25 Good as Dead

There wasn't a single moment that the Doctors took a break. One after the other, they rushed in. They cranked the machines so high that the air might as well have crackled.

And by some god forbidden miracle, Roselia's pulse flickered.

Once.

Twice.

Cruden remained calm. He kept his attention focused. He kept his eyes forward. 

Beep…

Beep.

Beep!

And when the heart lines fluctuated again, almost all of the hospital staff wept tears of relief.

"Dr. Vanessa, we did it!" 

Even Noah gasped and started to pray to the Moon Goddess. Kallum scowled, as if losing his entire fortune in a stupid bet.

Cruden remained unfazed. 'As expected of my wife,' he said to Tobias. 'I knew she'd make it out alive.'

'So why are your hands shaking?' Tobias retorted.

Cruden crossed his arms, concealing the whitening of his knuckles, and the tremor of his fingers.