Amelia handled her own discharge papers.
The moment she closed the hospital room door, she seemed to glimpse herself lying unconscious on the bed while Cristian hovered nearby with deep worry on his face. He wiped her face one moment, fed her water the next, then kissed her hand and whispered how much he missed her.
A faint smile lifted the corners of Amelia's mouth, but the vision vanished in an instant.
An empty room and two people heading toward separate futures—that was the reality for her and Cristian now.
Amelia returned home and stood in the center of the living room. Memories flooded her of the entire process when they decorated the house together.
They mixed and applied the wall paint themselves. They laid the floors with their own hands.
The sofa, cabinets, and table lamps—they traveled across the country to pick each one out and bring them back.
They dreamed of raising children in this house and growing old together.
Yet they never imagined that after only three years, before the lamps even wore out, everything would fall apart.
Amelia rubbed the ring on her finger and started to remove it. In a daze, she saw Cristian's hand reach over to stop her.
At the same time, his tender murmur echoed in her ears. "Amelia, you're my wife for life. Don't take it off."
Amelia snapped back to reality and moved to pull the ring off again. One of Cristian's men burst in with panic on his face. "Cristian is hurt. He specifically asked to see you. Amelia, come with me."
Amelia reached the hospital and saw Cristian lying on a gurney outside the emergency room, barely breathing. He fiercely resisted the doctors treating his wounds.
His voice was faint, but his attitude remained firm. "I said it already. If my wife doesn't come, I won't have the surgery."
Amelia approached his side. Blood covered his chest. It glued his eyes nearly shut.
Yet he sensed her presence immediately.
"Amelia." Cristian called her name with deep affection and weakly lifted his hand. Amelia instinctively placed hers in it.
He felt the ring. A smile touched his lips. "Babe, I have something to tell you. Wait until I wake up, okay?"
He seemed to have waited for her a long time. After those words, he slipped into unconsciousness.
The doctor who had waited nearby grew tense at once.
He shouted, "Get Mr. Patel into the operating room."
Cristian woke again suddenly. His voice came out hoarse and broken. "Amelia, wait for me when I come out. You have to wait."
The door slammed shut. The operating room light turned on.
Tears reddened Amelia's eyes.
Years ago, the first time Cristian ended up hospitalized from injuries, she froze in terror. She waited outside the room for six full hours until they finally wheeled him out.
The doctor said then that the patient survived only because of his incredible will to live.
Cristian opened his eyes groggily. The moment he saw Amelia, his own eyes filled with tears.
His voice shook with fear and caution. "Amelia, I was so scared I'd never see you again."
Amelia wiped away the tear at the corner of her eye. She turned resolutely and walked away from the operating room.
Suddenly someone rushed up and grabbed her collar. "Amelia, I always knew he risks his life every time because of you. Did he kill your whole family in a past life? Is that why he suffers like this now? He went all out on the job so he could get you away safely. If luck hadn't been on his side, that bullet would have hit his heart. Does he have to die before you'll finally stop?"
The man grew more agitated. He raised his fist to smash it into her face.
But the punch never landed. Natalie blocked it in midair.
She spoke coldly. "The boss's wife isn't someone you can touch casually."
The man spat. "The only real boss's wife in our hearts is you, Natalie. What is she?"
Natalie's lips held a faint smile. She ordered the man to back down.
The smile vanished from her face instantly. "Amelia, have you ever counted? Over these years, how many times has Cristian landed in the hospital to save you? How much blood has he lost? How many wounds has he taken? How many times has he danced with death? Thirty-seven hospital visits. He received a total of 3856 milliliters of blood. Doctors issued critical condition notices three times. Today makes the fourth. Amelia, do you really love him?"
In Amelia's mind, Natalie was a ruthless and venomous beauty.
No one failed to fear her smiling facade that hid deadly schemes.
Her love for Cristian was open and known to all.
Her hatred for Amelia showed plainly in her gritted teeth with no attempt to hide it.
Amelia had no doubt.
If Natalie wasn't worried about angering Cristian, she would have killed Amelia directly long ago.
But now, seeing the slight redness in Natalie's eyes, Amelia couldn't help but ask. "Why do you love him so much?"
