1 The day before our wedding, my fiancé saved my life by throwing himself in front of a speeding car. The impact left him with severe brain trauma, trapping him in a deep coma. A newly developed neurological therapy offered a desperate chance: transferring my consciousness directly into his mind to wake him from the inside out. Before the connection was established, the lead researcher gave me a final, solemn warning. “The human mind is a labyrinth, Gloria, especially when you descend into the subconscious. There is no telling what you might find, or what could go wrong.” “One wrong step, and you could end up with permanent cognitive damage of your own.” I offered a weak, trembling smile. “I’d like to see that idiot try to hurt me.” The machine hummed, my brainwaves aligning with his. When I opened my eyes, a hand was waving right in front of my face. A teenage Jasper, wearing a crisp high school uniform, was staring at me with a look of pure confusion. “Gloria? Hey, are you zoning out on me?” I had materialized in the middle of our old high school classroom. I grabbed his hand, panic driving my voice. “Jasper, listen to me. You’re in a coma right now. We need to…” But he cut me off, leaning in close to whisper in my ear. “Did you give the love letter to Mia yet?” A soft, boyish blush crept across his pale cheeks. The words died in my throat. Mia was my best friend. For a moment, I thought I had misheard him. Before entering, the medical team had explained that this simulated reality was built entirely from the raw materials of his subconscious. Every event, every character, and every relationship here held a profound meaning. Nothing was random. Yet, knowing that only made the cold dread pooling in my chest worse. Why was my partner of ten years, the man I was supposed to marry tomorrow, writing love letters to my best friend in his deepest subconscious? I forced the rising panic down, telling myself it was just a glitch. The human mind is a chaotic web. Writing a letter to Mia in a dream didn’t mean he loved her in reality. I squeezed his hand, determined to stay on track. “Jasper, none of this is real. You are twenty-eight, not eighteen. Your brain created this world after a terrible accident. You need to wake up.” According to clinical data, direct confrontation was the fastest and most reliable method to break the simulation. Ninety percent of patients responded immediately, especially when the message came from the person they cherished most. Jasper had told me a thousand times that I was his entire world. When that car had barreled toward us, he hadn’t hesitated for a single second before shoving me out of harm’s way. That was why I had risked my own sanity, defying my family’s pleas, to come in here and save him. I held my breath, watching his eyes, my heart drumming against my ribs. The doctors said that if the protocol worked, the illusion would fracture right now. But a full minute crawled by. Jasper merely stared at me, his lips twitching before he burst into a loud, bright laugh. “Gloria, have you been binge-watching those sci-fi flicks again?” “What do you mean, a fake world? I think I know the difference between reality and a dream.” He reached out, pressing the back of his hand to my forehead. “No fever. Why are you talking nonsense in the middle of the day?” Frustrated, I grabbed his arm and gave it a sharp pinch. “I’m telling you the truth!” “Ow, okay, okay, uncle!” he laughed, rubbing his arm. “Fine, let’s say you’re telling the truth. Can you just tell me if you delivered the letter to Mia yet?” My hand froze. A dull ache bloomed in my chest. Jasper was smiling, but his eyes were filled with an intense, quiet sincerity. I knew that look all too well. He had worn that exact expression when he promised me we would get into the same university. True to his word, he dragged his grades from the bottom of the class to the top three in a single semester. He had worn it when he vowed to show me the snow-capped peaks of the Alps. He worked three jobs throughout his freshman year, and that winter, we stood together at the summit, the cold wind whipping around us as he swore he would build a fortune so I would never have to worry about a thing. And he had done it, building a multi-million-dollar firm by his junior year, making me the envy of everyone we knew. Now, he was looking at me with that same relentless determination, asking about a love letter to Mia. He wasn’t playing. He meant every word. A bucket of icy water seemed to pour down my spine, freezing me in place. The chatter of the classroom faded into a distant hum. Suddenly, Jasper smiled, waving toward the doorway. “Mia!” 2 I shuddered, snapped back to reality. Mia was standing by the classroom door, offering us a gentle wave. Jasper stared at her, a goofy, love-struck grin plastered across his face. When the warning bell rang, Mia headed back to her own hall. Jasper rubbed his palms together nervously. “You have to give it to her today, Gloria. If you don’t, I’m going to lose my mind and just blurt it out to her face.” Another sharp prick of pain hit my heart. I remained silent for a long moment before looking up at him. “Jasper, what exactly am I to you?” He blinked, then laughed, throwing an arm around my shoulders. “My best bro, obviously! Did you forget our sacred bond? Why else would I trust you with my love letters? You’re the only one I can count on.” A bitter smile touched my lips. The ten years of passionate, devoted love I thought we shared was nothing but a friendship in his subconscious. I used to love his smile. It had always been my anchor. Now, that bright, familiar grin felt like a handful of thorns pressed deep into my skin. When the final bell rang, Mia came to find me. We lived in the same neighborhood and always walked home together. As Jasper walked away, he gave me a series of desperate, pleading looks. I ignored him, my chest tight with a suffocating weight. On the walk home, I finally pulled the envelope from my bag and handed it to Mia. I knew this version of her was just a projection of his mind. But I needed to see how the Mia in his subconscious would respond. She slid the letter out, reading it slowly. Then, she carefully folded it and tucked it into her pocket. I watched her face, clinging to the tiniest, desperate hope that this was all a misunderstanding. “What are you going to do?