Chapter 21
“As a reward for your successful performance in a concert hall that could fit ten thousand people today, I got you a gift I know you’ll love.”
Connor smiled warmly as he pulled out a small box from behind the couch. There seemed to be some movement coming from its contents.
“Open it and see for yourself,” Connor urged.
Holly untied the ribbon gently, and just as she did, a soft “meow” could be heard. A snow- white kitten leaped out from the box.
Tears instantly welled up in her eyes. It was such a wonderful feeling! It felt like someone had cared and loved her enough to remember every wish she had and every little thing she liked.
A seaside cabin, an adorable kitten, violin performances, and a fulfilling life… Every dream was coming true, one by one.
As Holly saw how the kitten rubbed its head against her palm affectionately, her heart melted. She hugged it tightly and couldn’t bear to let
- go.
“It stole your heart that easily? If this keeps up, I’m going to be dethroned,” Connor remarked with slight jealousy while ruffling the kitten’s head.
“You’re even jealous of a cat?” Holly rose on tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.
“That’s better,” Connor said smugly, tilting his chin up.
“I’m naming it Princess. Let’s take good care of it together,” Holly said joyfully.
“Then, I’ll have two princesses from now on.” Connor pulled both Holly and the cat into his arms, feeling as though he had everything he ever wanted in this whole world.
They went to a well–known pizzeria nearby. By the time they made their way home, the sky was completely dark.
Holly, who couldn’t see well at night, was about to cross the street when a truck suddenly sped out of the shadows, barreling toward the roadside at breakneck speed.
It was so fast that she didn’t even have time to dodge. She could only watch in horror as the out–of–control truck hurtled toward her.
At the very last second, a powerful force shoved her hard toward the sidewalk.
Then, there was a bang.
With a heavy thud, Connor was flung more than ten feet through the air. He came to a stop near the corner of a gas station.
Holly witnessed the man she loved take the blow for her. The sheer brutality of the scene made her knees buckle. She collapsed to the ground. Even the kitten in the carrier seemed to sense something as it let out anxious, distressed cries.
She tried to stand, but her legs refused to move. She could only crawl toward him, inch by agonizing inch. The short distance between them felt longer than a lifetime. Her arms and knees were scraped raw, but she finally made it to his side to pull him into her arms.
Connor was covered in wounds. Shards from the truck’s shattered front end had pierced his abdomen. It was hard to even tell which parts of his body remained intact. He had fallen into a deep coma, yet his body convulsed in violent coughing
making him vomit mouthfuls of blood.
“You have to hold on, Connor… Please…” Holly trembled all over, sobbing and gasping. She tried desperately to stop the bleeding with her hands.
Bystanders who had witnessed the entire scene were stunned. Someone quickly called for emergency services, and a few burly men rushed to the truck to drag the driver out and punch him repeatedly for his reckless driving.
But the driver was clearly not in the right state of mind. He swayed unsteadily, unable to on his feet. His eyes were sunken, and his body was emaciated to the point that he looked like a skeleton.
He stared around blankly, grinning and muttering to himself. He reeked of a foul stench, too. “He’s on drugs!” someone shouted with certainty.
Holly glared hatefully at the man lost in his own delusion. The happiness she had worked so. hard to build had been destroyed in an instant. This time, she wouldn’t let it go.
The ambulance arrived quickly. The doctors carefully lifted Connor onto a stretcher while the nurses set up all the emergency equipment and placed an oxygen mask on him. They began monitoring his heart rate.
After a quick assessment, the doctor sighed and shook his head. “The situation is extremely critical. Family members, please be mentally prepared for the worst.”
Holly’s heart plummeted to the depths. Her vision went dark, and it felt like countless hands were tearing her apart. Her tears streamed down without restraint.
She even began to wonder if she wasn’t meant to be loved. Why did the people who truly cared for her have to suffer such fates?
The siren of the ambulance pierced through the night like a death knell, stabbing into her heart with every wail. Holly stared blankly at the bloody stretcher, not even realizing when they arrived at the hospital.
All she heard were the doctors urgently clearing the way, calling for every available trauma and emergency surgeon to gather at once. They carefully transferred Connor to a mobile bed
Rower 20
and rushed him into surgery.
Holly curled up as she waited in despair at the operating room doors. She sat still, afraid of
sing any news.
Her own wounds, which had gone untreated, were now inflamed and swollen. Every movement sent waves of pain through her body. Her skin was torn and bloody–it was a horrifying sight.
But she felt nothing.
Even when a kind nurse approached to treat her injuries, she shook her head blankly and refused to move from her spot.
Across the hallway, another surgery had also ended. In less than 30 minutes, it was over. The doctor removed his mask and sighed heavily. The person wheeled out had a white sheet covering their entire body. They were already gone.
The heart–wrenching cries of the person’s family echoed through the hospital. Their anguished sobs weighed on Holly’s soul. A deep, gnawing fear was devouring her sanity. She covered her ears, clinging to one final hope and praying with all her might that fate would show mercy to Connor.
