Countdown to "I Do" novel Chapter 19

**Midnight Roads Unseen by George Orwell**

**Chapter 19**

“That’s utterly impossible. Isabella’s kidney was never meant to belong to Ella. Even if it cannot be reattached, it must be returned to Isabella so she can decide its fate.”

“This matter is not open for debate,” Adrian replied, his tone slicing through the air with an unyielding finality.

Julian was momentarily struck dumb, a wave of disbelief washing over him. He had never anticipated that Adrian could exhibit such coldness once he severed ties with someone he once cared for.

Yet, as he stood there, Julian felt a sense of helplessness. There was no way he could sway Adrian’s resolute stance.

After what felt like an eternity of silence, Julian let out a heavy sigh, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. “Very well, I’ll arrange for the tests to be conducted at the earliest. But what about Ella after the surgery?”

Adrian waved his hand dismissively, as if brushing away a pesky fly. “For the time being, keep her alive with an artificial kidney. Once she has apologized to Isabella, let her fend for herself.”

With that, he turned on his heel and strode out of the hospital, leaving behind a trail of indifference that enveloped Ella like a shroud.

From this moment forward, he resolved that Ella would no longer be a part of his life.

The act of severing this relationship felt surprisingly effortless, far more so than he had imagined it would be.

Yet, beneath the surface, his heart throbbed with a dull ache, a persistent reminder of the pain he had endured.

Adrian pressed his palm firmly against his chest, feeling the tightness constricting his breath.

But this discomfort paled in comparison to the torment he had inflicted upon Isabella.

He was the architect of her suffering—the one who had coerced her into terminating her pregnancy, the one who had tainted her milk with drugs before her kidney was excised, and even during the harrowing time of her kidnapping, he had been the one to thrust her into peril.

He had caused her pain countless times, and the weight of his actions bore heavily on his conscience.

He truly recognized the depth of his wrongdoings, and he felt a profound regret that gnawed at him relentlessly.

What would it take for her to find it in her heart to forgive him?

—

Without even realizing it, Adrian found himself standing before the high school he had once attended, memories flooding back like a tide.

Adrian racked his brain, struggling to unearth a memory that felt distant and murky.

During their high school days, he, Isabella, and Ella had been the triumvirate of popularity, their names whispered in admiration.

They had grown up together, childhood sweethearts intertwined in a complicated web of emotions. Yet, his heart had always been fixated on Ella, leaving little room for him to acknowledge Isabella’s presence.

He recalled a day when his friends had discovered the tree, where “Isabella likes Adrian” had been etched into the bark. They had teased him relentlessly, claiming he was fortunate to have two girls vying for his affection.

At the time, he had responded coolly, “I have no need for insignificant people fawning over me. As it happens, Isabella is one of them.”

—

Only now did Adrian grasp the depth of his past actions. Isabella had likely overheard that careless remark, which had driven her to withdraw, concealing her feelings out of fear of disturbing him.

If Ella hadn’t walked away from him five years ago, he might have remained oblivious to the fact that while he was enamored with Ella, Isabella had quietly harbored feelings for him all along.

But now, the words she had carved into that tree had vanished, leaving behind a haunting emptiness.