"Enough."
The voice sliced through everything.
Sharp. Final.
A doctor stood at the door, eyes sweeping over us—taking in the tension, the distance that was too close, the fight that hadn't happened… yet.
"This is a hospital," he said coldly. "Not a place for whatever this is."
Silence.
Thick.
"It's night hours," he continued. "Only one or two people are allowed to stay with the patient."
His gaze hardened.
"The rest of you—out. Now."
My brother froze. "But I—"
"You stay," the doctor said immediately. "You're family."
That left—
me.
Cheng Mo.
Li Zhen.
Three people.
One place.One decision.
The air turned suffocating.
"I'll stay," Li Zhen said first.
Calm.Certain.
At the same time—
I'm not leaving," Cheng Mo's voice cut in, low and absolute.
Of course.
Of course it would be like this.
The doctor sighed, already annoyed. "I'm not repeating myself. One more person stays. That's it. Decide."
My heartbeat slammed against my ribs.
Because I knew—
this wasn't just about staying.
This was choosing.
Choosing one of them.
"I—"
My voice shook.
Cheng Mo's hand was still around my wrist.
Warm.
Unyielding.
Li Zhen's eyes were on me.
Quiet.
Waiting.
Always waiting.
"Five seconds," the doctor warned.
Pressure closed in from all sides.
Memories.
Feelings.
Everything I didn't want to face—
right here.
Right now.
"I'll stay."
The words came suddenly.
But this time—
they came from me.
Both of them stilled.
"I'll stay with my brother," I said, forcing the words out, even as my chest tightened. "He needs me. That's all that matters."
Silence.
Then—
Cheng Mo's grip tightened—
just for a second—
before he let go.
Li Zhen didn't speak.
Didn't argue.
But something in his expression shifted.
Something unreadable.
"Good," the doctor said briskly. "The rest of you—out."
Neither of them moved at first.
Like neither was used to losing.
Then—
Cheng Mo turned.
Without a word.
Without looking back.
Li Zhen lingered.
Just for a second longer.
His gaze stayed on me—
deep.
Searching.
Almost like he wanted to say something.
But he didn't.
"Take care of yourself," he said quietly.
And then—
he left too.
The door closed.
This time—
louder.
And just like that—
the room fell silent.
Too silent.
My brother exhaled shakily. "What… was that?"
I didn't answer.
Because I was still staring at the door.
At the space they had just left behind.
At the emptiness that suddenly felt too big.Too heavy.
Because something had changed.
I could feel it.
In the way Cheng Mo didn't look back.
In the way Li Zhen didn't fight to stay.
In the way I chose.
And as the night settled in—
cold.
Unforgiving—
one thought settled deep in my chest.
This wasn't over.
No—
This was just the beginning of something far more dangerous.
Because now—
they both knew—
I could walk away.
And next time—
they wouldn't let me.