nda

as a medical monitor, an insistent reminder that I was alive, but barely. My ey

ck with relief, cut through the quiet. He was the

t through my right arm. It was encased in a hea

nitors. "Mr. Kane, please give he

d. Are you in pain? The doctors said your arm was... shattered. And there was

ed the voices from the rooftop, the chilling revelation of

on my IV pump. "This will help w

edication kicked in. The edges of the world softened.

g my left hand, his thumb stroking my knuckles. The touch, once so comforting, now felt alien

' ll make everything right. I don' t know what happened,

lumes. His face fell. He looked hurt, confused. But there was no anger. Just a prof

for you is guilt. A formality. A habit. And in that moment, I accepted it. There was a strang

a tear of pain, or even anger. It was a tear of loss. For the girl I us

ain, his face a contorted mask of distress.

tation crossing his face. He silenced it, but it buzzed again almost immediately. Then agai

I told you I' d call you back. I' m with Amanda right now." There was a pause, then h

dull ache. My mentor, Professor Davies, walked in then, her f

e you feeling?" she a

sor," I managed

turbing messages on his computer, targeting you, but also... another student. Jenna Christian. It seems he developed an unhea

"karma transfer" ag

esitated. "It seems some of your fellow students are questioning the originality of yo

o steal my career too. A bitter laugh escaped me. "Does it matter, Professor?" I asked

ficial-looking letter. "The École de la Chambre Syndicale in Paris. They' ve confirmed your acceptance to their scholarship program. And they' ve been in touch. The

My future. It wasn' t a dream anymo

nd so do I." She smiled, a genuine, warm smi

ragile but real, flickered within me

e. He saw the letter in Professor Davies' hand, then

ng anywhere. You' re hurt. You need to recover here. With me." He turned to Professor Davies,

this is Amanda' s decision. And it' s a remark

gaze frantic, darting between me and the professor.

the sudden possessiveness, it was all too lat

frown on her face. "Oh, Benjamin. It seems Jenna Christian is looking for yo

? What happened?" All thoughts of me, of Paris, of our shattered past, vanished fr

pulling out his phone, already calling Jenna. His foot

self had described, blindly running towards the woman who would ruin him, leaving me to fac