Chapter 2

A sudden knock on the hospital room door revealed my brother, Bonnie, grinning as he entered.

"Hey brother, I heard you're awake. Just checking on your recovery," he said, his tone slightly mocking.

I glared at him coldly. "You're probably wishing I hadn't survived."

Bonnie was momentarily taken aback by my hostile response.

Tessa quickly intervened, positioning herself between us.

"You should rest more. You've had a tiring day," she insisted, forcefully lowering my hospital bed.

She then called out, "Nurse, my husband seems emotionally unstable. Could someone come check on him?"

"Sister-in-law, my brother's being so harsh," Bonnie whined to Tessa.

Tessa replied softly, "Don't bother arguing with someone who was in a vegetative state..."

They began chatting intimately right in front of me, completely unrestrained.

I dug my nails into my palms, struggling to control my rising anger.

Without a backward glance, Tessa left with Bonnie.

Unable to contain myself any longer, I started yelling uncontrollably, knocking all the glasses off the bedside table.

Lying there, staring at the shattered mess on the floor, I felt utterly broken.

The woman who had sworn to be with me forever and the brother I had raised since childhood were now treating me like a fool.

How ridiculous. How laughable.

I had ended up in this fire while trying to save Tessa.

When we first met, we were both struggling financially.

During our toughest times, we couldn't even afford rent.

Tessa, for my sake, swallowed her pride and borrowed money from her parents.

After paying the rent, she embraced me, crying in our tiny rented room.

Gazing at the office buildings outside, I vowed to build a better life for her from scratch.

Six months later, I started a small business.

In winter, no matter how cold it was, Tessa would leave our warm bed to cook for me when I worked late.

That fateful night, I was meeting a client when it began drizzling.

Tessa came to bring me an umbrella, but suddenly got trapped in an elevator when a fire broke out in the mall.

After helping customers escape the blaze, I rushed back in and gave her my damp coat.

In that inferno, watching her flee, my only thought was relief that Tessa was safe.

When the fire department arrived, I was trapped in a small space created by fallen debris.

As I was carried out on a stretcher, Tessa ran towards me, her face filled with fear.

My vision was blurry, but I felt her warm tears falling on my hand.

By the time I was loaded into the ambulance, I had lost all sensation.

The doctor informed Tessa that while I had survived, I was now in a vegetative state.

Upon regaining consciousness, I overheard a nurse saying that when Tessa learned of my condition, she felt immense guilt.

She knelt by my bed, swearing on my late parents' memory that she would care for me forever.

Yet here we are, just three months later.

Remembering our shared hardships now feels like swallowing broken glass.

I remained in the hospital bed for two weeks straight.

During this time, apart from the day I woke up, neither Tessa nor Bonnie visited me.

Calmly, I sat up and gathered my belongings.

In my pocket was the divorce agreement I had drafted the previous night.

The doctor performed one last check on my physical functions.

He assured me that my nervous system would fully recover soon.

The nurse was kind, encouraging me that with continued treatment, I would certainly improve.

I gazed at my reflection, my face ghostly pale.

Laughing bitterly, I took my discharge papers and left.

By chance, as I exited the ward, I encountered Tessa.

She was being supported by my brother, Bonnie.

I followed them, witnessing them enter the obstetrics department.

Upon seeing me, Tessa's gentle smile instantly vanished.

"Darling, should you be walking around?" she asked nervously, even calling Bonnie to fetch me a wheelchair.

I regarded her calmly. "So you do remember I'm your husband."

My eyes moved to her midsection.

Tessa took a cautious step back.

Bonnie quickly shielded her, his hand casually touching Tessa's stomach behind his back.

"Brother, in your condition, you should be resting! Don't wander about!" he said, clearly provoking me.

Ignoring his taunt, I pointed at the obstetrics sign and questioned Tessa.

"Why are you here?"

Guilt flashed in Tessa's eyes as she softly replied, "I'm feeling unwell, possibly pregnant. Your brother is accompanying me for a check-up."

"Pregnant? With whose child? My brother's?" I laughed coldly. They were trying to deceive me like an idiot.

Tessa suddenly played the victim card.

"Howard! You monster! I'm carrying your baby!!!"

I chuckled. "For three months, I've been a comatose vegetable. I didn't realize you had a fetish for sleeping with the practically dead?"

As I tried to walk past, Tessa grabbed my arm.