Hospital.

Henry Carter stood there, totally stumped as the doctor asked him questions. He had no clue.

Lowering his gaze, he looked at the unconscious woman lying in bed. Her pale face was drained of color, and her brows were tightly furrowed, like she was caught in some awful nightmare.

He dug through her pocket and pulled out a phone-battery long dead. After charging it up and powering it on, he finally found an emergency contact.

A guy, from the name.

Henry walked to the window and made the call, but it just kept ringing. No one picked up.

Meanwhile, over in another hospital wing-

Theodore was sitting by Isabella's bedside. The IV drip was almost finished when the attending doctor came in, looking pretty grim.

"You're family?" the doctor asked. "Can I speak with you outside for a moment? There's something about her condition we need to go over."

As Theodore started to rise, Isabella reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Just say it here, doctor."

She figured, at worst, the doctor would say she's a bit weak and needs rest. This was the perfect moment to push Theodore into giving her a proper title.

But the doctor didn't beat around the bush. "Based on the scans, it looks like early-stage breast cancer. Of course, we need further tests to get a clearer picture. I suggest we admit her first, then plan treatment accordingly."

"W-what?"

Isabella was completely blindsided.

She'd just soaked in cold water for a bit-how did it turn into cancer?

Even Theodore was caught off guard, staring at her with a dark, unreadable expression.

He hadn't noticed anything was wrong with her all this time... and now this.

Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

He glanced at the caller ID-Victoria. Without thinking, he ended the call and stepped around the bed.

"We'll do the admission now. Please go ahead and arrange the next steps."

After the doctor left, Theodore turned around to see Isabella sitting on the bed with her hands covering her face. She looked so fragile it hurt to look at her.

He walked over slowly, still shaken by the news himself.

"You'll get through this. I'll be right here with you," he said, his voice unusually soft as he rested his hand on her shoulder and gave her a light pat.

Isabella leaned into him, putting her face against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

"I'm okay, Theo. You don't have to worry about me."

Her forced calm only made Theodore frown. He wrapped his arms around her in return.

"I won't let anything happen to you."

"As long as you're here with me, that's enough," she whispered, sounding like she might pass out any second.

Theodore didn't reply. He just stared out the window at the budding leaves, thoughts already drifting far away.

Her quiet dependence only made him ache more.

At that moment, Victoria's unanswered call didn't even cross his mind.

Compared to a life, nothing else mattered.

But as soon as Theodore left to process the admission paperwork, Isabella's gentle mask crumbled.

She grabbed a pillow and hurled it onto the floor, then buried her hands in her hair in frustration.

How could it be cancer? Why her of all people?Just when she thought she'd finally surpassed Victoria and was about to step into the dream life as Theodore's woman, the universe just had to mess with her?

At the nurses' station, a few young nurses were whispering among themselves.

"Room 703, right? That girl must be Isabella. I've seen her movies before-she's seriously so pretty in real life. Even without makeup, her skin is flawless. And the guy taking care of her? Total heartthrob. Must be her boyfriend, right?"

"I bet it's her brother. I haven't heard of her dating anyone. But that face and those proportions? Way too good to be true."

They were clearly all fangirling when, out of nowhere, a tall, ridiculously good-looking man walked up to them.

Henry cut straight to the point, not at all interested in their gossip. "Hey, is there anywhere nearby I can grab some food?"

The doctor had said Victoria was seriously malnourished and dehydrated-that she needed to eat something decent once she woke up.

He'd already spent much more time here than he'd planned, but somehow, sticking around a little longer didn't seem like a big deal anymore.

Henry couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Normally, he'd never get involved in something like this. He hated trouble.

But now...

One of the nurses, cheeks turning pink under Henry's gaze-those sharp brows and intense eyes were no joke-quickly pointed him in the direction of a nearby spot.

"Thanks."

Henry gave a polite nod and turned to leave, just as a quiet squeal came from behind him.

He glanced over his shoulder and spotted a man in all black stepping out of one of the doctors' offices. The lighting hit just right-the guy's side profile looked like it had been chiseled by an artist.

Henry paused mid-step. That guy looked familiar.

He was about to go over, but then Theodore turned the corner and disappeared from view.

Henry ended up buying some light, bland food and headed back to the room. He figured he'd try messaging Victoria's emergency contact again with an update.

Just as he pulled out his phone, a soft, choked sound came from the bed.

Victoria stirred, her head shifting from side to side, forehead slick with sweat.

Henry set his phone down and walked over. He leaned in, hand reaching to wipe her brow.

