?Chapter 688:

    Elliana drew the medication into the syringe with steady hands, though her heart trembled beneath the surface. Slowly, she walked to the bedside. With delicate fingers, she eased down the cor of Cole’s shirt, revealing his shoulder. She hesitated only for a breath before pressing the needle into his skin.

    Once it was done, she rebuttoned his shirt with quiet care. The drug began to work almost immediately. Cole’s body grew heavy beneath its weight. He struggled to keep his eyes open, his thoughts clouding, slow and muddled. He fought against…

    The pull was relentless, and despite his struggle, Cole couldn’t hold onto the moment—onto Elliana. The tide was too strong.

    Just before sleep imed him, he turned his head slightly, fingers clutching Elliana’s hand with sudden urgency. His voice was barely a whisper, thick with fear and longing. “Elliana, don’t leave me.”

    Elliana sat down beside him, squeezing his hand firmly in return. “I won’t,” she said, her voice low but resolute. “I’ll stay right here, watching over you. I swear, the first face you’ll see when you open your eyes will be mine.”

    A faint smile ghosted across his lips. And then—he was gone, drifting into unconsciousness.

    But within his mind, the true battle had just begun. A war of memory and identity raged in a ce no one else could reach. If he could endure it and win, he would return as the man he was. But if he faltered, someone else would rise in his ce. A new Cole, a stranger wearing a familiar face.

    Elliana sat in silence, watching the stillness of his form. Then the tears came. She had kept them at bay for days, locking away her self-me, dread, and concern behind a mask of resolve. She hadn’t allowed herself to break—not when Cole needed her to be strong.

    But now, with Cole unaware, herposure shattered. She wept. Because if he came back as a stranger—if the Cole she knew was lost—she would be the one to me. She would be the one who unraveled the love they had built. The one who, despite every intention to save him, had lost the man who loved her most.

    Despite all the preparations Elliana had made for any unexpected situations before giving Cole the third injection, none of them were needed. Cole had slept peacefully for three days without any additional symptoms.

    Aside from regrly providing Cole with nutritional fluids and constantly monitoring his condition, Elliana had nothing to worry about.

    Cole’s vital signs remained steady, his pulse strong, and his heartbeat regr. Every indicator pointed to steady progress. This made Elliana’s spirits soar, and both Ruben and Jarrett wore smiles of genuine relief.

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    Elliana understood it was Cole’s iron will that pulled him through. He refused to let go of his memories, so he was fighting tenaciously in his slumber. The strength of the human spirit was not to be underestimated. One could even escape the grip of death with strong willpower. If Cole demonstrated enough mental determination, he might be able to resist the drug’s effects on his memories.

    By the third day of Cole’s slumber, his skin looked healthier and his color had returned.

    Elliana performed a thorough check and confirmed he was out of danger. After three tense days, she finally let herself rx. Turning to Ruben and Jarrett, she shared the good news.

    “Cole is in the clear now. We just need to wait for him to wake up. Thank you both for staying by his side every hour. Please, go and get some rest. I’ll stay here with him.”

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