Twilight of Shadows | LingOrm (GxG)

TWENTY SEVEN

Lada stepped into the first-class hospital room, the sterile scent of antiseptic and the soft hum of medical machines filled the space. The sunlight filtering through the curtains bathed the room in a golden hue, illuminating Earn's still form. The sight of her, so peaceful yet so vulnerable, made Lada's heart ache with a depth of longing and fear she hadn't felt before.

She walked slowly to Earn's bedside, each step measured as if she were afraid to disturb the fragile equilibrium between life and the void. Gently, she reached out and touched Earn's hand. It is cold but still warm enough to remind her that Earn is alive. That small mercy was everything, but not enough-Lada needed Earn to wake up, to smile, to speak.

Sinking into the chair beside the bed, Lada's gaze was fixed on Earn's face. She memorized every feature-the curve of her lips, the line of her jaw, the way her eyelashes rested against her pale skin. It was achingly familiar and painfully different. She could touch her, but the distance felt like an eternity.

"Earn," Lada whispered, her voice barely audible but filled with all the love she had kept inside for so long. "I'm here. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere. Please, please come back to me. We've been through so much, and I know you're tired, but you have to fight. I need you to wake up. Narin needs you. We need you."

The room remained silent except for the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor. Lada clutched Earn's hand, intertwining their fingers and resting their joined hands over her heart, as if that connection alone could bridge the distance between them.

"I'm so sorry," Lada continued, her voice breaking with emotion. "I'm sorry for everything. For not being there when you needed me, for not knowing, for not protecting you like I should have. But I'm here now, and I won't leave you again. I promise you that. You're not alone, Earn. You never were."

Lada carefully adjusted the blanket around Earn, her hands trembling. The softness of the fabric felt insignificant compared to the enormity of her love and the pain of seeing Earn so still.

Taking a shuddering breath, Lada leaned forward, resting her forehead against their clasped hands. Tears streamed down her cheeks, mingling with her whispered words. "Earn, I love you more than words can ever express. I've loved you through every moment we've shared, and I've missed you more than you can imagine these past two years."

She closed her eyes tightly, trying to steady her voice through her sobs. "I know I hurt you. I was afraid you'd leave if you knew who I truly was. But now I see how foolish that fear was. I lost you anyway, and my heart has ached every day since. I'm so sorry for the pain I caused you, for not being honest, for not fighting for us when I should have."

Tears fell more freely now, her words flowing from the depths of her heart. "I'm terrified of living in a world where you're not by my side. Please, come back to us. Let me show you how much I love you, how much I've missed you. I want to make things right, to be with you, to hold you close and never let go."

She rested her forehead against their hands once more, her heart breaking with every beat. "Please, Earn," she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath. "Come back to me. I need you more than ever. I'll wait for you, as long as it takes, because I know that without you, my heart will never be whole."

In the quiet of the room, with only the soft hum of the machines as company, Lada remained there, her heart aching with hope and desperation, praying that her love could bridge the chasm between them and bring Earn back to the life they once shared.

•••

The door creaked open. Lada stiffened but didn't turn.

Paew stepped inside, her face drawn with grief, but her eyes-those cold, piercing eyes-were filled with something else. It wasn't just sadness; it was resentment, the kind that had been festering for years. Lada could feel the weight of her gaze like a physical blow.