Inside Kai's room in the main mansion, Jessica still held his hand, her eyes fixed on his face.
The tangle of tubes that had run him to the ECMO machine were gone now.
They had been removed early that morning, once Dr Lorenzo confirmed that his heart had proven it could beat strong and steady on its own.
On the television mounted across the room, clips from the coronation played softly. Jessica half-watched it while she talked to Kai, speaking to him as though he could hear every word.
"You know," she said softly, thumb brushing across his knuckles, "I've had hours to sit here and stare at your face. Really stare at it. Properly, with nothing else to do."
She tilted her head. "And I have to confess something. You're a very handsome man, Kai. Annoyingly so, actually. It's almost rude."
His face stayed still on the pillow. The monitor machines beeped their gentle rhythm.
Jessica gave a small, wet laugh.