In the dark haze of her mind, Victoria thought she heard a faint voice-someone calling her name again and again.

She couldn't tell who it was, or where it was coming from.

Then, a sudden flash of white light-she blinked open her eyes slowly.

Her vision was blurry, but the person standing in front of her...

"Elijah..."

Her voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper. She tried moving her fingers, but her whole body felt like lead. No strength left at all.

"Elijah, is that really you?"

She had no clue if this was a dream or reality. Her eyes locked onto the man in front of her as tears welled up and spilled over without warning.

Henry froze.

Who's Elijah?

He opened his mouth to explain, but the way she was looking at him-those red-rimmed eyes, the fragile hope on her face-it hit him hard. Like someone had punched him square in the chest.

And just like that, his resolve crumbled.

The words stuck in his throat. He couldn't move.

For a second, all he wanted was to know everything about this woman.

Victoria slowly reached out, her pinky hooking around his. "Am I dreaming, Elijah..."

She didn't dare blink. What if she closed her eyes and he disappeared?

But the haze in her vision started to clear, and when her eyes finally focused...

She realized he wasn't Elijah.

Even though something about their facial features felt oddly familiar-he wasn't him.

"You... you're-"

Victoria blinked, scanning the room before her gaze landed on the unfamiliar man. She couldn't help but look at him again.

Even just a hint of Elijah in him felt like a lifeline tossed into the abyss she was drowning in.

Henry adjusted her bed with practiced ease, then offered her a warm glass of water with quiet care.

"Drink a little first. I was just visiting a grave when I saw you passed out. Called an ambulance and brought you here."

"I see... Thank you," she replied softly, wrapping both hands around the cup. The warmth seeped into her palms, easing a bit of the chill inside.

Almost absentmindedly, she bit the rim of the glass, eyes flicking around in search of her phone. Henry caught on instantly.

"Your phone's dead. I've already plugged it in. Tried calling your emergency contact too, but no one picked up."

That "emergency contact" was Theodore.

They were divorced now-he couldn't even pick up a call anymore?

The thought twisted something in her chest. She lowered her head, staring into the cup like she could find some answer in it.

The irony stung-hospitalized, and the only person by her side was a complete stranger.

Noticing the shift in her mood, Henry cleared his throat lightly, probably trying to distract her.

"I just realized I've been talking a while and didn't even introduce myself. I'm Henry Carter."

She hesitated a second before lifting her hand. Her slim fingers grazed his rough, dry palm. When their gazes met, her dark eyes were deep and focused, and for a moment, Henry felt his heartbeat stumble.

"Victoria Ellis."

"You kept whispering a name while you were out... was that your boyfriend?"

The name Elijah flashed in her mind, and her gaze fell again. She shook her head slowly. That kind of love-gentle, wholehearted-there might never be a second person like that in her life.

So she didn't have a boyfriend... Henry was oddly relieved, which caught him off guard. He barely knew her. Why did he care?

"The doctor said you're really weak. I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I just bought some simple food. Hope it's okay."

Victoria stared at his profile, slightly dazed.

He really did look like him.

She wasn't the type to believe in fate, not with her job. But right now, she couldn't help it.

Maybe Elijah, watching from up there, saw how hard she was struggling... and sent someone like Henry into her life?

Henry brought over a bowl of milky oatmeal, simple and soft. She didn't even notice-gazing at something only she could see. His hand shook unexpectedly, and some of it sloshed over the edge.

"Sorry, I'll clean this up," he said quickly, patting the stain on his shirt with an embarrassed smile before heading out.

Alone again, Victoria's eyes settled on her phone.

Days had gone by. Not a single missed call.

She wondered-if she disappeared today, would anyone even notice?

Pulling the IV from her hand, she grabbed a coat and slipped it over her shoulders, walking out of the room without hesitation.

She couldn't waste any more time.

She had to find out what really happened to Gina. Who set her up? Who buried her in that mess?

But she hadn't made it far when her vision started spinning.

No food, plus the rain from before-it was a miracle the IV even helped as much as it did.

She pressed a palm to the wall to steady herself, her strength fading fast.

"Victoria!"When Henry came back to the room, it was already empty. Only the IV line was still swaying by the bed, like it had just been yanked free.

Noticing that her shoes were still by the bed, Henry's chest tightened. Fearing something might've happened, he rushed out right away.

Luckily, not too far down the hallway, he spotted that familiar slim figure.

