My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus)

Maximus and Celeste sat in tense silence, waiting for someone to come out of the operating room. Every passing minute felt like torture— Celeste could feel her heart tightening painfully in her chest. Maximus could sense her distress. He wrapped an arm around her and said softly,

"Peter is stubborn, trust me. He's going to cling to life with everything he's got. You and his children are the reason he's going to fight from

now on."

"You really think so?"

"I don't just think so I know it."

Celeste took a deep breath, trying to believe Maximus's words. They didn't offer much comfort, but she needed something to hold on to. Then, after what felt like an eternity, the doors to the operating room finally opened. Dr. Wagner stepped out, looking completely exhausted. His face was pale, his expression weary. Both Maximus and Čeleste rushed toward him.

"Dr. Wagner, how is Peter? How did it go?"

The look on the doctor's face sent a cold shiver down Celeste's spine. Something wasn't right.

"How is he? Please, tell us! Don't keep us in suspense," Celeste begged.

Dr. Wagner sighed heavily before speaking.

"Mr. Palmer, Mrs. Palmer... The surgery was long—it lasted eight hours. We did everything we could. We were able to drain all the fluid that had accumulated in his brain..."

"But...?"

Dr. Wagner's hesitation made Celeste's stomach drop.

"Mr. Palmer... We don't know what happened. The procedure went well, but at the final stage, he lost all vital signs. He suffered two cardiac arrests. For his own safety, we had to induce a coma. Now, all we can do is wait. His brain is swollen-that was likely the cause of his persistent headaches."

Celeste's breath caught in her throat. "What does that mean, Dr. Wagner? How should we take this?"

The doctor's expression darkened. "I don't want to give you false hope. Mr. Palmer's chances of survival are very low."

The moment those words left his lips, Celeste felt a horrible sense of déjà vu. She knew this feeling too well.

As if the world had been ripped out from under her, memories flooded her mind—noveldrama

The day she first met him.

Their first night out together.

Their first dinner.

The first and last time they were truly together.

Every single moment with him replayed in her head, crashing over her like a tidal wave. And now, once again, she was facing the possibility of losing someone she loved.

She didn't want to be alone again.

She couldn't be alone again.

Her chest tightened, and then, the tears came. Bitter, uncontrollable sobs shook her body. Life couldn't be this cruel. It couldn't take someone away from her again. Not for a third time. She wouldn't survive it this time.

Maximus turned to her and immediately took a seat beside her, pulling her into his arms.

"Peter is going to be okay... We still have hope. He's not dead, Celeste. You heard the doctor-they had to put him in a coma to let the swelling go down."

"Maximus, I don't know what I'll do if he... if he..." Celeste tried to speak, but the words stuck in her throat, strangled by her sobs.

"Listen to me before anything else,

you need to think about the babies.

You can't stay here all night. I'm

calling the driver to take you home. Unfortunately, Diana isn't here fight now, but she'll understand. You need to rest."

"No!" Celeste's voice cracked as she glared at him through her tears. "I'm not leaving! Maximus, I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay here. And if-for whatever reason-I have to leave this hospital with Peter's body instead of him... then so be it. But I will not leave him alone. Do Do you understand me?"

Maximus saw the raw pain in her face, the unwavering determination in her voice.

He knew there was no convincing her.

Just as he was about to argue, Alden arrived. Exhausted from his long journey and overwhelmed by worry, he had finally succumbed to sleep earlier, but now he was awake, ready to face whatever came next.

Alden approached them, rubbing his face, still groggy from sleep.

"What's going on, Uncle? Do we have any news about my father?"

Maximus sighed and motioned for him to sit. "Alden... Sit down. The news isn't good."

Alden's heart clenched at those words.

"What happened? Tell me!"

"Your father is in a coma. They had

to induce it to allow the swelling in his brain to go down. Something went wrong during surgery, but they don't know exactly what. They've tried multiple methods to wake him up, but... he's not responding to anything."