Chapter 19 - Doctor Maren Delivers a Stark and Brutal Warning
The following morning, while Sarah and Lily were out in the gardens picking wild roses, Dr. Maren pulled Adrian aside.
They stood on the secluded stone balcony overlooking the Hudson River as crisp autumn winds swept across the water.
“I need to tell you something that isn't in the medical pamphlets, Adrian,” Dr. Maren said with a grim expression.
“Spill it, Doctor. I don't scare easily,” Adrian replied, leaning his forearms against the cold stone railing.
“Your heart didn't just fail because of genetics; the adrenaline overload from your lifestyle accelerates the tissue breakdown,” she stated.
“Even with the defibrillator and strict medication, you are living on borrowed time. Maybe five years. Maybe ten.”
Adrian looked out across the glittering river toward the Manhattan skyline where his empire had been forged in blood.
“I spent three years hiding from death while being already dead inside,” Adrian murmured calmly.
“Now I have a family worth staying alive for, and I will take every single extra day science can buy me.”
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Dr. Maren nodded with deep respect, realizing that the formidable mafia boss possessed a willpower stronger than his own biology.
***
