“So, what do you think it means to know your place?”
Marjorie’s lips curved into a smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“It means not being greedy. You can’t have both pride and benefits, you know? If you push too hard, Bernard will just get tired. And I can’t let that happen.”
Bernard opened the driver’s side door, holding a bag of drinks.
“I bought vitamin water, energy drinks, mineral water, milk, and yogurt. What do you feel like drinking? Should I buy you something warm?”
Marjorie rummaged through the bottles one by one.
“Bernie, I’m feeling better now. I don’t want any of these. I’m not thirsty.”
In the backseat, Gretchen sat quietly, her lips cracked and pale, but Bernard didn’t even glance her way. Instead, he tied the bag shut and stroked Marjorie’s long hair.
“Good girl. I’ll carry these for you. If you feel thirsty when we get to the hospital, you can have one then.”
As soon as the car engine started, the smell of gasoline filled the air, and Marjorie suddenly gagged, her face turning deathly pale.
“Bernie, I didn’t want to say anything earlier, but Gretchen kept chatting with me about random stuff, and now my head’s killing me…”
Bernard immediately started patting Marjorie’s back, his face tense. Then he shot a glare at Gretchen through the rearview mirror.
“Didn’t I tell you to shut up or don’t talk too much? You just can’t help yourself, can you?”
Gretchen sighed quietly. She wanted to defend herself but ended up saying nothing.
Seeing her stay silent like it didn’t matter, Bernard’s anger only grew.
“This is all your fault. Look at Marjorie—look how miserable she is because of you!”
Marjorie softly tugged on Bernard’s hand and began to cough.
“Bernie… it’s not Gretchen’s fault. She just loves to gossip, you know, and once she starts” — She coughed again — “she can’t stop…”
The hospital was only 20 minutes away, but to Gretchen, it felt like 2,000 kilometers.
The whole drive, Bernard kept glaring at her in the mirror, his frustration practically steaming out of him.
When they finally arrived at the hospital, Bernard jumped out of the car and rushed to open the passenger door.
His voice was full of concern as he asked, “Marjorie, are you okay? Can you walk?”
Marjorie leaned back weakly, her face pale and her brows furrowed slightly. “No, Bernard… My legs feel so weak.”
Gretchen watched as Bernard gently scooped Marjorie into his arms, holding her like she was a princess. It was exactly like that day on the bridge—the way he looked at her, the way he held her—everything was the same.
But Gretchen didn’t feel that same overwhelming despair as she had back then. Now, all she felt was exhaustion.
Bernard was the same as last time, but this time he turned around as if he remembered something.
“Gretchen, grab Marjorie’s bag of drinks. She might get thirsty later.”
At the hospital, Gretchen’s wound treatment turned out to be much more complicated than Marjorie’s.
After carefully checking Marjorie’s face, the doctor only told her to drink more water.
But when Gretchen’s bandages were removed, the doctor gasped.
“Didn’t I tell you not to lift anything heavy? Look at this—the wound’s torn open!”
Right then, Bernard walked in and overheard the doctor’s exclamation. Instead of looking concerned, he let out a cold laugh.
“She lifts weights all the time. Of course, it’s going to tear!”
The doctor froze mid-action and didn’t say anything until Bernard left the room. “Ma’am, is he your…?”
Gretchen closed her eyes and answered flatly, “He’s nothing to me anymore.”
The doctor felt sorry for her, but seeing her pale face, he held back whatever he wanted to say.
When the cold disinfectant touched her torn skin, Gretchen didn’t seem to feel the pain. She didn't even flinch.
The doctor couldn’t help but say softly, “Ma’am, if it hurts, tell me, okay? You don’t have to tough it out. I’ll be as careful as I can.”
