Chapter 14
Emily’s POV
The pain was unbearable, a constant throb that pulsed through every inch of my body. I tried to call out to Keith, to say something -anything–but my voice wouldn’t cooperate. My head felt heavy, and my vision blurred as I fought to stay conscious.
Voices echoed around me, frantic and urgent, but I couldn’t make out the words. Someone was shouting for a doctor, hands were lifting me, but the pain was too much. Darkness closed in, and I welcomed it, slipping into the abyss.
When I woke again, everything was different. My body felt numb, heavy, like it didn’t belong to me. I blinked slowly, trying to make sense of my surroundings. The stark white walls, the smell of antiseptic, the soft beeping of machines–it all screamed hospital.
I tried to move, but nothing responded. Panic flared in my chest, but before I could dwell on it, a nurse appeared, her eyes widening in surprise as she noticed I was awake.
“You’re awake! Let me get the doctor,” she said, her voice filled with relief. She hurried out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
Chaper 14
I glanced around the room, trying to ground myself. A glass of water sat on the bedside table, within arm’s reach–if only I could move my arm. Fresh flowers filled the air with their sweet scent, and balloons bobbed gently beside the bed.
There were several cards, colorful and cheery, placed carefully in front of me. I wanted to reach out, to open one and see who it was from, but the effort was too much.
Just as I was gathering the strength to try, the door opened, and Keith walked in. My heart skipped a beat. He looked terrible–his hair was disheveled, and his clothes were wrinkled, like he hadn’t slept in days. I had never seen him like this before, not even during our worst arguments.
“Emily…” His voice was hoarse, thick with emotion. He crossed the room in a few quick strides and reached for my hand. I instinctively wanted to pull away, but my body refused to cooperate. His grip tightened around my fingers, desperate and trembling.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, his voice cracking. He looked at me like he was afraid I might disappear if he blinked.
I tried to find my voice, but it was barely a whisper. “I’m… alive.”
He squeezed my hand, and I felt a strange mix of emotions. This was Keith, the man who had chosen Lily, who had never looked at me like this before. Yet here he was, holding my hand like it was the only thing keeping him grounded.
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His behavior was so out of character, so different from the cold, distant man I had known for years. It felt like a dream–like I had slipped into an alternate reality where Keith cared.
Before I could process this, the doctor entered the room, his presence a welcome distraction. He checked my vitals, asking me a series of questions to assess my condition. I answered as best as I could, my mind still foggy from the pain and the drugs.
“You’ve been through a lot, Mrs. Watts,” the doctor said gently, glancing at the chart in his hand. “The car explosion caused significant injuries. Your shoulder is dislocated, your spleen ruptured, and you have three broken ribs. There’s also some fluid. buildup in your brain, which we’ll need to monitor closely.”
My breath caught in my throat. A car explosion? Memories of the accident flashed through my mind, disjointed and fragmented. The heat, the noise, the impact–it all came rushing back in a dizzying wave. I had been thrown from the car, and I had been in a coma for three days.
The doctor continued, oblivious to the turmoil inside me. “You’re very lucky, Mrs. Watts. If the explosion had been any worse, or if you hadn’t been thrown clear, it could have been much more serious.”
Keith’s hand tightened around mine again, and I noticed the doctor referred to me as “Mrs. Watts.” My eyes narrowed in suspicion. Keith must have told them we were still married. Otherwise, there’s no way they would have let him stay with me.
Chapter 14
I wanted to be angry, to confront him about it, but the exhaustion was too much. Instead, I managed a weak smile, amused by the irony of it all.
“Did you… tell Zane?” I asked, my voice barely audible.
Keith shook his head. “No, I didn’t want to worry him. He misses you a lot, Emily. He’s been asking about you every day.”
Tears welled up in my eyes, and I couldn’t hold them back. The thought of my little boy missing me, not knowing what had happened, broke something inside me. I had almost died–I had almost missed seeing him grow up, hearing his voice, holding him
close.
Keith reached out, his thumb brushing away the tears that slipped down my cheeks. “It’s okay, Emily,” he murmured. “You’re safe now.”
The tenderness in his voice, in his touch, felt foreign–like it belonged to someone else. This wasn’t the Keith I knew, the man who had chosen Lily over me, who had always kept me at arm’s length. And yet, here he was, sitting by my bedside, comforting me as if I were the most important person in his world.
The doctor finished his examination, giving me a reassuring smile before leaving the room. Keith stayed, his hand still holding mine, his presence steady and unwavering.
Chapter 14
I looked at him, really looked at him, and for the first time in years, I saw something different in his eyes–something that scared me because I didn’t understand it.
“I’m going to stay with you,” Keith said softly, as if reading my thoughts. “I won’t leave, Emily. Not until you’re better.”
His words were gentle, his tone almost… loving. It made me feel strange, like I was trapped in a dream I couldn’t wake up from. This wasn’t real. Keith wasn’t this gentle, this caring. He never had been.
“I’ll sleep,” I mumbled, my eyelids growing heavy. “But… you don’t have to stay. You can go.”
Keith leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. “I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered.
As sleep claimed me, I couldn’t help but think that this was all an illusion–a cruel trick my mind was playing on me. Because the Keith I knew, the man who had broken my heart, would never be this gentle, this kind.
