The Kiss that Sparked it All

Balfour tried not to let it bother him, but he couldn’t help noticing how quickly Mara’s mood had shifted. At the end of the day, as long as she was willing to listen, that was all that mattered.

When Mara returned, she plopped down right next to Balfour. He frowned instinctively; he wasn’t used to sitting this close to a stranger. Yet there was little he could do with Victoria, who was fast asleep with her head resting on his shoulder, leaving him pinned in place.

So there he sat, enduring the discomfort.

Mara caught his reaction and her lips curled into a subtle smirk. She knew all along that Balfour’s earlier words were hinting at something. Text © by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

Seeing her take the seat next to him, even his posture stiffened. Did he really feel the need to show off in front of her?

But today had been a whirlwind of chaos, and realizing Balfour’s feelings was the single silver lining amid the turmoil for Mara.

As the minutes ticked by, the ominous red light of the emergency room remained lit, and even Balfour started to grow anxious. Despite his maturity beyond his years, he was still a boy who hadn’t reached adulthood.

It was because of him they had ended up in this mess. The thought made his brow furrow even deeper. He too was praying for Elton to make it out okay. But as time dragged on, he knew the chances were slim.

“Please, let my dad be okay,” Mara muttered under her breath, gnawing nervously at her thumb.

“Dad, you have to make it. You’ve got to keep hanging out with us,” she repeated in he heart, willing to trade years of Victoria’s life for her father’s safe return.

Unfortunately, fate often has other plans.

When the doctor emerged with a defeated look, even Balfour sensed the bad news.

“Doctor?” Victoria’s voice trembled, and Balfour had to support her as she approached.

And then there was Mara, clinging to his arm as if they were old friends, drawing closer to him in her desperation.

“Doctor, is my dad okay? You’ve been working so long. He’s got to be alright now, right?”

The doctor struggled to find the words to break the harsh reality to these kids, who were too young to face such a tragedy. Meeting their expectant gazes, he could only shake his head, his voice heavy with regret.

“I’m so sorry. Your father sustained severe injuries. By the time he was brought in, it was already critical. We did everything we could, even managed to relieve the pressure from a brain hemorrhage, but… he’s on life support and it’s unlikely he’ll wake up. He’s what we would call a vegetable.”

After delivering the news, a nurse wheeled out Elton.

Victoria and Mara were still reeling from the shock.

Mara lunged at the doctor, grabbing him by the collar, her voice frantic. “What are you saying? Are you kidding me? My dad was fine when he got here, so how can you say he won’t wake up after all this time? Did you even try to save him? Or are you just not good enough? Get me another doctor. It must be your incompetence that’s done this. My dad can’t be gone. You’re lying!”

The doctor, understanding her grief, tried to be patient with her. He had other surgeries to attend to, and he was only here today on an emergency call, out of respect for Alyssa.