“The sorrow we feel when we lose a loved one is the price we pay to have had them in our lives.”

Tony Johnson has said that “Life is precious because you can't watch it again. You can believe in an afterlife if that makes you feel better. That doesn't mean it's true. But once you realize you're not going to be around forever, that's what makes life so magical. One day you'll eat your last meal, smell your last flower, hug your friend for the very last time. You might not know it's the last time, so that's why you should do everything you love with passion, you know? Treasure the few years you've got because that's all there is.”

That's what's happening to her. She is fighting between life and death, still knowing that she may lose, but she doesn't want to give up. She wants to live for her family, for her best friend and

How can she leave this amazing life unwilling when she has everyone and everything? Everyone is thinking that she is just lying on that hospital bed unconsciously with a hope that she may wake up soon, but none of them knows that she is fighting the biggest war of her life.

But suddenly, she finds her somewhere else. She slowly looks around the beauty of that place. Lacy white-edged clouds roll in over the blue sky, their centres are as deep as any shoreline rock. Above those tangerine mountains, kissed to their heady blush by the sun, are clouds that moved in shoals. And so the sky is equal parts blue and a chorus of grey, streaked with silvers and golds. Brilliant sunlight shines amid infinite hues of white, the clouds ruffling in ripples as if it is some divine wedding dress.

“Where am I?” She thinks of herself with widened eyes.

“You are in heaven, my child…” someone's divine and beautiful echoes the whole place.

“Heaven…” She says in a shocking tone, making that divine personality laugh.

“Yes, my child.” That voice says, but Avery is still confused about where this voice is coming from.

“But how? Who are you? I can't be here. That accident-”

“—you have completed your human life.” Avery gulps slowly at those words. It can't be. This can't be her end.

“I want to go back to my normal life.” She says, closing her eyes slowly as a single drop of tear falls from her eyes.

“Are you sure? Is that what you want? Because you are a good person. If you live here in this beautiful place, then you won't get any obstacles in your human life. No anger. No stress. No fear. No sadness. Only happiness.” That voice says calmly, making Avery think deeply.

He is somewhat right. That normal life was just outdated and full of obstacles for her, but suddenly, she gets a glimpse of something in front of her eyes.

There is a happy couple in front of her eyes. The man has brunette hair with beautiful grey eyes. He is a drop-dead gorgeous man. Then, she looks at a woman who is with him. That woman is really beautiful with blond hair and dark eyes. She is absolutely beautiful as a goddess. Both of these are snuggling into each other on their bed with a child lying peacefully between them, but something stings Avery's eyes.

The man who is laughing and caressing that woman's cheek is familiar to her. Then, she gets a glimpse of another thing. The same guy is sitting beside a grave. He is murmuring something with his teary eyes.

“Principessa, Why did you leave me?” That guy says, making Avery startled.
That nickname…

That gorgeous face comes into her mind again. She remembers him correctly. It is Elijah. Then, she remembers that couple scene and hurt and anger surrounds her eyes.

Elijah is with another woman, and they have a baby together…

She breaks down. She doesn't understand why she is feeling like this. it is like someone has ripped out her heart from her chest. She doesn't want to feel like this, but why is she feeling like this?

“Please… Please… stop this… stop this!” every sob, cobbler eyes with her hands. “I don't want to feel these filthy emotions…”

“Are you still ready to live in this beautiful place forever?” the divine voice asks suddenly, making her snap out of her thoughts.

She gulps slowly inside her throat, but she wants to know why she is feeling this. why can't she bear this pain and anger inside her? moreover, why is she feeling something for him?

“Don't you remember me, principessa?” another voice comes into her ears, but it is of him. his softly spoken voice which makes her forget everything.

Something strikes her mind unconsciously. this name, this voice, and those grey eyes which she always found very familiar have made her think deeply.

Has she ever met him in her past?

Another glimpse comes in front of her eyes. She is with the maxim, who is forcing himself on her when she was in her late teenage years. then, that mystery man comes and saves her. She wants to see the face of his saviour. Then, she remembers that beautiful face. hypnotizing grey eyes, soft and messy brunette hair with a chiselled jaw and hard-muscled body.

How can she forget it? His saviour had those facial features, which Elijah has. his grey eyes and that brunette hair is almost to Elijah. Now, she knows why she always feels a somewhat familiar but good feeling around Elijah.

She always feels safe with Elijah just because he was her saviour in that dreadful moment of her past. now, she starts cursing herself.

How can she be this foolish and dumb? How can she forget about her saviour? But she is somewhat happy.

She had found her mystery man...

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Elijah's POV

Doctors have started to perform surgery on Avery. They have been in the surgery room for a very long time, and here we are, wandering around this hallway in stress and anxiety.

