The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 802

Chapter 802: Chapter 802 Close Call
Leo’s body jolted violently on the bed, but his eyes remained closed, the heart monitor still painting a terrifying flatline. Gritting his teeth, Zhane recharged the paddles and pressed them down again.

“Clear!” His voice grew louder, edged with desperation.

Still nothing.

Zhane’s hands trembled as he prepared for a third attempt. His heart twisted painfully in his chest, and before he could stop himself, he shouted at Leo, his voice raw.

“Leo! You can’t die! Hera would be devastated—do you want to break her heart? Do you want her crying herself to pieces over you? You have to fight, damn it! Fight!”

Zhane shot a glance at the other doctors, signaling urgently for another charge.

“Clear!”

The paddles hit Leo’s chest again—and then, blessedly, the monitor beeped. Once. Twice. A steady rhythm followed.

“We’ve got a heartbeat!” one of the doctors cried out, tears brimming in his eyes.

Zhane staggered backward, his body nearly giving out from the overwhelming stress and worry. For the first time in his career, he felt a wave of distress like never before.

He honestly thought Leo might die, and the thought of losing him weighed heavily on him.

What would he tell Hera if the worst happened?

The guilt would be unbearable. Leo wasn’t just a love rival and friend to him—he was someone important in Hera’s life. The idea of Leo’s death breaking her on so many levels was something Zhane wasn’t ready to witness.

Now that Leo was out of danger, Zhane felt the adrenaline that had been coursing through his veins slowly dissipate. He looked up, only to meet Hera’s tear-streaked face, a mixture of relief and pain etched on her features.

When their eyes locked, Hera gave him a smile, but it was more pitiful than comforting. Without hesitation, Zhane strode out of the ICU, leaving his team to handle the rest, and immediately pulled Hera into a tight embrace to calm her nerves.

“It’s alright now,” he whispered, his voice trembling despite his attempt to reassure her. “I won’t let him die. No matter what… if I have to fight the Grim Reaper himself, I will. You don’t have to worry anymore.”

His words were meant to soothe, but the subtle tremor in his voice betrayed the fear he still carried with him. For a moment, he truly thought Leo wouldn’t make it.

They both remained in silence, wrapped in each other’s embrace. Hera slowly began to regain some semblance of calm, her grip tightening around Zhane’s waist as if to anchor herself.

She couldn’t fathom what she would do if Leo truly left this world. A knot of guilt and regret twisted in her chest. She had even begun to question her involvement with him.

In her mind, she wondered if Leo had been dragged into this dangerous situation because of her, because of the female lead’s halo. After all, anyone close to the female lead was often put in harm’s way to push the story forward. Could that have been the reason Leo was in danger?

But then her thoughts turned to Athena. Athena had always stood by her side, and despite the risks, she had come out fine… or so it seemed. But was she really fine? Didn’t Athena also recently fall victim to a drugging incident? Hera felt the weight of her thoughts, each question more painful than the last.

As Hera reflected on it, the weight of realization sank deeper within her. She couldn’t help but feel that this was all because of her. Everywhere the female lead went, drama and danger seemed to follow, a constant presence pushing the male leads’ feelings for her to intensify.

It was all part of the story’s design, a pattern to keep the plot moving, to ensure it never stagnated. And unfortunately, she couldn’t escape this since she decided to steal the female lead’s halo and fate.

Hera felt like a trapped animal, uncertain of how to move forward or what the right choice was.

Should she distance herself from Leo until the storyline of the novel reached its conclusion? After all, it was only when the story ended that the chaos it caused would stop spilling into the lives of those involved.

But could she truly pull away from Leo now? He had already become so deeply entangled in her life. Was it even possible to create distance at this point? Her mind was a whirlwind of confusion, unsure of what to do.

Seeing Hera overwhelmed by her thoughts, Zhane pulled her into a tighter embrace, his arms wrapping around her as if he were trying to hold her together. It was as though he feared she might shatter under the weight of her turmoil, slipping away from him at any moment.

Although Hera was incredibly strong, capable of so many things, and brave enough to face a gunfight to protect her loved ones, she was still just 19. No matter how mature she appeared, the weight of the responsibilities she carried was enough to break anyone.

Despite her strength, she wasn’t immune to the crushing pressure, and there were moments when it all became too much. Even Zhane, older and more experienced, felt the strain—so what chance did Hera have?

Because of this, Zhane’s desire to protect the woman in his arms grew stronger, deeper. He felt an overwhelming need to erase all her worries, to shield her from everything life could throw at her.

A newfound determination surged within him—something he’d never felt before. He was resolved to stand by her side, no matter the storm that came her way. And even if she had to face it, at least he would be there, fighting with her, doing whatever it took to protect her.

What Hera didn’t realize was that, as much as she wanted to protect them, they wanted to protect her just as fiercely. They didn’t want her to endure any hardship or pain; all they wanted was for her to live a life of happiness, just as she wished for them to live safely.

As Hera’s trembling shoulder slowly calmed, Zhane gently guided her to sit on a nearby bench. They both sat there, staring through the clear glass of the ICU.

The doctors and nurses continued to work tirelessly, assessing Leo’s condition and monitoring the various indicators to ensure he wasn’t suffering from any further complications.

They were trying to pinpoint the cause of the sudden respiratory failure that led to his cardiac arrest, hoping to prevent it from happening again. But despite their efforts, Leo’s body was in such a battered state.

His once flawless skin, pale and smooth like jade, was now marred with dark bruises and swelling, black and blue all over. There wasn’t a single part of his body that remained untouched by injury.

As the lead surgeon who had operated on Leo, Zhane knew exactly how much pain Leo must have endured before falling into a coma. He understood that Leo’s body had reached its breaking point—the damage and pain had pushed him to his limits.

It wasn’t a failure of the medication or the equipment keeping him alive; it was simply that his body could take no more.