chapter 10
1277 Words
Chapter 10 – The Promise
Adrian’s POV
The morning light slipped through the curtains like golden threads, falling across Elena’s hair where it spilled over the pillow. She was still asleep, her face relaxed in the rare peace of dreams. I lay beside her, silent, not daring to move. For a moment, she looked untouchable, timeless—like the illness hadn’t touched her, like she was just my Elena, the girl who stole my heart without even trying.
But my chest tightened with the memory of last night. The way her body had trembled in my arms, the fear that clawed at me when she nearly fainted. I couldn’t forget it. Every second since, my mind had been repeating the same thought: I can’t lose her. I won’t.
I brushed a loose strand of hair from her cheek, my fingers trembling. “You’re too fragile, Elena,” I whispered under my breath, “but you’re mine. And I’ll fight for you, no matter what.”
She stirred, her lashes fluttering open. A sleepy smile spread across her lips. “You’re watching me again,” she murmured, her voice husky with sleep.
I smiled faintly. “Guilty. But how could I not?”
She reached up, her fingers brushing against my jaw. “You’re impossible, Adrian. Normal people don’t wake up just to stare at someone.”
“Then it’s good I’m not normal,” I teased softly. “Besides, you’re worth breaking every rule.”
She laughed faintly, then coughed—a small, sharp sound that instantly killed my smile. I straightened, worry flooding my face. “Elena?”
She waved a hand. “It’s fine. Just a tickle.” But her pale face betrayed her.
I caught her hand, holding it tightly. “Stop hiding it from me. Every time you pretend, it feels like you’re slipping further away.”
Her eyes softened. She squeezed my hand back. “Adrian… if I tell you every time I feel weak, we’ll spend our days counting coughs and heartbeats instead of living.”
I shook my head. “That’s not living, Elena. That’s dying in silence. I won’t let that happen.”
Elena’s POV
The way he looked at me broke my heart—like I was both a treasure and a tragedy. His hands were warm around mine, his voice almost desperate. He didn’t understand that sometimes I needed to laugh, to breathe without fear, to pretend.
So I teased him. “So what are you then? My overprotective doctor who never went to medical school?”
That earned me the smile I wanted. “Exactly. And probably the best one you’ll ever have.”
I giggled, though deep inside, pain was twisting through me. I hated that I was the reason for the shadows under his eyes, the tension in his shoulders. I hated that every kiss, every laugh, came with the ghost of goodbye.
But I couldn’t tell him that. Not yet.
Adrian’s POV
Over breakfast, I watched her push food around her plate. She was trying to hide her lack of appetite, but I noticed everything.
“Elena,” I said softly. “You need to eat.”
She rolled her eyes playfully. “Since when did scrambled eggs become medicine?”
“Since you became my patient.”
She gave me a look, half stern, half amused. “Adrian, I’m not your project. You can’t fix me.”
I leaned forward, my voice low, firm. “I don’t want to fix you. I just want you here. With me. For as long as I can steal from this world.”
Her lips parted, and for a second, her eyes glistened. But she quickly looked away, forcing a smile. “Then make me live today. Not tomorrow, not next year. Just today.”
Her words struck me like a blade. She was already preparing for an end I refused to accept.
Later That Day
I couldn’t let her sink into that quiet acceptance. I needed to give her moments worth holding onto.
“Elena,” I said suddenly, taking her hand. “Come with me. Somewhere special.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Special? Where? Another one of your surprises?”
“Yes,” I said simply. “But this one is different.”
She hesitated. “Adrian, I don’t have the energy for—”
“You don’t have to,” I cut in gently. “Just trust me.”
Her sigh was soft, but her smile gave her away. “Fine. But only because you look like a little boy begging for candy.”
Elena’s POV
He drove us out of the city, past familiar streets, until the landscape turned greener. My curiosity grew with every turn. Finally, he pulled up in front of an old library—grand, stone walls covered in ivy, like something pulled out of a fairytale.
“Adrian…” I breathed, my heart warming. “How did you—?”
He grinned. “I remember you once said you loved the smell of old books. So, I thought… why not take you to the oldest one around?”
My chest tightened with both joy and ache. He remembered everything I ever said, even the little things.
Inside, it was like stepping into another world. Tall shelves, wooden ladders, sunlight spilling through stained-glass windows. I reached out, running my fingers across the spines of forgotten stories.
Adrian stayed close, his hand brushing mine as we walked. “Do you like it?”
“I love it,” I whispered.
He leaned down, his lips near my ear. “Good. Because seeing you smile like that—it’s all I ever want.”
Adrian’s POV
Her laughter echoed softly in the quiet halls. For a while, I could almost forget the shadows hanging over us. Almost.
But then she stumbled, her hand tightening on a shelf for balance. I rushed to her side instantly.
“Elena!”
She gave me a shaky smile. “I’m fine. Just dizzy.”
I caught her before she could protest further, lifting her into my arms. “Fine? You call this fine?”
People turned to stare, but I didn’t care. She buried her face against my chest, whispering, “Adrian, put me down, people are looking—”
“Let them,” I growled. “You’re all I see.”
She was so light in my arms it terrified me.
Elena’s POV
His heartbeat thundered under my ear as he carried me outside. I should have laughed, but tears burned in my eyes. I didn’t want him to see.
“Adrian,” I whispered. “You can’t fight everything. Some battles aren’t meant to be won.”
He stopped walking, tightening his grip on me. His voice was fierce, almost breaking. “Then I’ll fight anyway. Even if I lose. I’ll fight for you until my last breath.”
The world blurred around me, and in that moment, I realized—he wasn’t just loving me. He was saving me in ways no medicine could.
Later That Night
I pretended to sleep as he tucked me into bed. His hand lingered on my forehead, his lips brushing against my temple.
Then I heard him step into the hallway, his voice low, urgent, on the phone.
“Yes… I don’t care what it costs. I need the best specialist. She can’t just fade away. Please—help me save her.”
My heart clenched. Tears slipped silently down my face.
He was fighting for me with everything he had. And all I could think was—what if love wasn’t enough?
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