Chapter 4
I had no idea how long I'd been out, but slowly, consciousness started to seep back in.
I felt something warm sliding down my face.
A man's voice, smooth and magnetic, said, "Get Michael and his elite medical team to fly back and give her a thorough treatment."
His voice was so mesmerizing that I jolted awake, and the first thing I saw was a drop-dead gorgeous face.
Our eyes locked for a moment before he instantly withdrew his hand from my face.
"You're awake. How do you feel?" he asked.
I barely managed to whisper, "Hurts."
"The anesthesia is just wearing off, so it's normal to feel some pain. I've had the doctor give you a painkiller. Just hang in there," he said.
After a pause, he continued, "I'm Yannis Quinn. My car's brakes suddenly failed, and that's how you got hurt. I'm really sorry about what happened. I'll cover all your medical expenses."
Only then did I notice the bandage on his forehead.
Although he was the one who got me hurt, I couldn't really bring myself to blame him.
Yannis was gentle and easygoing. He said he'd set me up with a professional medical team and asked me to brace myself for the treatment.
Not long after, he left.
*****
The next day, Yannis's team moved me to a VIP ward.
There were a bunch of foreign doctors there. They ran tests and treated me with state-of-the-art equipment.
They told me my legs could make a full recovery. They promised to go all out to help me heal, and all they needed was for me to follow their lead.
Getting back on my feet was the thing I'd been dreaming of forever, so there was no way I'd say no.
I was kept in the hospital for intensive, private treatment.
After a month, my injuries from the car accident were almost healed.
Even my legs were strong enough to stand again.
For me, this was the best news I could ever hope for.
During the whole month I was in the hospital, Edward never once reached out to me.
Our last conversation was still stuck on that message I sent a month ago, asking if we could talk.
But that burner account never missed a day, always sending me updates on how things were going between Edward and Charlotte.
While I was doing everything I could to recover, Edward refused to believe it was real.
He was convinced I faked the car accident to avoid getting divorced.
The love that once made us willing to die for each other had completely decayed.
Edward sipped his drink, his tone indifferent as he told his friend, "I have zero interest in Yvonne now. She's nothing to me, less than a stranger.
"If a stranger got hurt, maybe I'd feel some sympathy and help out. But Yvonne? No. Her scheming has drained every ounce of patience I had."
Edward couldn't care less if I lived or died. The only thing on his mind now was Charlotte and the baby she was carrying.
He'd never set foot in the kitchen before. But now, he'd make pregnancy meals for Charlotte and even whip up midnight snacks for her.
He was there for Charlotte at every check-up, busy designing and decorating the nursery for their little one.
At this point, there was no reason for me to hold Edward back any longer.
I picked up my phone and typed: [Let's set a time to go to the courthouse, Edward.]
Before I could hit send, Edward's message popped up first.
I could practically feel his impatience and contempt through the screen.
It read: [Yvonne, when are you going to come with me and get the divorce done? Don't think you can hide, and I won't find you.
[If you don't want me to make things difficult for you, you'd better show up and get the divorce paperwork done. I promise I will remarry you.]
After reading Edward's message, I deleted my draft and sent a new one: [I'm heading to the courthouse. I'll wait for you there.]
*****
Yannis's people took me to the courthouse. From a distance, I spotted Edward waiting outside.
He held a cigarette between his fingers, kept checking the time, and looked completely fed up.
When he saw me, he flicked his cigarette away and walked over. "Are you alright?" he asked.
I didn't say a word. I just gestured for Yannis's people to wheel me into the courthouse lobby.
After just a couple of quick questions from the staff, Edward and I completed our divorce registration.
Probably afraid I'd cling to him, he quickly filled out the divorce papers and made a hasty exit, claiming he had urgent business.
Before leaving, he reminded me to pick up our divorce decree in a month.
After leaving the courthouse, I went straight back to the hospital to keep up with my treatment.
My legs hadn't moved in five whole years. They were so stiff it felt like they belonged to someone else. I could stand now, but walking was still a long shot.
To walk like a normal person again, I practiced every day, falling countless times and shedding rivers of sweat and tears.
Finally, I could walk across the rehab room on my own, no crutches, no nurse holding me up.
I lay there on the floor, bawling my eyes out, letting all my emotions pour out, until a sharp clap cut through the room.
I looked up and saw Yannis, whom I hadn't seen in a long time.