Clock Ticking !
731 Words
The rest of the night passed in a blur of polite conversations, forced smiles, and champagne toasts. Khan played her role well—too well. She laughed at the right moments, held Liam’s arm like a devoted wife, and even leaned into his touch when cameras were near.
But beneath it all, she was unraveling.
Between Harold’s threats, Mei’s condition, and Khloe’s presence, the weight on her shoulders was suffocating.
And Liam—he was watching her.
Not in the way he had at the beginning of their marriage, with distant indifference. No, now his gaze lingered. Studied.
As if he were trying to figure her out.
As if he already suspected there was something she wasn’t telling him.
By the time they returned to their penthouse, Khan felt like she could finally breathe.
She kicked off her heels the moment she stepped inside, sighing in relief. "Remind me never to wear these again."
Liam chuckled softly, tossing his jacket onto the couch. "You say that every time."
Khan rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her small smile.
But just as she turned to leave, his voice stopped her.
"Khan."
She froze, then turned back.
Liam was watching her again, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable.
"Why do you let Harold control you?"
Khan’s breath caught.
"I don’t—"
"You do." Liam took a slow step closer. "Every time he speaks, you freeze. Every time he hints at something, you panic." His voice softened. "What is he holding over you?"
Khan forced a laugh, shaking her head. "You’re imagining things, Liam."
Liam’s jaw ticked. "Am I?"
Silence stretched between them.
Khan held his gaze, willing him to drop it. To let it go.
But he didn’t.
Instead, he exhaled, shaking his head. "You’re going to have to trust me eventually, Khan."
Her heart twisted.
If only it were that simple.
But she couldn’t afford to trust him—not yet.
Because once he knew the truth, everything would change.
And she wasn’t ready for that.
So instead of answering, she turned and walked away.
Leaving Liam standing alone in the dimly lit room, suspicion still burning in his eyes.
The next morning, Khan woke to the sound of her phone vibrating.
Groggy, she reached for it, squinting at the caller ID.
Her heart nearly stopped.
The hospital.
She sat up immediately, dread coiling in her stomach.
"Hello?"
"Khan," a nurse’s voice came through the line. "You need to come quickly. It’s about Mei."
Everything inside her went cold.
"I’m on my way."
She barely registered throwing on clothes, barely heard Liam’s voice asking what was wrong.
All she knew was that she needed to get to the hospital.
Fast.
The drive felt endless, even though Liam had insisted on taking her himself. He didn’t ask questions—he didn’t need to. One look at her pale face, at the way her hands trembled in her lap, and he had simply grabbed the keys and guided her to the car.
Now, as they pulled up to the hospital, Khan bolted out before the engine even stopped.
She raced through the halls, ignoring the curious stares of nurses and patients, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps.
Finally, she reached Mei’s room.
And what she saw made her heart shatter.
Mei was awake, but her skin was even paler than before, her breathing labored. The oxygen mask pressed against her face, and dark circles surrounded her exhausted eyes.
"Khan," she croaked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Khan rushed to her side, grabbing her hand. "I’m here. I’m right here."
A doctor stood beside the bed, his expression grim.
"The treatment isn’t working as well as we’d hoped," he explained gently. "Her body isn’t responding like we wanted."
Khan’s stomach twisted. "What… what does that mean?"
The doctor sighed. "It means we need to look at other options. A more aggressive approach." He hesitated. "But it’s expensive."
Khan swallowed hard. She didn’t even need to ask how much. She already knew it would be far beyond what she could afford.
She felt Liam step up beside her, his presence solid and grounding. But she couldn’t look at him.
Because if she did, she knew she’d break.
She needed more time.
More time to save Mei.
More time before everything fell apart.
But time was running out.
Faster than she had ever imagined.
- Writer
