As the moments stretched into what felt like an eternity, Sharon held Ella’s hand tightly, trying to anchor her. She could feel the warmth of Ella’s skin fading, and with each passing second, the guilt threatened to consume her completely. How had it come to this?
“Sharon…” Ella whispered, her voice barely audible. “I can’t… I can’t keep fighting. I feel so tired.”
“No, Ella! You have to fight,” Sharon urged, her voice trembling with desperation. “You have so much to live for. You’re going to be a mother. You’re going to be okay. Just hold on a little longer.”
But as she spoke, Sharon couldn’t shake the feeling that her words were empty promises. The reality of what she had done hung heavily in the air, suffocating any hope she tried to cling to. She had betrayed Ella’s trust, and now,
