~Zayn's POV~
He walked toward us with a slow, measured pace, his face unreadable, a mask of professional detachment that made my blood run cold.
"Mr. Smith," he began, his voice low and gravelly. He stopped a few feet away and took a deep, heavy breath, looking down at the floor for a moment before meeting my eyes again. "The surgery... it was incredibly complicated. There were several moments at the table where the situation became... critical. His vitals dropped significantly about three hours in."
I felt Evric's grip tighten on my hand. I couldn't breathe. My vision blurred as I braced myself for the words that would shatter everything we had just started to rebuild.
"The damage was extensive," the surgeon continued, his silence stretching for an agonizing beat. He closed his eyes briefly. "I'm sorry it took so long to come out and talk to you. We had to be absolutely certain before we moved him to recovery."
"Doctor, please," I murmured, my voice breaking. "Is he..."
