Chapter 2: Oxygen and Whispers
In the back of the rushing ambulance, the rhythmic beep of the heart monitor was the only sound competing with the screaming siren outside. Oxygen hummed through the mask resting over Clara’s pale face. Ryan held her right hand tightly between both of his, feeling the cool band of her engagement ring.
""She’s suffering from mild crush syndrome and severe dehydration,"" the paramedic noted, monitoring the IV drip. ""Her leg was trapped for hours, but you lifted that beam off her fast enough to prevent total nerve death, Ryan. You saved her life.""
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Ryan didn't feel like a hero. He felt a sickening guilt knotting in his stomach. The morning before the fire, they had argued over breakfast—a silly, meaningless fight about long work hours and missed anniversaries. Clara had left for her job at the tech lab without saying goodbye.
""I'm here, baby,"" Ryan murmured, leaning down until his forehead rested against her cold knuckles. ""I'm not going anywhere.""
