Aria’s POV
I kept pacing the hallway. The surgery was taking too long. The sterile white walls seemed to close in on me, and the sharp scent of disinfectant made my stomach churn. Every passing minute felt like an eternity, each second stretching into agonizing uncertainty. My hands trembled as I clasped them together, trying to steady myself, but the fear clawing at my chest wouldn’t let go.
“God, please restore my mom,” I whispered, my hands clasped together, so tightly my knuckles turned white. “Please don’t take her from me. Not now. Not like this.”
My mind raced with worst-case scenarios. What if she didn’t make it? What if I’d waited too long to get her help? The guilt gnawed at me, relentless and cruel. She was all I had left in this world, and the thought of losing her made it h
