?Lennox''s POV


    ?The door to my room opened slowly.


    For a second, my heart jumped.


    I hoped it was her.


    But it was only Louis.


    He walked in quietly, his head down. He didn''t need to say anything. The silence said it all. My chest felt tight, like something heavy was pressing on it.


    "She''s noting," I whispered. It wasn''t a question.


    Louis looked at me with pain in his eyes.


    "She said she won''te into this room again," he said softly. "She said if you want to see her, you shoulde to her room yourself."


    He paused, then added, "She''s cold, Lennox. I''ve never seen her like this."


    I closed my eyes. The oxygen mask on my face felt like it was choking me.


    This was my fault.


    I had done this.


    I had pushed her again and again, thinking I was making her strong. I thought if she hated me, she would survive without me. But now that she had finally walked away, the pain was worse than anything I had imagined.


    "I asked for this," I whispered. "I pushed her so hard. I can''t be surprised she''s gone."


    "You pushed too far," Levi said from the corner. His voice was hard. "You didn''t just push her away. You destroyed the way she looked at you. You turned her love into anger. Was it worth it?"


    I didn''t answer.


    I looked down at my hands. They were thin and shaking. Tubes were connected to my arm, holding me in ce. I felt trapped in my own body.


    If I died tonight, herst memory of me would be pain. Anger. Hurt.


    Something sharp burned inside my chest.


    "Help me up," I said.


    Louis stepped closer, shocked.


    "What? Lennox, you can''t even sit up properly. Your heart—"


    "Help me up," I said again, stronger this time.


    "She said if I want to see her, I have to walk," I said. "I''m going to her."


    "You''ll copse," Levi said, rushing to my side. "You might die."


    "Then I''ll die trying," I said, my voice shaking. "Not hiding in this bed like a coward."


    I pushed the nkets away and slowly moved my legs over the edge of the bed. The room spun. My heart beat too fast. The machine beside me started beeping loudly.


    "Turn it off," I said weakly. "I don''t want to hear it."


    They helped me stand.


    Louis was on one side, Levi on the other, holding me up like my body didn''t belong to me anymore.


    My arms were over their shoulders as they half-dragged me down the hallway. My feet scraped the carpet. My chest burned. My breathing was slow and painful, like my lungs were full of sand. My heart beat wrong—too fast, then too slow—like it might stop at any moment.


    "Lennox, stop," Louis cried. His voice was shaking. "You''re turning blue. Please, let us call her back."


    "No," I breathed. The word barely came out. "She… said… walk."


    By the time we reached her door, sweat was running down my neck and my heart was mming so hard I thought it might burst. Levi raised his hand to knock for me, but I stopped him.


    "I''ll do it," I said.


    My hand trembled as I knocked.


    Once.


    Twice.


    There was silence.


    Then her voice came through the door.


    "What?"


    "It''s me," I said, swallowing hard. "Lennox."


    There was a pause.


    "Don''te in," she replied tly. "Say what you have to say from there."


    My chest tightened.


    "I understand," I whispered. "I won''te in."


    I leaned my forehead lightly against the door, closing my eyes.


    "I''m sorry, Olivia."


    The words felt smallpared to what I had done, but they were all I had.


    "I''m sorry for pushing you," I continued, my voice shaking. "For thinking pain would make you stronger. For thinking I knew what was best for you."


    My breathing came out uneven.


    "I was wrong."


    Silence.


    "I thought if you hated me, you''d survive without me," I said quietly. "I didn''t think about what it would cost you. Or what it would cost us."


    My heart ached so badly it felt physical.


    "I never meant to hurt you," I whispered. "But I did."


    Still, she didn''t answer.


    "I know sorry isn''t enough," I said. "I know I don''t deserve forgiveness. But I need you to know this—hurting you is the biggest mistake of my life."


    My voice cracked.


    "I love you. I never stopped. I don''t know how to exist without you anymore."


    There was movement behind the door.


    I straightened slightly, hope flickering in my chest.


    Then she spoke.


    "I can''t forgive you, Lennox."


    Her voice was steady. Not angry. Just tired.


    "I can''t," she repeated softly. "Not now. Maybe not ever."


    Each wordnded like a knife.


    "Olivia—"


    "No!" she choked out. "Go back to your room. I mean it. I don''t want to be the cause of your death tonight. I don''t want your blood on my hands because you decided to be a martyr onest time. Go back."


    I stood there for a second, my hand still hanging in the empty air. Then, thest of my strength simply evaporated. My legs gave outpletely.


    "Lennox!" Levi screamed as they caught me, lowering me to the floor as the darkness finally rushed in to im me.


    When I woke again, I was back in my bed.


    Voices murmured nearby.


    I forced my eyes open and saw Levi, Louis, and my specialist standing in the corner of the room.


    "We need to move him to the hospital," the specialist said quietly. "His condition is worsening. Even with intensive care, I doubt he has more than a month."


    Tears burned my eyes.


    I blinked them back—but it was toote because they noticed.


    "Lex," Levi said urgently, rushing to my side. "You''re awake."


    I forced a weak smile.


    It had been a long time since anyone had called me that.


    Slowly, I tried to sit up. My body protested, but they helped me—Louis adjusting the pillows carefully behind my back.


    I lifted a shaky hand and ran it through my hair. Arge clump came away in my fingers.


    I stared at it.


    Strands of my own hairy tangled in my palm.


    ?