"But look at you now. Look at what your life has become. Even I never gave up on living, and I was never the strong one. How could you just lose your will to live?"
"Do you think dying will just end it all? Do you think it's an escape?"
"I'm telling you, it won't. If you actually die, I will never, ever truly forgive you..."
Bonnie spoke brokenly for a long time, her vision blurring with unshed tears. She didn't know if Lawrence could actually hear a word she was saying, but before she came in, the doctors had mentioned that a patient's will to live could sometimes be triggered by the person they wanted to see most.
It felt like a desperate final play. All Bonnie could do was keep talking, hoping the harsh words would somehow stimulate his mind.
But visiting hours were strictly limited. Ten minutes vanished in the blink of an eye.
Bonnie gently lifted his hand and carefully placed it back on the mattress. As she stood up, Lawrence remained exactly as he was. Aside from the shallow rise and fall of his chest beneath the electrodes, there was zero sign of life.
The heavy doors of the ICU slid open, signaling it was time for her to leave.
The room instantly fell silent once more. On the monitor, a few numbers quietly shifted, and Lawrence's fingers gave a faint, involuntary twitch.
After stripping off the sterile gown and stepping out into the hall, Bonnie's chest felt incredibly heavy, as if a boulder were crushing her lungs.
Odette and Carl were waiting anxiously outside. When they saw her emerge, a fragile glimmer of hope sparked in their eyes. Bonnie slowly shook her head. "He didn't react. Whether he pulls through... that's entirely up to him now."
"Thank you." Odette grabbed her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. "Our entire family failed you. I am so, so sorry. I truly appreciate you coming. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Bonnie didn't say anything, simply guiding Odette to sit down on a nearby bench. Odette's health had been deteriorating rapidly, the stress of dealing with her two children eating away at her.
But more than anything, it was the guilt.


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