Chapter 6

Months later, Sarah, the woman I'd saved, finally passed away.

Complications arose so suddenly; by the time they were discovered, it was too late for treatment.

I remember that day vividly. Cassandra knelt by Sarah's hospital bed, gripping her hand. "I'm so sorry, Sarah," she whispered, "I failed to protect you."

After that, she started having sleepless nights. Sometimes she'd wake up in a cold sweat, clinging to me tightly.

"If only we'd caught the complications sooner," she'd say, her eyes cold. "If only I could've saved her faster."

I thought she was consumed by self-blame, but I missed the simmering resentment in her eyes when she looked at me.

In her mind, if my resurrection ability could have been deployed more 'efficiently,' Sarah might still be alive.

Days turned into weeks.

I began having frequent nightmares, dreaming of Sarah standing by her hospital bed, accusing me: "Why didn't you save me sooner?"

Cassandra would hold me when I woke up with a gasp, whispering reassurances.

But her kisses felt hollow, missing the warmth they once held.

Then came our wedding anniversary.

I'd just finished setting the dinner table when the emergency call came in.

A massive landslide in the mountains. Julian, leading the advance team, was trapped.

We rushed to the hospital.

The doctor's words were grim: "Extensive internal organ damage. An immediate organ transplant is essential."

I watched Cassandra's hands tremble, yet her eyes were eerily calm.

She turned to me, her gaze something I'd never seen before.

In that moment, I finally understood the reason for her recent strange behavior.

But it was too late.

"I'm sorry," she said.

As the anesthetic needle pierced my neck, I saw a flicker of tears in her eyes.

"You said you couldn't die," her voice was barely a whisper. "Julian's different. He can't survive a second time."

As I was wheeled into the operating room, I heard her instructing the doctors: "Take his heart first."

The instant the scalpel cut into my flesh, I remembered something Sarah once told me: "Cassandra is fiercely loyal, but once she's set her mind on something, she becomes absolutely unwavering."

The truth was, ever since Sarah's death, Cassandra had been figuring out how to exploit my resurrection ability.

She'd been waiting for an opportunity, waiting for a reason that could justify it to herself.

And Julian, he was the perfect reason.

The surgery was a success.

My soul floated in the hospital corridor, watching two figures being wheeled out of the operating rooms.

One was Julian, his heartbeat steady. The other was me, my body hollowed out.

"Julian's going to be okay," a nurse whispered. "The transplanted organ is in perfect condition."

Cassandra let out a shaky breath, her eyes red-rimmed.

She held Julian's hand, staying by his side all night.

I floated beside her, watching her tuck him in. Her hands were gentle, as if she was afraid to hurt him.

Afterward, she stood facing the window for a long time.

"You've suffered so much," she murmured, her voice a raw whisper.

Who was she talking to?

After I'd died once to save Sarah, she'd also watched over me like this, saying those very same words.

But now, the body they wheeled into the temporary holding room had no heart left at all.

"Cassandra," the on-duty nurse called out, "What about Leo's remains?"