Sophie Evans
"Lucas needs you.”
That was all Benita had told me over the phone.
She never mentioned that the accident was ghastly. No one prepared me for the devastating reality that he was not only in a coma but also in desperate need of a transplant.
I stood frozen in the hospital hallway, my mind spinning with disbelief. My heart pounded erratically in my chest as I turned to Benita, my voice barely above a whisper.
"How long has he been like this?"
Her lips trembled, and she wiped her tear-streaked face before responding. "A little over a week now."
I gasped, my stomach twisting painfully.
"A week?" My voice cracked with a mix of shock and anger. "You mean to tell me my brother has been lying in a coma for over a week, and I had no idea?"
Benita lowered her gaze, guilt flashing across her face. "I tried to reach you, Sophie. I really did. But your number kept going straight to voicemail. I didn’t know how else to contact you. It wasn’t until yesterday that I managed to get in touch."
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms.
I couldn’t blame her. This was on me.
Lucas and I barely spoke anymore. Not because we didn’t love each other, but because I had distanced myself. Every time I picked up the phone to call him, I hesitated. I let days turn into weeks, and weeks into months.
And the reason?
Liam Devereux.
They used to be friends. Lucas was the one who told me Liam was back in New York.
He was the one who insisted I come home, saying things were different now. But I didn’t want to hear it. I wanted to leave that part of my life buried in the past.
And because of that, I failed my brother.
A sob tore from my lips, and Benita immediately wrapped her arms around me. I buried my face in her shoulder, shaking uncontrollably.
"I'm so sorry, Sophie," she whispered. "I know this is a lot to take in."
She pointed toward Lucas hospital room.
"He's in there," she said softly.
I stiffened. My legs refused to move. I wasn’t ready. I didn’t want to see him like that.
Benita noticed my hesitation and took my hand, gently guiding me forward.
"Come," she urged. "You need to see him."
I forced my feet to move, one step at a time, until we reached the door. Benita pushed it open, and my breath hitched at the sight before me.
Lucas laid motionless on the hospital bed, surrounded by an array of machines. Wires were attached to his body, a ventilator covering his nose and mouth. His skin was deathly pale, almost unrecognizable.
I felt my knees buckle.
If Benita hadn’t been holding onto me, I would have collapsed.
Tears blurred my vision as I staggered toward him, my hands trembling. "Lucas…"
He didn’t respond. He didn’t move. He was just… there. Silent. Unaware of my presence.
The beeping monitors were the only indication that he was still alive.
I reached for his hand, gripping it tightly. It was cold. Too cold.
A sharp cry escaped my throat, and I pressed my forehead against our intertwined fingers. "I’m so sorry," I whispered, my voice breaking. "I should have been here."
Benita sniffled beside me. "I thought he would wake up in a few days," she murmured. "I really did. I spent everything I had on his medical bills, but you heard the doctor…" She trailed off, biting her lip. "That if he doesn’t get the transplant soon, his survival will depend entirely on the grace of God."
I turned away from Lucas and exhaled shakily. I had been saving for years to open a bookshop in London. It had been my dream. My escape. But none of that mattered anymore.
If my brother needed money, I would give it all.
Benita seemed to sense my thoughts because she quickly said, "I’ll go ask the doctor right now for the cost."
I nodded, unable to form a response.
As soon as she left, I sat down beside Lucas and took his hand again. My eyes wandered over his still features, my heart aching.
"You have to fight, Luca," I whispered. "You hear me? You have to wake up. I can’t lose you too."
***
The minutes felt like hours before Benita returned. The moment I saw her face, my stomach twisted into knots. Her skin was ashen. Her lips quivered.
I stood abruptly. "What is it?"
She swallowed hard. "The cost… Sophie, it’s…" She whispered the number, and my entire body went numb. My jaw dropped and my vision blurred.
Five hundred thousand dollars. It was more money than I had ever seen in my life. Before I could react, the television in the corner of the room caught my attention.
A familiar voice echoed through the screen.
I turned slowly, my breath catching in my throat.
Liam Devereux.
There he was, standing in front of a crowd of reporters, wearing an expensive suit, his expression unreadable. His name flashed across the bottom of the screen as the news anchor spoke excitedly.
"…billion-dollar project expected to be the largest real estate expansion in New York history. Liam Devereux, CEO of Devereux Enterprises, shared his vision for the company’s future earlier today…"
The camera zoomed in on his face as he spoke about wealth, power, and success. I felt the first tear slide down my cheek. Then another. Eventually, I broke down completely.