No Greater Love

The bright bulbs in the hospital caused Isabella to squint before finally opening her eyes.

Confusion plagued her mind as her wide but tired eyes looked around the room. She realized she was laying on a hospital bed.

Sitting on her left side was Williams. It looked like he was exhausted. Isabella was puzzled. Williams stood up. He had an envelope in his hands.

She tried to sit up but she felt so much pain in her chest and back. She slowly reclined herself back to her bad.

Williams pressed the buzzer and immediately several doctors walked in.

Bella was still connected to some machines. She didn't understand what they were.

When the Dr's arrived they went straight to her, with smiles of satisfaction on their faces.

"How are you feeling Ms Blake? You are fighter," a female Dr said.

When Bella opened her mouth to speak it was so dry. Her speech was slur but she managed to say "I feel pain".

They drew the curtains and all four Dr's were busy checking her vitals and cleaning the wound to the left side of her chest.

The Dr's left the room, informing her that all she needs now was rest and food.

"We should get you out of here in 5 days once you progress like you are doing now," the Dr advised.

"Henry", she said. "Where is Henry?", she asked slowly...but the Dr's eyed Williams signaling him to proceeded to Bella's bed.

Bella began remembering the details that landed her at the hospital. The last memory she had was being in Henry's arms bleeding.

"I have this letter for you from Henry. You should read it. I will be waiting outside," William said before leaving her bedside.

"You need to call him. Let him know that I am awake," she said, while popping the yellow envelope opened.

At the glance of her hand she noticed a ring on her finger.

It was a huge diamond. She had never seen a rock so huge before in her entire life.

Bella had that "huh?" look on her face.

The entire world was revolving while I was dead" she said.

Bella didn't lose her sense of humor. Even in pain she could throw a line that made her laugh at herself.

Isabella opened the letter with trembling hands.

"My wife,...My beautiful adorable wife. If you are reading this then it means you are alive. And for that alone...I am happy," Bella smiled as she read the letter.

"Always remember that every decision that I have made its because of the love that I have for you. I decided that it would be better for you to live. You deserve a wonderful life...", the letter read.

Bella closed her eyes, allowing the tears to escape.

She didn't continue reading immediately, as she suspected Henry had decided to break up with her and go back to LA for good to be with his family instead.

Bella took a big sigh, causing her flesh wound to pull so hard that it made her twitch in pain.

"When I married you right her on this bed...I promised not to ever leave you," she read as she looked at the diamond on her finger smiling faintly.

Henry's letter was long but every word was so precious to Bella.

Bella continued reading..."My wife, my love...I heard it is written that there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for the other. And that I did for you...",

Isabella didn't quite understand that particular line so she kept on reading.

"I am no longer part of this world. But I will always be part of you. You have my heart beating inside your chest".

Isabella ripped her hospital garment, exposing her chest, seeing the huge scare and sobbing so violently that Williams rushed into the room.

He held her and tried to comfort her.

"Noooooooo....No.....Lord....Nooooo", she screamed.

She pulled the letter to her face and continued to read, holding one hand to her chest.

She became breathless and was panting heavily.

"If anyone deserves to die it is me. I love you Isabella. Now and forever. Live. Love...Be happy...my wife", the letter ended.

Isabella screamed so loud, causing doctors to rush to her room.

They already knew what would be the outcome when Bella found out Henry had taken his life just to allow her to live.

"Leave me...please. Everybody go outside...", she cried.

It took a very long time for Isabella to contain herself. To stop crying. To stop feeling pain.

She drew the letter to her chest and closed her eyes. She was trying to relive every moment with Henry. She drew the letter to her chest and closed her eyes. She was trying to relive every moment with Henry.

From the day they met. The phone calls. The walks in the park. Dinner dates. Love making....she lived it all over again in her mind. She sobbed helplessly.

She opened her eyes and closed them again.

"My husband...you may no longer be on this earth but every time my heart beats, it is you living in me...I love you Henry Steven...", she said as the tears continue to drip down her chest, wetting her body.

Williams walked into the room looking at Bella with pity. He leaned over her bed.

"Henry made sure that you will be taken care of for life. There's a new house in your name and money you won't ever be able to use in this lifetime. Your mother is also taken care of," he said with his businessman tone.

Bella really didn't want to hear about stuff like that now.

She wanted to be with Henry. But she couldn't.

She closed her eyes and listened to hear her heart beat.

At every beat she sobbed a little louder.

Isabella Blake was the woman who stole Henry's heart. Literally.

It was a few days since Isabella received the dreadful news that Henry had taken his life so that she could live.

She was sad but angry that he could do something so stupid. "How could he not know that I won't be able to live without him", she whispered.

It was hard for the doctors to get Bella to eat so they gave her life water through the IV.

They kept monitoring her blood pressure which fluctuated. Doctors would add sedatives to her IV to try to get her to sleep.

Williams had promised Henry that he would take care of Bella. To help her move into the new home that he had left for her.

The same house on the mountain that he mother now lived.

When the doctors came to do their routine check that morning, Bella looked very pale and they became very worried.

"Mrs Stevens are you awake?", the female doctor asked softly.

Isabella has never been called that before. But that was her name. She was married to Henry even though she was unconscious.

"I'm up", she said, giving a fake smile.

The doctors looked at each other. "Mrs Stevens, your heart is working well. We just need you to start eating solids so that you can be strong again. We think you can be discharged in a few days once you agree to see a therapist", the doctor said

"Ok", Bella replied with a don't care attitude.

"Mrs. Stevens, you are a lucky woman to have survived such an ordeal and even luckier that…".

But she was interrupted by Bella… "luckier that I am now a widow because my husband whom I didn't even see marry me had decided that it would be better for me to live like that? Without him?", she said trying hard to hold back the tears.

"No Mrs. Stevens, I was about to say luckier that even in your situation your baby is growing well".

Bella's eyes popped as she quickly placed her hands on her tummy. "Yes…Mrs Steven, you are four weeks pregnant".

Isabella instantly started to feel faint and the room was spinning. She didn't believe anything that was just revealed to her.

"Hennryyyyyy", she cried out, losing consciousness.

When Bella woke up, she was still at the hospital. Somehow, she wished everything that had happened in the past couple of weeks was just a long dream. But sadly, it was not.

She rubbed her hands on her tummy. She cried softly. Henry's heart was beating inside of her and now there's a tiny little Henry inside her belly too. This was a bit too much for Isabella.

She saw Williams sitting at her bedside. A female doctor was also in the room. She smiled when she saw Isabella was awake.

She quickly checked her vitals and nodded with satisfaction that all was well.

"I am ready to go home," Bella said as she sat up from her hospital bed.

"I bet you are," the nurse said, handing her some release papers.

She was also given prenatal vitamins and other medications which they said she needed to take for the next two weeks.

Williams helped Bella pack her stuff and they were on their way to her new mountain home.

The ride home was nothing like when Bella drove home from work.

Williams ensure that he took his precious time, given Isabella's situation.

She could see him glancing at her every now and then through the rear-view mirror.

He had pity on his face. Isabella sobbed through the entire ride and none of them spoke a word to each other.

Bella had never driven to this party of the Jersey before. Surly it was upscale and most people there owned the entire street.

You needed codes to entire the properties which resembled a whole new island.

Williams spoke through the microphone and a huge gate opened.

The yard was beautiful with flours and the house that Williams was heading too looked like a palace.

"This is your new home," he said.

Isabella's eyes popped. "You've got to be kidding me" she said.

"I am not. Henry bought this house for you," he replied.

"Henry", she cried and shook her head in disbelief while placing one hand on her heart at the other on her tummy.