"You shouldn't be out of bed yet-the doctor said you need rest. And look at you, no shoes? You're already so fragile, what if you get sick again?"

As he spoke, Henry crouched slightly, about to lift her up.

Victoria quickly waved her hands, stopping his, her raspy voice hoarse. "No need."

Really, whether someone cares or not... it's all in the little things.

The first thing Henry noticed was whether she had shoes on.

That one line of concern-it yanked her straight back to a memory years ago. Back when she was overseas with Elijah.

He used to say the same kind of things.

In the end, Victoria didn't insist. Letting him help her up, they slowly made their way toward her room.

Henry frowned, clearly anxious she'd get sick again. He crouched in front of her. "Here, get on. I'll carry you."

"It's not far... I'll manage," she mumbled. She wasn't that delicate-plus, they'd only just met, not exactly on carrying terms.

But Henry didn't budge. He even reached for her hands. "Just listen, yeah?"

"Victoria?"

A female voice rang from not far behind.

She turned her head instinctively.

What she didn't expect, was to see Isabella and Theodore-together, in this hospital of all places.

So this whole time, the reason Theodore hadn't picked up her calls... hadn't even checked in on her, was because he'd been with Isabella?

A crushing weight slammed into her chest, taking her breath away.

The smell of disinfectant filled the air, nurses and doctors walked past, but the four of them just froze there, like time had stopped.

It was awkward. More than that, it was suffocating.

Henry slowly straightened up, eyes zeroing in on the man and woman standing arm-in-arm in the distance.

He recognized the guy. This was the one the nurses had been gossiping about earlier.

So they knew each other?

Theodore's brow furrowed. Victoria's in the hospital?

But then his eyes landed on Henry's face... and he stiffened slightly.

Elijah?

He blinked hard. No. Similar features, sure, but not the same guy.

Then his gaze slid down to Victoria's hand, clutching Henry's arm-and his lips twisted into a cold, mocking smile.

Elijah was gone, huh? So she just found a lookalike?

Guess she really hasn't moved on.

"Are you kidding me, Victoria? What kind of game is this? All this chaos-just because of some guy? You actually dragged yourself into a hospital bed to prove a point?"

"What did you just say?" Her voice trembled, eyes wide with disbelief.

Not even one question.

Just straight-up judgement.

So that's how deep his prejudice ran.

Theodore slipped one hand into his pocket, smirking. "Am I wrong?"

"She doesn't actually love you," he snapped at Henry. "You're just a stand-in. Don't fall for her act."

Even if Henry didn't fully get their history, he knew enough to step in. He glanced at Victoria, who looked like she might collapse any second.

"She's a patient. Watch your mouth," he said sharply, planting himself between them.

Victoria looked at the side of his face-it was so familiar it ached.

But in that moment, the ice around her heart began to thaw, just a little.

She gritted her teeth, stepped forward, and tugged Henry's sleeve.

"Go ahead, twist it however you like. People see only what they want to see," she said coolly.

Hearing that, Theodore's face turned completely dark, his eyes locked on Victoria with a stormy glare.

So now she's got someone backing her up, even the way she talks has changed?

"Victoria, say that again."

Just as it looked like he was about to storm over, Isabella quickly grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Victoria, are you okay? Why are you here too? Are you sick?"

Victoria didn't even glance at her fake concern. Without a word, she turned and headed straight for her room.

Yeah, she really didn't need to stick around and watch her ex live out his fairytale with his 'one and only'.

Henry watched Victoria's lonely back as she walked away, then turned to give Theodore a glance filled with unspoken meaning.

Something told him there was way more going on between those two than either was letting on.

But he was smart enough not to poke around. Better stay out of it.

Once Victoria and Henry disappeared down the hallway, Isabella finally looked back at Theodore.

She suddenly wasn't so sure of herself anymore.

Theodore never wore his emotions on his sleeve, but the way he just snapped at Victoria? That wasn't nothing.

"Theo, Victoria didn't look so great just now... Should we maybe check in on her?"

She asked carefully.

But Theodore's voice was cold.

"What's there to check?"

"Let me help you back to your room."

Hearing that, the tension in Isabella's chest finally eased. Maybe she really was overthinking it. If Theodore had been that quick to divorce Victoria, then she shouldn't have to worry.

So what if Victoria was sick?

Even if she didn't have much time left, Isabella was still determined to make every minute count-and she wasn't going to waste the chance to hit Victoria where it hurt.

In the hospital room.

Victoria glanced at Henry, who looked like he had something to say but hesitated. She took a sip of water.

