Time was running out; he had to move fast. This was a conversation that couldn''t happen over the phone. He had to speak to She in person.


    "I''ming with you. We''ll go together," Vince said.


    Timothy raised an eyebrow. "You just got off a long flight. You should rest first."


    "It''s fine. I''ll sleep on the ne."


    During the drive, Timothy was almostpletely silent. He knew what he was about to face, what consequences would follow.


    Vince wanted to say something but didn''t know how. It wasn''t until they were on the ne that he finally took a deep breath and spoke.


    "Timothy, when you go to She and ask her to donate part of her liver for Jessica... have you considered that she might have conditions?"


    The nature of those conditions was an unspoken understanding between them.


    "I have."


    "And what have you decided?"


    Timothy was silent for a moment before answering. "I''ll agree to any condition."


    With that, he closed his eyes and leaned back against his seat, clearly unwilling to continue the conversation.


    Vince''s brow furrowed, his heart heavy.


    More than ten hourster, theynded. As they walked through the airport, Timothy said, "Can I see her? Just for a moment."


    He missed her desperately.


    "Even if she''s asleep. I just want to see her, and then I''ll leave."


    Vince agreed. For the past month, Timothy had known Jessica was alive but had made no move to disturb her or search for her. Vince knew that Timothy had finally understood.


    It was only now that Vince realized


    what had truly made Timothy let go. It wasn''t Jessica''s supposed death but the discovery yofher cancer. Timothy had found the diagnosis at home by chance, and the two events coincided, making him finally understand just how desperately she wanted to leave him.


    Since he had decided to let her go, Vince saw no reason to refuse.


    They had boarded the ne in the morning and arrived in the afternoon. It would take several more hours to reach Herbert research facility. By the time they arrived, the sky was pitch-ck.


    As they got closer, Timothy could feel Jessica''s presence nearby, and the desperate


    urge to see her swelled in his chest like a tidal wave.


    Vince had already walked several paces ahead before he noticed Timothy had stopped. He turned back. "Timothy, what are you doing? Let''s go."


    Timothy''s feet felt like lead.


    A crushing weight settled on his chest. He was ashamed to face her.


    Seeing him still frozen in ce, Vince walked back to him. "What''s wrong? Are you changing your mind?"


    He had to go in. He had to see her, just once. He needed to know how she was doing.


    Finally, Timothy moved.


    When they got upstairs, they ran into Herbert at the top of the stairs, who looked exhausted. Timothy gave him a polite nod, all traces of his former hostility gone. Herbert''s toward Timothy had always stemmed from how Timothy had wronged Jessica, not from any


    animosity..


    personal jealousy.


    Knowing Timothy was there to see her, Herbert said, “Come on, I''ll get you a sterile gown."


    Once Timothy was changed, Herbert led him to Jessica''s room and opened the door. "Go on in."


    The room was filled with the rhythmic beeping of medical equipment and the sharp, overwhelming scent of disinfectant. It was deathly quiet.


    Timothy walked in, his steps heavy.