I hope that she will make out from there…

Jacob and Amelia are sitting in the corner with their red and puffy eyes. They must have not eaten anything. Thinking of this, I go to the cafeteria and bring two sandwiches and coffees for them.

I take my steps towards them and put my hand on Jacob's shoulder. “Please have this, Jacob…” I say, handing him a sandwich and coffee. “You must've not eaten anything since your arrival. It's already been hours. Please eat it. Avery wouldn't want to see you in this condition.”

“You too, Amelia,” I say, glancing in Amelia's direction. “For the sake of your daughter, please eat this sandwich and coffee.”

“When our daughter is struggling there in the surgery room, how can we eat or drink anything? Thanks, Elijah, but-”

“—No, buts. You need to eat or drink something not only for your health but also for Avery.” I declare, cutting them off.

“Elijah is right, Amelia and Jacob. Please eat something.” Dalton says suddenly, making his steps towards Amelia and Jacob.

“Avery loves both of you too much, and it will hurt her more than this surgery that you are not eating something for your health.” He takes the packet of sandwiches and coffee from it and gives it to Jacob.

“Please…” I say lastly, looking at him with my puppy face which Dad used to teach me in my childhood when I needed any favour from anyone.

He sighs deeply, and then says, “Fine… but I must say both of you are stubborn as hell, and my daughter is lucky to have both of you in her life.” A smile comes over his face.

What Jacob said was right!

I'm lucky enough to have this incredible woman in my life, and I can't wait to make her mine officially this time. Yes, officially. I've decided that as soon as Avery will be perfectly fine, I would try to confess my feelings to her. I'll win her heart… If she needs some time from me, then I'll give some time, as long as she is not going away from me.

She needs to stay. No matter how hard it is to be with me. I want her just to stay. I need her. She has taken all my fears and reduced them to one: losing her.

It's already been seven hours since Avery's arrival in this hospital. Her surgery has been going on for four hours.

“Eli…” Lara comes towards me and sits beside me. “I know it's tough for you, but I know that Avery won't give up. She is a strong woman just like our mom. So, have some faith in her and think positively. She will be out of this dreadful hospital in a happy state.”

“I hope that is true, Lara, because I can't bear to lose her again. You know it's already tough for me to be so close to her, but don't hold her in my arms and cherish her. Only I know how I control these overflowing emotions inside me.” I sob as Lara pulls me into her arms.

“Shush! Don't you dare to cry! You are the to-be-very-soon leader of our Italian Mafia. Our people won't like to see their king cry and mostly Avery. I'm also a woman. So, I know that she feels something for you. She also won't like to see you cry.” She says, placing a soft kiss on my forehead.

Suddenly, The surgery room in which Avery was kept open slightly. All of us stand up from our place with hope, but only one of the nurses of the hospital comes out.

“Excuse me. Is she fine?” I ask, looking at her curiously. “Is surgery finished now? Can I see her?”

“I'm sorry, Sir, but surgery is still going on, and I'm just going to take some medications for surgery.” Saying this, she rushes towards the end of the hallway.

After some time, that nurse comes with a huge packet in her hand, and goes into the surgery room, closing it from inside.

At this unexpected moment, my phone rings. I take out my phone and check the Caller ID. It's mom.

“Hello, Mom,” I say, as soon as I pick up the call.

“Hello, Elijah. I came to know about Avery's condition from Cole. Is she fine?”

“I don't know, Mom. When she arrived at the hospital, she was really in critical condition, and now doctors are performing surgery on her.”

“Everything will be fine, Elijah. My gut feeling is telling me that she will wake up.”

“I hope so too, Mom…”

“Should I and your dad come there? We don't want to leave you there all by yourself.”

“No, Mom. It's fine. Lara, Dalton and Avery's parents are already here.”

“Ok, take care. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Saying this, I hang up the call.

I shift my gaze towards the surgery room's door again. Fuck! I don't think that I can keep sitting here, and staring at this fucking door. The door opened slightly again, making me widen my eyes. All doctors come out of the room attired in their scrubs. One of them takes out his mask and comes towards us.

We also stand up from our place, in the hope that he has good news.

“Doctor, Is she fine? Can we meet her?” Dalton asks them curiously, wiping his tears from his face.

“Surgery has become successful. We didn't hope that but…” His face falls in disappointment.

“But?”

“When surgery went successful, it was all good, but suddenly her heart started beating slower. We used biventricular pacemakers and cardiac loop recorders to make her heart beat faster, but all of it went into vain…” He says, as his eyes fall on the floor.

“Please don't tell me…” I say, trying to stop my tears.

“We are sorry, but Miss Bennett passed away ten minutes ago…”

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No comments! But who is ready for Avery's funeral?

Also, my updates will always be on Monday and Thursday. So, wait until Thursday to find what happens next!