Algorithm of the Heart
Autor: Mira Thornvale© WebNovel
Capítulo 1: Chapter 1 – Shattered Lights
Evelyn Lin pressed her forehead against the cool glass of the oncology ward’s window, the neon city lights below blurring into streaks of red and blue. Every breath felt borrowed, stuttering with the familiar vice of Empathic Degeneration. She closed her eyes and imagined the warmth of a mango slice—each stolen sweetness a small rebellion against her illness.
A soft knock sounded at the door. Evelyn tilted her head. “Come in.”
Lucien Shen stepped through, shoulders squared beneath his tailored coat. His dark eyes were unreadable, but tonight a flicker of concern softened their usual ice. In his hand he held a small Styrofoam container. “I—found something at the nurses’ station.”
Evelyn sat up, the IV line tugging gently. “Please don’t tell me you’re risking your reputation for fruit.”
He offered the container. “You deserve a little rebellion.”
She peeled the lid back. Mango slices glistened in syrup. A genuine smile cracked across her face—bright and naive. “You’re a fool.”
“A physician’s son, a pharmaceutical heir… I’m allowed to be foolish.”
She took a piece, savoring the juice dripping down her chin. “Thank you.”
He watched her eat, as if memorizing every curve of her jaw. She hid her heartache under tight control—if he noticed, he never let on.
A crack of sirens echoed from the corridor. Evelyn frowned. “That’s unusual.” She reached for the remote, flicking on the hallway cameras. The feed showed nurses scurrying, a gurney barreling down the hall with blurred urgency.
Lucien leaned close. “What’s happening?”
The gurney door swung open, and a stretcher appeared: Wei‑han, Evelyn’s sister, pale and motionless, cocooned in white sheets. Monitors beeped frantically.
“Lucien…” Evelyn’s voice caught in her throat. “Is that Wei‑han?”
He frowned. “She—she was stable when I left our apartment. What happened?”
Evelyn dropped her mango, the pieces scattering. She grabbed her IV pole and bolted from her bed. “Nurse!” she yelled. “What’s going on? My sister—”
A nurse materialized. “Miss Lin, please stay back. She’s en route to emergency neurosurgery. There was a single-car collision—your sister’s limo.”
Evelyn’s vision tunneled. “Collision? But—how? We left home fifteen minutes ago.” One long breath. “Lucien, go with her. Please.”
Lucien caught her by the arm. “Evelyn, I—”
“No. Go. Now.” She shoved past him, heart pounding. “I’ll be all right. Go.”
He hesitated, then released her. “I’ll see you later.”
She watched him run down the hall, courage and dread warring in her chest. Evelyn sank back against the wall, trembling. She pressed a hand to her heart, as if trying to anchor herself.
— — —
The emergency room smelled of antiseptic and adrenaline. Evelyn leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the closed double doors bearing a red X. Each second felt like minutes.
Wei‑han’s fiancée—or ex‑fiancée now—Lucien stood nearby, jaw clenched, face ashen. He folded and unfolded his hands, fighting the urge to pace.
A surgeon emerged. “Miss Lin? Mr. Shen?”
Evelyn straightened. “What—?”
The surgeon’s face was solemn. “Your sister sustained severe traumatic brain injury. We performed a craniotomy and achieved hemostasis, but there is no neurological activity. She is brain-dead.”
Evelyn’s knees buckled. Lucien caught her. The sterile tiles tilted, and she clung to him. “Brain-dead? But… she was fine yesterday.”
“T—I’m so sorry,” the surgeon said quietly. “Legally, we need donor authorization. Mr. Shen, you are the designated next of kin.”
Lucien swallowed. “Proceed with organ donation.”
“No,” Evelyn whispered, voice cracking. “No—wait. I… I can’t.”
The surgeon glanced between them. “Evelyn… you’re a match for—”
Her head lolled. “I don’t understand.”
The surgeon said gently, “Your sister’s heart can save you.”
She stared at him, disbelief frozen on her lips. Lucien’s hand slipped from around her waist to cover hers. The weight of his gaze was unbearable.