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. Mia remained quiet for a few seconds, a soft blush spreading across her cheeks. “Actually,” she murmured, “I’ve liked him for a while too.” My stomach dropped. My mind went completely blank. I pinched my arm hard, desperately reminding myself that this Mia wasn’t real. She was a figment of Jasper’s imagination. The real Mia would never do this. In high school, when I first confessed my feelings for Jasper, she had been my biggest cheerleader. And for our wedding, she had spent months helping me plan every detail as if it were her own. But the emotion on this projection’s face was terrifyingly genuine. Was his subconscious somehow creating a perfect, realistic simulation of the future, or had Jasper already confessed to her in the real world long before his accident? The dull ache in my chest sharpened into a piercing physical pain, radiating up into my temples. A loud, high-pitched ringing filled my ears. Through the static, I faintly heard the lead researcher’s panicked voice in my earpiece. “Her vitals are spiking! Gloria, you need to stabilize, please!” “Gloria, are you okay?” Mia’s voice dragged me back as she caught my elbow to keep me from stumbling. Suddenly, a gruff voice blocked our path. “Well, look what we have here. A couple of pretty schoolgirls. How about you share some of that pocket money with us?” I looked up through the haze, spotting three rough-looking thugs blocking the alleyway. The scene felt dizzyingly familiar. Mia took a terrified step back, clutching her bag to her chest. “We don’t have any money!” “Don’t lie to me, sweetheart. Give it over!” One of the thugs lunged, ripping the bag from her hands and throwing her to the ground. I stepped forward to intervene, but another man shoved me hard. I fell onto the gravel, the sharp rocks tearing through my palms. I gasped at the stinging pain. Before they could do anything else, the sound of heavy, rapid footsteps echoed down the street. A flurry of violence followed. By the time I raised my head, Jasper was standing over us. His uniform was disheveled, a smear of blood on his cheek, and his eyes were wild with fury. “Touch her again,” he growled, standing directly in front of Mia, “and I’ll kill you.” I stared at his back, my blood running cold as I pressed my scraped palms into the dirt. I remembered this day. In high school, Mia and I really had been cornered by muggers. But back then, the girl Jasper had shielded with his life was me. 3 In Jasper’s mind, he was invincible. The thugs were quickly beaten back and fled down the alley. As soon as they were gone, Jasper spun around, grabbing Mia’s shoulders and checking her over with frantic concern. “Are you hurt? Did they touch you?” Mia shook her head, her gaze drifting over his shoulder toward me. Jasper finally looked my way, his pupils contracting slightly. “Gloria, are you okay?” I didn’t understand why, but even though this was a virtual world, the scrapes on my hands stung worse than any physical injury I had ever suffered. I had always been incredibly sensitive to pain, the kind of person who cried during simple blood tests. Jasper used to tease me about it, but he would always pull me close, cradling my head against his chest and stroking my hair. “It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m here,” he would whisper. But now, all I got was a flat, distant inquiry. A sudden wave of irrational anger washed over me. Tears welled in my eyes as I screamed at him, “Jasper, it hurts! It hurts so much!” Why aren’t you comforting me? He looked startled, taking a step toward me to look at my bloody palms. But before he could reach me, Mia let out a soft gasp, cradling her hand. During the struggle, her finger had been nicked by the zipper of her bag. Jasper froze, his eyes immediately darting back to her. He forgot about me in an instant, his face pale with panic. “Let me see! Is it bad?” “Come on, we’re going to the clinic right now!” He took her hand, pulling her down the street without looking back. The air felt like it was being sucked from my lungs, leaving me struggling to breathe. That night, Jasper knocked on my door. He stood on the porch, handing me a small paper bag filled with ointments and bandages. “I know you hate scars,” he said gently. “I bought the expensive stuff. It won’t leave a mark.” I took the bag silently, my movements robotic. Then, a goofy, boyish grin spread across his face as he scratched the back of his neck. “Mia accepted my confession. I wanted you to be the first to know the good news.” Every drop of warmth drained from my body. “Why?” the word slipped out before I could stop it. Jasper blinked in confusion. “What do you mean, why? You’ve always known I liked Mia.” “We made a pact to get into the same college so we could be together after graduation.” “Oh, and she mentioned she wants to see the Alps, so I’m planning to work part-time next year to save up and take her. Don’t worry, though, I haven’t forgotten about my best bro. I’ll make sure you come along…” “Jasper, you’re wrong,” I interrupted, my voice trembling as the dam broke. Tears cascaded down my cheeks. He panicked, reaching out tentatively. “Gloria? Why are you crying? Did someone hurt you?” “Tell me who it was. I’ll take care of them!” “The person you love is me,” I choked out. He froze, taking a step back as if he had been slapped. “What are you talking about? We’re friends, Gloria. We’ve always been friends.” I stared into his eyes, refusing to let him look away as I tried one last