Chapter 17 - The Awakening
When Julian returned to the medical wing, Dr. Thorne was standing outside the glass doors with a chart in his hands and a massive smile on his face.
“Boss,” the doctor beamed. “Look.”
Julian rushed to the glass. Inside, Leo’s eyes were fluttering open. His cheeks, which had been ghostly white for months, had a faint, beautiful flush of pink. Luca stirred in the bed next to him, letting out a soft, sleepy groan.
The monitors beeped steadily. The alarms were silent.
“The graft was successful,” Dr. Thorne said, wiping his brow. “Their white blood cell counts are climbing rapidly. Julian… they are going to live. They are cured.”
The words hit Julian like a physical blow. The crushing weight of impending grief, the nightmare he had lived in for a year, shattered completely.
The most feared man in Chicago, the ruthless syndicate boss who had just executed a traitor without blinking, stumbled forward. His knees hit the sterile linoleum floor. He pressed his forehead against the cold glass, his broad shoulders shaking as he wept uncontrollably.
Clara knelt down beside him on the floor. She didn't say a word. She simply wrapped her arms around him, holding him as he finally allowed himself to break.
May you like
“Thank you,” Julian sobbed into her shoulder. “Thank you, Clara.”
Inside the room, Leo turned his head weakly. He looked through the glass, his eyes landing on Lily, who was sitting up in her bed, waving at him. Leo offered a small, tired smile and waved back.
