When these two patients were brought into the hospital, their hearts had already stopped. Every doctor who saw them at first glance had shaken their head, saying there was no hope. It was only because their families refused to give up, calling in top-tier specialists and pouring in endless supplies of blood over three grueling days and nights, that the two had been pulled back—barely—from the edge of death. The fact that they survived at all was nothing short of a miracle. Hopefully, recovery would follow. After waiting a while longer, the doors to the ER slowly opened. Ashley and Taylor were lying in hospital beds, finally wheeled out. Everyone rushed forward at once. Ashley hadn’t fully regained consciousness. In her half-conscious state, she kept shouting, “Arthur! Watch out!” Hearing her panicked cries, Arthur nearly broke down in tears again. Toby and Tricia stood by Taylor’s bedside. He lay there quietly, his face pale, as if simply asleep. Their hearts ached just looking at him. They gently caressed his face. “Good boy… you’re alive, that’s all that matters.” After going through such extremes of loss and hope, they didn’t dare ask for anything more. As long as he was alive, they believed—someday—he would wake up. Inside the ward, Arthur changed into clean clothes and quickly washed the dried blood from his body so he wouldn’t risk infecting them. He held Ashley’s hand tightly, softly calling her name, trying to soothe her even as she remained unsettled in her dreams. Toby and Tricia were doing the same. They held Taylor’s hand and spoke to him nonstop, hoping their voices would guide him back. Little by little, Ashley opened her eyes. The moment she saw Arthur, she instinctively tried to sit up, panicked. “Arthur! Are you okay?!” But after struggling for a moment, she realized—her legs weren’t responding. She couldn’t even sit up on her own. Arthur rushed to support her. “I’m fine, Ashley. I’m okay.”Ashley didn’t even care about her legs at first. She anxiously scanned Arthur from head to toe, only relaxing after confirming he really was uninjured. But then her confusion returned as she looked down at herself. “That’s weird… why can’t I feel any strength in my legs?” At those words, Arthur and the Gibson family nearly lost control of their emotions. Ashley had always been lively and energetic. She loved running, loved sports, loved being active. If she found out she would never walk again... They couldn’t bear to imagine how she’d react. None of them had the heart to tell her the truth. Arthur’s eyes turned red almost instantly. He lowered his head, unable to meet her innocent gaze. He could only keep whispering, “I’m sorry, Ashley. I’m so sorry.” Ashley, confused, assumed Arthur was blaming himself for her taking a bullet for him. She quickly tried to comfort him. “Arthur, we’re engaged. I saw danger coming—of course I’d try to protect you. Wouldn’t you have done the same for me? There’s nothing to be sorry about.” Arthur looked up, stunned, staring at her. She was still the same—so kind, so pure, always thinking of him first. But this time, because of him, she had lost her legs. When Arthur still didn’t speak, Ashley touched her legs again, puzzled. “Why do they feel so weak?” Everyone watching felt their hearts twist in pain. Ashley tried to bend her legs. She tried again and again. But they didn’t move. It was like they weren’t part of her body at all. She forced herself to sit up, but her legs gave her nothing—no support, no sensation. A creeping sense of dread washed over her. As if realizing something, her hands trembled as they moved toward her legs. Just before she could touch them, Arthur caught her wrists. He shook his head, and tears finally spilled from his eyes. “Ashley, don’t. Don’t touch them.” He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly, as if trying to shield her from the world.“Ashley, I’ll be your legs from now on. Wherever I go, I’ll take you with me. I’m so sorry… I’m sorry… it’s all my fault.” He choked on the words, trying to comfort her, trying to apologize, but everything came out in a confused, helpless mess. Ashley stared at him in a daze. While Arthur was distracted, she reached down and pinched her leg—hard. Nothing. She had dug in with real force, but there wasn’t a hint of feeling. Her legs might as well have belonged to someone else. How could this be? The others couldn’t bear to watch anymore. One by one, they turned away. Ashley’s silence frightened Arthur.