"Thanks for taking care of me these past couple of days. I shouldn't take up any more of your time."

The message couldn't be clearer-time to leave. They barely knew each other anyway. Even if he looked like Elijah, Victoria knew deep down-he wasn't him.

She had to let the past go, no matter how hard it was.

Henry slipped his hands in his pockets and stepped forward. "That guy just now, your ex?"

Victoria met his gaze, the flicker in her eyes betraying emotions she couldn't quite hide.

Not just an ex. He was her ex-husband, too.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry. It just seemed like... something was off between you two."

Victoria shook her head. She really didn't feel like explaining anything right now.

But Henry didn't leave. Instead, he pulled up a chair and sat down beside her. "I've got nothing urgent to do. It's kinda fate we met, right? Mind if I stay with you for a bit?"

She didn't say anything more. Just pulled the blanket up and laid down, her back facing him.

The room went quiet.

At some point, she fell asleep.

Maybe it was because of Henry's presence... but for the first time in a while, she dreamed of Elijah again.

In the dream, he hadn't started chemotherapy yet. He still looked the same-kind and warm.

He stood in the sunlight smiling at her, just like old times. "Victoria, make sure you take care of yourself."

"Elijah..."

When she opened her eyes, the IV had already been removed from her arm. Night had fallen outside the window-she hadn't realized she'd been asleep that long.

Slowly propping herself up on the bed, her head still a little foggy, she sat for a moment in silence.

Just then, the door opened and Henry walked in.

Their eyes met-both caught off guard for a split second.Victoria hadn't expected him to still be there.

For a brief second, in the quiet loneliness of her heart, a strange warmth crept in.

She quickly snapped out of it and reached for her cup, but in her haste, almost knocked it over.

"Careful."

Henry instinctively reached out to steady the cup but ended up grabbing her hand instead. The cup clattered to the floor, water splashing onto his pant leg.

The two of them froze, an awkward silence settling in the air.

At the same time, Theodore, after much hesitation, stood right outside Victoria's hospital room.

Through the window, he saw their hands... together.

His brows furrowed instantly.

Something in his chest was starting to boil-something he didn't quite want to name, but it was loud enough to drown out rational thought.

His fingers tightened around the doorknob, but he didn't push it open. Instead, he stood there, eyes locked on their hands like they were glued together.

"Sir, are you a relative of the patient?"

The sudden voice of a nurse startled Victoria. She immediately pulled her hand back from Henry's, her cheeks turning a faint red as she shifted her gaze to the side with a couple soft coughs, trying to compose herself.

And just like that, as she looked away, her eyes met his-dark, intense, and impossible to ignore.

She was momentarily thrown off, her breath catching in her throat.

The nurse stepped in, holding a thermometer, glanced at it casually, and said, "You're looking much better than earlier. Don't forget to eat on time, okay? You're young, take care of yourself."

Victoria didn't answer. Honestly, the nurse's words went in one ear and right out the other.

Her full attention was on the man at the door. Meanwhile, Henry, acting every bit the considerate partner, spoke up on her behalf, his tone gentle and a little too familiar.

As the nurse walked out with the tray, she couldn't help but glance back at the three of them-good-looking people, sure, but the vibe? Off.

"Is there something you want?"

Henry's voice broke the silence, cold and even, as if the incident earlier that day with Theodore meant nothing.

"No offense, but she needs rest."

Henry was usually warm and accommodating around Victoria, so his sudden change of tone caught her slightly off guard.

Theodore stood under the soft hallway light, one hand in his pocket, the other still clenched from earlier. The warm glow edged his figure in gold, but his expression was unreadable.

Still, Victoria felt a strange chill crawl up her back.

"You seriously don't have anything to say to me?"

Theodore stepped closer, slow and measured, like he already knew the answer.

Victoria's hand clenched the sheet under the covers.

After half a minute of tense silence, she let out a low laugh and shot back, "It's late. Why aren't you off with Isabella? What exactly are you doing here?"

"Just wanted to see what brilliant moves landed you back in the hospital."

Even he didn't know why he'd said that.

He'd literally read her medical file earlier-knew she was admitted for severe malnutrition.

He came here planning to check on her. Show a little concern maybe. But the words that came out? Pure sarcasm.

Too late to take it back now, and no way he was going to show weakness with another man in the room.

"Appreciate the concern, but maybe save that for Miss Waters."

Victoria barely got the words out when a woman in a white dress showed up in the doorway. With hair that long and dark, all she needed was red lipstick to give anyone a proper scare.