time. “This is a simulation, Jasper! In the real world, you were in a horrific car accident. You’re in a coma. I risked my life to come in here and bring you back. Please, you have to believe me. Wake up!” “Have you forgotten? We’ve been together for ten years. We were supposed to be married tomorrow!” Jasper’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief. He let out a heavy sigh, gently patting my shoulder. “Gloria, are you cracking under the stress of final exams?” “I’ve loved Mia from the moment I met her.” “How could I ever be with you, let alone marry you?” A sudden, high-pitched ringing filled my ears. The words of the lead researcher echoed in my mind: “Everyone’s subconscious harbors secrets they would never share in the waking world. The truth might destroy you, Gloria. If it becomes too much, tell us, and we will pull you out.” I had expected many things, but I never could have imagined that his entire universe was built around Mia. 4 Time in the subconscious was fluid, skipping forward in giant leaps. In the blink of an eye, high school graduation was behind us. Jasper and Mia had been accepted into the same university, while I ended up at a neighboring college. During our freshman winter break, they both posted pictures of the snowy peaks of the Alps. Jasper changed his profile background to a silhouette of the two of them standing side by side against the white landscape. I remembered when I had begged him to change his background to a photo of us, and he had held my hands, pleading with me. “Gloria, honey, let’s keep it private. I don’t want my business clients thinking I’m unprofessional or soft.” I had agreed. But apparently, he wasn’t afraid of being soft when it came to Mia. The three of us still met up occasionally, just like we used to during our college years. We even went to the same late-night diner. The only difference was that Mia was the one sitting beside him, her hand tucked into his. Every time Jasper had a few drinks, he would sling an arm around my shoulder and say, “I owe it all to you, Gloria. If you hadn’t delivered that letter, I never would have won her heart.” I would just smile and take another sip of my drink, forcing the bitterness back down. As the years blurred past, my shattered heart grew numb. I still occasionally brought up the truth, telling him that this world wasn’t real. He had grown used to it, nodding along with an amused smile. But on the ninety-ninth time I told him, his reaction was different. He was slightly flushed from the alcohol, looking at me with a rare intensity. “Gloria, sometimes I wonder. What if you’re right? What if this really is a dream world?” My heart leaped into my throat. If he had even a shred of doubt, the illusion would start to crack. He could wake up. He set his glass down on the wooden table with a soft clink. “Honestly, I think I’d be okay with that,” he said. The hope in my chest froze. “I have the career I wanted, and I have the woman I love. Why would I care if it’s an illusion? If the real world is any different from this, I’d rather never wake up.” My heart sank into a dark abyss. Numbing myself with another glass of wine, I asked, “What if in the real world, you and I are engaged? What if we were about to be married? Would you still choose to stay asleep?” He was quiet for a few seconds before letting out a soft chuckle. “You’re doing it again, Gloria. I’ve told you a thousand times, my heart belongs to Mia. I care about you, of course, but only as a friend.” Listening to his absolute certainty, the desire to save him began to wither away. Not long after, Mia called me, her voice trembling with excitement as she told me Jasper had proposed. I forced myself to offer congratulations. She begged me to go bridal gown shopping with her. By some cruel twist of fate, the boutique she chose was the exact same shop where I had tried on my wedding dress in reality. In the real world, Jasper had accompanied me there, watching me try on gown after gown, smiling warmly at each one. “My Gloria looks beautiful in everything,” he had said. “My Mia looks beautiful in everything!” The voice shattered my daydream. Jasper had appeared out of nowhere, staring at Mia with a look of pure adoration as she modeled a lace gown. He turned, finally noticing me standing nearby. Leaning his chin on his hand, he smirked. “Gloria, why don’t you try one on too?” Before I could decline, Mia clapped her hands. “Yes! Oh, you have to try this one on!” A faint hope flickered in the ashes of my heart. Maybe, just maybe, if he saw me in a wedding gown, his memories would spark. With that final, desperate wish, I let the stylist slip the heavy white satin over my shoulders and stepped out from behind the curtain. But when I opened my eyes, I didn’t see Jasper looking at me. He was holding Mia, whispering in her ear as she laughed, their bodies pressed close together. The world around them seemed to fade into a blur, leaving me as nothing more than a background prop in their perfect romance. The gown felt like a shroud of needles, drawing blood from every inch of my skin. I let out a quiet breath, pulled out my phone, and dialed the emergency frequency. The call connected instantly. “Miss Cross,” the lead researcher’s voice sounded in my ear. “Pull me out,” I said quietly. “I’m not the one who can wake him.” The moment I hung up, the glass doors of the boutique swung open. A tall, slender man in a dark suit walked in, making a straight path toward me. It was Lucas, the researcher overseeing my therapy. “Miss Cross, let’s go home,” he said, extending his arm. We turned to leave, but before we could take more than two steps, a hand clamped down on my wrist. Jasper had pulled away from Mia. His brow was furrowed, his eyes darting between me and Lucas with a sharp, possessive glare I recognized all too well. “Gloria,” he demanded, his voice dropping an octave. “Who is this guy?”
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