The examination room felt too quiet.
Too still.
The doctor's words still hung in the air like something heavy.
A loose rod.
Surgery.
Risk of paralysis.
Sebastian sat on the edge of the examination table, his shirt half open, the long scar along his spine fully visible now. It stretched from the base of his neck down to his lower back.
Ugly.
Thick.
Years old.
The doctor stepped back slightly after examining the X-rays on the monitor.
"I strongly recommend surgery," he said calmly.
Sebastian didn't even look at the screen.
"No."
The answer came instantly.
Firm.
Final.
Lillian blinked.
"What?"
The doctor frowned slightly.
"Mr. Wolfe, this is not something you should ignore. The rod stabilising your spine has shifted. If it moves further—."
"I said no."
His tone sharpened.
Cold.
The same tone that made entire boardrooms go silent.
But the doctor didn't look intimidated.
"This surgery would correct the problem."
"How long?"
The doctor paused.
"A few hours for the procedure."
"That's not what I asked."
The doctor sighed slightly.
"Recovery would take time. Possibly several weeks before you return to full activity."
Sebastian let out a quiet laugh.
Not amused.
Just tired.
"Unacceptable."
Lillian stared at him.
"You're refusing surgery because of work?"
Sebastian finally looked at her.
His expression was blank again.
"I'm refusing surgery because I don't have time to be useless for weeks."
The words made something inside Lillian snap.
"You could become paralysed!"
His eyes shifted back to the doctor.
"Statistically unlikely."
The doctor shook his head.
"Not unlikely enough to gamble with."
Lillian stepped forward.
"Mr. Wolfe—."
"No."
He cut her off instantly.
"I've already made my decision."
The doctor folded his arms.
"With all due respect, that's not a wise decision."
Sebastian slid off the examination table slowly, carefully pulling his shirt back over his shoulders.
"I didn't come here for advice."
He began buttoning the shirt.
"I came here to confirm what I already knew."
Lillian stared at him in disbelief.
"You knew about this?"
"I suspected."
"And you didn't tell anyone?"
"Why would I?"
Her hands clenched slightly.
"Because it's serious!"
Sebastian finished the last button calmly.
Then turned to the doctor.
"Send the bill to my office."
The doctor didn't move.
"Mr. Wolfe, if you delay surgery—."
"I'm leaving."
And with that, Sebastian walked toward the door.
Lillian stood frozen for a moment.
Then quickly followed.
"Sebastian—."
He stopped immediately.
Slowly turned around.
His eyes were ice again.
"Miss Parker."
His voice was low.
Controlled.
"You're at work right now."
She hesitated.
Then said it anyway.
"You're being ridiculous."
The doctor actually looked surprised.
No one spoke to Sebastian Wolfe like that.
Sebastian's gaze sharpened.
"Careful."
"You could lose the ability to walk!"
"And?"
The single word hit like a slap.
Lillian stared at him.
"What do you mean and?"
His expression didn't change.
"If that happens, it happens."
Her chest tightened.
"Why did you smile earlier?"
That made him pause.
Just for a second.
"When the doctor said you might become paralysed," she continued quietly. "You smiled."
Silence filled the hallway.
The doctor watched them carefully now.
Sebastian looked at Lillian.
Really looked.
His expression was unreadable.
Then he said quietly,
"Because then I wouldn't have to keep doing this."
The words landed heavily between them.
Lillian blinked.
"What?"
Sebastian exhaled slowly and ran a hand through his hair.
"Running the company."
"Leading everyone."
"Being responsible for everything."
His voice had lost some of its usual sharpness.
"For once," he said quietly, "it would stop."
Lillian stared at him.
That wasn't something she ever expected to hear from him.
"You don't mean that."
His eyes flicked toward her.
"You think I enjoy this?"
"You built the company."
"Yes."
"And now I can't stop."
His voice dropped lower.
"Because if I stop, everything collapses."
The doctor stepped forward slightly.
"Mr. Wolfe, that sounds like burnout."
Sebastian didn't even look at him.
"I'm not burned out."
"You're exhausted."
"I'm functional."
"You're in pain."
"I've been in pain for fourteen years."
The room went quiet again.
Lillian swallowed.
"fourteen years?"
The doctor looked at her.
"You didn't know?"
She shook her head slowly.
"No."
The doctor sighed.
"When Mr. Wolfe was thirteen, he was involved in a very severe car accident."
Sebastian's jaw tightened slightly.
"The impact shattered several vertebrae in his spine."
Lillian felt her stomach drop.
"He required multiple surgeries just to walk again."
Her eyes slowly drifted toward the scar on his back.
Now it made sense.
"That scar," the doctor continued gently, "is the result of those surgeries."
Lillian whispered,
"And his mother died in that accident."
Sebastian's expression hardened instantly.
The doctor nodded.
"Yes."
The words hung heavily in the air.
Lillian looked back at Sebastian.
"You went through all that…"
"And survived."
His tone was flat.
"Congratulations."
The sarcasm made her chest tighten.
The doctor continued carefully.
"The rods in his spine have been stable for many years."
"Until now."
Sebastian crossed his arms.
"Now one of them has shifted."
"Which is why surgery is necessary."
Sebastian shook his head again.
"No."
The doctor's patience was thinning.
"Mr. Wolfe, if the rod moves further, it could press on the spinal cord."
"And?"
"That could cause permanent nerve damage."
Sebastian didn't respond.
The doctor continued.
"Which means the risk of paralysis may increase rapidly."
That finally made Lillian step forward.
"Then you have to do the surgery."
"No."
Her frustration exploded.
"Why are you so determined to destroy yourself?!"
Sebastian's eyes snapped toward her.
Cold.
Dangerous.
But he didn't yell.
Instead he said quietly,
"You should go home, Miss Parker."
"No."
"I wasn't asking."
"I'm not leaving you here."
His gaze darkened slightly.
"You don't have a choice."
"I do."
Her voice was firm now.
"If you walk out of this hospital, I'm following you."
Silence stretched between them.
The doctor watched the scene carefully.
Then Sebastian suddenly turned and started walking down the hallway.
Lillian blinked.
"Mr. Wolfe!"
He didn't stop.
He was actually leaving.
She rushed after him.
"Are you seriously walking out right now?!"
He reached the elevators.
Pressed the button.
"Yes."
"You're unbelievable."
The elevator doors opened.
Sebastian stepped inside.
Lillian stepped in with him.
Of course she did.
The doors slid closed.
The small space filled with tension.
Sebastian leaned back slightly against the wall.
His face looked pale now.
Tired.
Lillian noticed.
"You're in pain."
"I'm fine."
"You're lying."
His jaw tightened slightly.
Then the elevator jolted slightly as it began descending.
And suddenly Sebastian's hand moved to his lower back.
Just for a second.
But Lillian saw it.
He winced.
Only slightly.
But it was there.
Her heart dropped.
"You can barely stand."
"I said I'm fine."
The elevator doors opened.
Sebastian walked out immediately.
But his steps were slower now.
Stiffer.
Lillian followed right beside him.
"Mr. Wolfe."
No response.
"You're not okay."
He stopped walking.
Finally turned toward her.
His eyes looked tired again.
Exhausted.
"I've lived with this for fourteen years," he said quietly.
"I know my limits."
Lillian shook her head.
"No."
"You know how to ignore your limits."
Their eyes locked.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
Then Sebastian turned and continued walking toward the hospital exit.
But his steps were slower now.
More careful.
And Lillian walked beside him.
Not leaving.
Not backing down.
Because for the first time since she met him…
Sebastian Wolfe didn't look invincible anymore.
And that scared her more than anything.