Chapter 17 (Author’s POV) Earlier that day

Amanda stepped out of the penthouse, inhaling the crisp morning air as she made her way to the hospital. The streets of New York were as busy as ever, but inside, she felt numb. Asha was still in the intensive care unit. He had undergone the surgery, yet he remained unconscious. The thought of losing him, of not hearing his voice again, sent a shiver down her spine.

When she arrived at the hospital, the smell of antiseptic hit her instantly. The beeping of machines, the hushed whispers of nurses-it was all too familiar now. She walked through the long corridor until she reached Asha's room.

Inside, her parents were already there.

"Amanda," her mother, Erica, called softly. "You're here."

Amanda gave her a small smile before glancing at Asha. His face was pale, his body still. The only thing that reassured her was the steady rise and fall of his chest.

"How is he?" she asked.

Her father, Johnson, sighed. "The doctors say he's stable, but we just have to wait for him to wake up."

Amanda nodded, her throat tightening. She wished she could do something, anything, to bring him back to consciousness.

"How's your marriage?" Erica's voice cut through her thoughts.

She blinked, turning to her mother. "It's fine. It's just been a day, but I'm okay. He's been nice and all."

Johnson and Erica exchanged a glance.

"You got married so fast, Amanda. We didn't even meet him properly before the wedding," Johnson said, his voice laced with suspicion.

Amanda forced a chuckle. "Dad, it just happened. You know how life can be. Everything fell into place, and it felt right."

Erica folded her arms. "It felt right? Just like that?"

Amanda kept her face neutral, pushing down the nerves bubbling inside her. "Yes, Mom. Raphael is a good man. He treats me well."

They weren't convinced. She could see it in their eyes. But she didn't give them space to argue. She smiled wider, acting as if everything was perfect.

"Besides, shouldn't we be more focused on Asha right now?" she said, using deflection as her shield.

Her mother sighed, shaking her head. "I just hope you know what you're doing."

Amanda nodded. "I do." A lie.

She checked the time and let out a small gasp. "I should get going. I need to make dinner for my husband."

Erica frowned slightly. "Already taking care of him?"

"Of course. I'm his wife now," Amanda said, her tone light, though the words felt foreign in her mouth.

She hugged them both before stepping out of the hospital.

On the way home, Amanda's mind drifted to Raphael's words that morning.

"I don't see the need for you to work."

The statement echoed in her head, fueling a frustration she hadn't let settle earlier.

"You don't have to work anymore. Whatever you need, I'll provide."

She clenched her fists. No. That couldn't be her life. She wasn't just going to sit in that penthouse all day, wandering around aimlessly, waiting for Raphael to come home. She needed to do something. She had to leave the house.

She wasn't the kind of woman who could just exist without a purpose.

Sure, Raphael was offering her the world-parties, vacations, luxury. But she didn't even have people to share that world with. Charles and Caroline were in another state. Kyle-well, they hadn't spoken in a while. And here she was, alone in New York, married to a man she was still trying to understand.

She exhaled sharply.

No. She wasn't going to just let this happen. She would work. She would make sure of it.

Even if she had to force Raphael to let her.

A small smirk tugged at her lips as she whispered to herself-

"Operation: Make Raphael Let Me Work is in motion."