a long story, but if you're willing to hear it, I will be more than happy to tell you."

I could see Lana blushing when I got closer to whisper in her ear, however, I did not care. You might ask where did I get this sudden courage to act like that with women? Well, my answer is simple.

When I was in the cold and dark embrace of death, and while I was slowly slipping away and drowning in the abyss, I had an epiphany of sorts. If I had another chance, I would act differently: I would be braver, more courageous and aggressive, more ruthless, and more caring and gentler than I was ever before.

With that in mind, I looked at Lana straight in the eyes, and when I saw her nod indicating her acceptance to hear my story, I went on telling it.