บท 160: This is not your fate.

Nicholas kept his eyes closed, feeling Alex's frustration. Despite the tension, he refused to waver. "Anything I do for her will never be enough to repay her kindness, Alex," he murmured weakly. "Help me arrange a nice venue for tomorrow's meeting. I don't know how much time I have left, but I want to spend some of my best moments with her."

"Don't say that." Alex's throat tightened, his voice shaking with emotions. "I'm doing everything I can to find a donor."

"I know, I know." Nicholas clasped Alex's hand, his faint smile visible even under the oxygen mask. "But don't burden yourself with guilt. If a donor isn't found, that's my fate. I've made my peace with it."

"No, this is not your fate. It can't be. I'll not let you die like this." Unable to hold back his turmoil, Alex turned abruptly and strode toward the door. But he came to an abrupt halt at the doorstep, his eyes widening in shock.