Evelyn’s voice was distant. “She’s my sister. You can’t… you can’t take her heart.”
Lucien’s throat bobbed. “Evelyn, please. Without that heart… you’re going to die.”
She shoved away. “No! I can’t—”
His eyes glistened. “You want to live, don’t you?”
Silence. The surgeon cleared his throat. “Time is critical. We need your consent.”
Evelyn closed her eyes, the ward lights dissolving into darkness. Her lover’s voice echoed: “You deserve a rebellion.” Rebellion. She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded.
— — —
Two hours later, Evelyn awakened to the hum of beeping machines. Her chest ached with each breath. A new rhythmic thud pulsed beneath her skin.
Lucien sat beside her, head bowed. He looked up, eyes red-rimmed. “You’re awake.”
She tried to speak but her throat was dry. He fetched water. “Drink.”
She took a sip, voice raw. “Where—is she?”
His face tightened. “There was no viable preservation. I’m so sorry, Evelyn. I… I authorized everything.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks. “I lost her… and now I’m alive.”
He reached for her hand. “It’s not your fault.”
Her gaze dropped to the translucent tube leading to her heart. “That heart… it belonged to her.”
He closed his eyes, pain etched in every line. “To me, you belong.”
She recoiled. “Don’t do that.”
He blinked. “I’m sorry. I—”
Her vision blurred with sudden light. A soft chime whispered. She blinked at the metallic panel hanging above her bed. A single line glowed:
> **Debt Status: 00 percent.**
Her breath caught. Below it, an icon of a heart and a gauge read “Hate‑Level.” At the far end, a tiny word:
> **HATE 0 percent.**
She stared. Confusion gave way to dread. “What is this?”
Lucien leaned forward. “I have no idea.”
A nurse bustled in, checking the panel. Evelyn’s heart pounded—biometrics flickered on a screen, data streaming. The nurse caught Evelyn’s eye, expression unreadable. She pressed a small button on a remote. The Debt Status icon winked off.
Evelyn sat up. “Nurse, what are those readings?”
The nurse paused, pen hovering over the chart. “Standard post-op monitoring. Ignore the—”
But Evelyn shook her head. “No. I need to know.”
The nurse exchanged a glance with Lucien. “It’s… experimental. A Shen Medical initiative. Tracks emotional viability alongside physical recovery. Don’t worry about it.”
She turned away. Evelyn’s heart hammered. “Experimental?” She demanded, voice shaking. “On me?”
Lucien stood, stepping between Evelyn and the nurse. “She’s not your guinea pig.”
The nurse smiled thinly. “I’m only doing my job.”
She left. Lucien turned back. “We’ll find out more tomorrow.”
Evelyn exhaled, exhaustion and fear tangled. She pressed a hand to her transplanted heart. The sterile room spun. “I—don’t want to be a debt to you.”
His voice was gentle. “You’re not. You’re my fiancé now—legally, at least. The family contract required marriage for liability coverage.”
She froze. “Fiancé?”
He closed his eyes, guilt warring with relief. “It was the only way to fast‑track insurance. I’m sorry, Evelyn.”
She stared, fierce and trembling. “You made me marry you… to cover my bills.”
He knelt. “I wanted to protect you.”
Tears welled. “Protect me? Or own me?”
He flinched at her words. “Both?” His gaze dropped. “I… I don’t know anymore. I only know I can’t lose you.”
Her chest constricted. She blinked back tears and flung aside the sheet. “Get out.”
Lucien’s head snapped up. “Evelyn—”
“Leave.” She pressed the nurse-call button. “Now.”
He hesitated, pain in his eyes, then walked toward the door. He paused. “I’ll be back in the morning.”
She closed her eyes. “Don’t—”
But he was gone. The door clicked shut.
Evelyn lay back, numb. The lights reassured no one, whispered only data. She pressed a trembling finger to the panel’s ghostly location, willing it to vanish.
In the ward’s hush, a single thought burned: **I will repay this debt. Even if it kills me.**
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