Chapter 4

Less than ten minutes later, the bedroom door was pushed open again.

Emily walked in, her arm wrapped tightly around Alex's.

I lay on the bed, watching them calmly.

Only then did I realize that the face of my husband, the man I'd been married to for years, now seemed like that of a complete stranger.

They kissed.

It felt like all those times before. Alex would pull me close on a crowded street, his eyes full of fire as he kissed me, leaving me blushing.

He was always drawn to wild, passionate romances, the kind that made his heart race and his whole world spin.

I heard Emily's voice, laced with playful petulance and discontent. "Wouldn't it be easier to let her leave with her grandma? Why bother waiting a few days? Alex, you're not seriously waiting for her to wake up, are you?"

Alex had his back to me, so I couldn't see his face.

All I could hear was his voice, almost teasing as he tried to talk Emily down. "You heard what the doctor said, didn't you? What exactly am I supposed to be waiting for?"

There was a hint of sarcasm in his words, and bitterness filled my throat.

Emily wasn't about to let it go. "I don't care. Send her away already. From now on, you're mine. Even if she wakes up, she can dream if she thinks she'll ever get you back."

Alex chuckled. "You're so bold. Charlotte really shouldn't have trusted you."

Emily snorted, not a hint of guilt in her voice, only pure pride. "Look who's talking. She shouldn't have trusted you, either."

I'd been awake for a while, but I still couldn't get used to it. My head was foggy.

My body and senses were numb, so the pain didn't really register.

I listened to Alex and Emily laughing and joking, but it all felt distant and unreal.

Emily sounded excited. "You'll have to go through a divorce lawsuit. With the diagnosis that Charlotte's not waking up, it'll be a piece of cake to get the court to sign off on it.

"Later, go to her grandma and come up with some reason to get her paperwork."

Alex replied in a gentle, indulgent tone, "Okay."

Emily clung to him, her voice all sweet and playful. "Let's have the wedding soon. If we wait too long, my baby bump will show, and the wedding photos won't look as good.

"And for the venue, I want it by the sea. The waves are so wide and wild, just like you. They totally sweep me away."

Alex always ate up those sweet words.

But this time, he didn't say anything for a long moment.

Emily looked up at him, clearly annoyed. "What's that supposed to mean? Are you backing out now?"

Alex seemed a little spaced out.

After a long pause, he finally reached out and ruffled her hair. "Alright. Whatever you say."

His gaze shifted toward the bed, and I quickly shut my eyes.

Maybe feeling a bit guilty, Alex said, "Why don't you go sleep in the guest room?"

Emily was displeased. "No way. Charlotte is no different from a corpse now. What's the harm in me hanging around here for a while?"

That was harsh. Back then, Alex would've gotten mad.

But now, maybe Alex agreed with her.

If I would never wake up, wasn't that basically the same as being dead?

He turned around, sat down on the couch, and lit a cigarette.

His tone was a bit reproachful. "Don't push your luck."

But he clearly wasn't bothered at all by how wild and reckless Emily was acting.

He took a drag, and the smoke curled around his face, making it hard to read his expression.

Emily threw herself forward, sat down beside him, and leaned into his arms.

Her voice was full of smug satisfaction. "I want to. Isn't this exactly what you like about me? Otherwise, why would you have started seeing me only two months after Charlotte's accident?"

It was as if something had suddenly burst inside my head.

As if his dirty secret had been laid bare, Alex reacted like a cat with its tail trampled. His face immediately turned cold, and he cut her off. "Enough. I was drunk back then."

Emily snorted. "Seriously, how many times are you guys gonna use that excuse? Being drunk doesn't mean you're brain-dead."

Alex shot up from the couch, his face burning with embarrassment and anger, ready to storm out.

Emily finally panicked, jumping up and grabbing onto his arm.

"Don't be mad, okay? There's no one else here. I promise I won't bring it up again," she said. "Alex, I'm sorry, alright?"

Emily wouldn't let go, and Alex finally relented, his expression softening. "Alright, it's late. Go take a shower."