Oliver's POV
The silence in the medical suite was no longer empty; it was heavy with the weight of my confession. I had expected relief, perhaps even a smile, but as I looked down at Aurora, I saw a flicker of something that looked like true, agonizing pain.
"An act?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the rhythmic pulse of the heart monitor. She pulled back slightly, her eyes searching mine with raw intensity. "Oliver, you had no idea... you have no idea what I went through. The fear. The pain of losing you... it felt like a dagger was being twisted in my chest. I felt small. I felt like a disposable human whose only purpose was to be a secret in the dark."
