My body ached everywhere, but when I tried to move—nothing. Panic set in. I blinked, my vision hazy. The last thing I remembered was driving to my wedding. The excitement, the dress waiting for me, the vows I was supposed to say. Then—the accident.
My chest tightened. How long have I been here? I swallowed, gathering what little strength I had, and reached for the call button. But before I could press it, I heard voices just outside my hospital room.
“Just follow the plan,” a voice said smoothly.
Harold. My fiancé. The man I was supposed to marry. I was about to call him when he spoke again.
“Make sure the hysterectomy is clean,” he continued, his tone unnervingly calm. “She can’t find out.”
Hysterectomy? My breath caught. Is that for me?
The doctor hesitated. “She’s already paralyzed on one side. Recovery will take time. What do I tell her?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Harold said, his voice cold. “She can’t have a child with me. That would hurt Lily.”
A sharp, twisting pain shot through my chest. Lily. His first love, his ex-girlfriend. The woman who left her years ago, while I remained by his side since we were in high school. I thought he was going to marry me because he had finally realized that, but then… now? My stomach churned.
“She doesn’t want my child with Charlotte competing with hers,” Harold continued. “Even if she never married me because she chose someone else, she’s still the woman I love. I only want to marry Charlotte because I could still use her, and her family’s influence. Plus, she’s convenient.”
I am just convenient. How dare he! I didn’t know what to say. My vision blurred.
The doctor’s voice dropped. “The child is three now. He looks just like you. What if Charlotte finds out that you’ve been having an affair for three years? And what about Lily’s husband?”
I felt like the air had been sucked from the room. Three years. And he had a child with Lily. And all this time, he had lied to me. How could I not see through it? Why do they have to hurt me… when all this time they were going to be together?
“She won’t,” Harold said smoothly. “Not if you keep your mouth shut. Just do what I said—make it look like the accident damaged her uterus beyond repair. She’s stupid. She won’t question it. And this is also a revenge for what her brother had done to me.”
My brother? What was all of this? My head was spinning. I couldn’t process everything. I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to stay still. If I made a sound, if I reacted, he would know I was awake. No, this can’t be happening to me. I need to move. I need to run, but my whole body just won’t allow me.
I cursed under my breath thinking of what I was going to do. But I felt helpless.
Another voice joined them. Harold’s secretary.
“Pay off the driver,” Harold ordered. “Move him somewhere far, make sure he keeps his mouth shut. When Charlotte wakes up, I want her to believe this was just a tragic accident.”
My body trembled. He planned this. The accident. Everything. For what? Just for Lily? I don’t understand.
Tears burned in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction. He was going to steal everything from me. My body. My future. My chance at motherhood.
No. No. I wouldn’t let him. I forced my breathing to slow, my body to go limp. Pretend to be asleep. Don’t react. Don’t let them know you heard.
Footsteps. The door creaked open. I kept my eyes shut, my breathing even. Soft steps moved closer. Someone adjusted the IV beside me. A nurse.
This was my only chance. With every ounce of strength I had left, I parted my lips and whispered, “Help me.”
The nurse was startled, her gasp barely audible. I forced my eyes open, vision swimming. My throat was dry, and raw, but I pushed through.
“Call my brother,” I rasped. “My bag. My phone. My brother. Don’t tell Harold. Please. Help me. They will do something to me.” I said, trying hard, giving all my strength.
Her brows knit together. “Your brother? Why?”
I nodded weakly. “Tell him… stop the surgery. I’ll come home. I’ll do whatever they want. Just stop the surgery.”
I had left home years ago. Cut all ties. My family had warned me about Harold. Told me he was wrong for me. That I would regret choosing him. They were right. If I had to beg them to save me, I would. I hope they won’t fail me even after I failed them
The nurse’s lips parted like she wanted to ask more, but then she nodded. “I’ll try.”
I didn’t know if she’d make it in time.
Darkness tugged at the edges of my vision. And the last thing I saw was the bright lights of the operating room.
