Chapter 3: The Weight of a Secret
She looked so fragile. Elena, the woman who used to dance in the rain and dream of painting the world, was now swallowed by the stark white hospital bed. Her dark hair was thinned, her skin translucent, but as her eyes fluttered open and landed on Arthur, they held the same fierce, stubborn warmth he remembered.
""I told you... not to bother him, little bird,"" Elena rasped, offering a weak smile to Mia.
Arthur fell to his knees beside the bed, uncaring about his ruined tuxedo. ""Why, Elena? Why did you disappear?""
Elena reached out, her trembling fingers brushing his cheek. ""You were building an empire, Arthur. The investors wanted a man with zero liabilities. The day I found out I was pregnant... was the day I got my diagnosis. A genetic heart condition. Slowly failing.""
Tears streamed down Arthur's face. ""I would have given it all up. The company, the money, everything. You knew that.""
""I know,"" she whispered, a tear slipping down her own pale cheek. ""That’s exactly why I had to leave. I couldn't let my dying heart stop yours from beating. I wanted you to fly.""
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