Chapter 3

Leonard's surgery lasted seven hours. Diane sat in the hallway the whole time, murmuring prayers.

Walter chain-smoked in the corridor until the nurses had to remind him several times to stop.

I paid the hospital bills, bought water, checked in with the doctors, and snapped photos of all the test results for my records.

In my previous life, I was sobbing in the hospital, nearly fainting, but Leonard just made me kneel in Vivian's room. "If she doesn't wake up, you can forget about having a good life," he had said.

Now it was his turn to be the one lying in that hospital bed. I wondered if he'd call this fair.

At two in the morning, the doctor finally came out. Diane's legs gave out so suddenly that she almost fell to her knees.

"Doctor, how's my son?" she cried.

The doctor took off his mask, his voice weary.

"His life is out of immediate danger, but his spine and pelvis are badly damaged. How much he recovers will depend on rehabilitation. At worst, he could have limited use of his legs or be confined to a wheelchair long-term."

Diane's vision went black, and she fainted right there. Walter rushed to catch her, his face ashen.

I stood nearby, eyes red, and said, "Dad, take Mom to the ER. I'll stay here with Leonard."

Walter glanced at me, his gaze a little softer than before. He always thought I wasn't good enough for Leonard.

I came from just an ordinary family, nothing special. My parents passed away early, and all they left me was an old apartment.

After college, I opened a little sandwich shop. When business got better, I expanded into the space next door and turned it into a homestyle diner.

When Leonard was courting me, he said he loved how down-to-earth I was. But after we got married, he complained that I always smelled like grease and smoke.

Diane always said, "Vivian's a dancer. She shines in any crowd. And look at you, you're just the kitchen help."

But now, I was the one paying the bills, signing the forms, and actually running the show.

Vivian didn't show up until dawn. Her arm was in a cast, her face pale, and her mom, Emmy Lane, was by her side.

She started crying the moment she reached the hospital room door. "Leonard..." she choked out, tears streaming down her face.

Leonard still hadn't woken up. He lay in the hospital bed, his face drained of all color, with tubes snaking out from under the sheets.

Diane was sitting by the bed, wiping her tears. But the moment she saw Vivian, her gaze turned icy.

Vivian stopped in her tracks. "Mrs. Cooke, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault," she said, her voice trembling.

Emmy quickly added, "Mrs. Cooke, Vivian was scared too. She's hurt, and nobody wanted this to happen."

Diane always melted whenever Vivian acted like this. The moment Vivian's eyes got teary, Diane's heart would go soft for her.

This time she didn't say a word. She just kept her head down, gripping Leonard's hand so tightly her knuckles turned white.

The tension in the room was so thick it felt like everything had turned to ice.

I walked over at just the right moment and set the thermos down on the table. "Mom, I brought you some soup. Try to eat a little, okay? Leonard's going to need you when he wakes up."

After a long moment, Diane finally looked up at me. Her eyes were full of exhaustion, and for the first time, I saw a trace of dependence there.

"Susan, thank you for all your hard work," she said softly.

After three years of marriage, this was the first time she'd ever called me by my name instead of just "you."

I lowered my head, my voice gentle. "I'm Leonard's wife. This is what I should do."

Vivian's face froze when she heard me say "wife." She always loved rubbing it in, talking about her past with Leonard.

She'd go on about how they went to school together, skipped classes, even split the same basket of fries. She thought she had more of a claim to stand by his side than his actual wife.

But now, I was the one signing the surgery consent forms. I was the one putting my name on the critical condition notices. When the doctors needed a family member, it was me they called.

By noon, Leonard finally woke up. As soon as he opened his eyes, he asked, "Where's Vivian?"

Diane's tears froze on her cheeks, and Walter frowned. Vivian hurried to his side, practically throwing herself at him.

"Leonard, I'm here. I'm fine," she choked out, her voice trembling.

A faint smile appeared on Leonard's face when he saw her. "As long as you're safe, that's all that matters," he said.

Diane's expression darkened in an instant. I stood at the foot of the bed, quietly watching everything unfold.

The doctor came in to check on him, asking if he could feel anything in his legs. Leonard hesitated for a moment.

The doctor tapped his foot with a pen cap, and Leonard didn't react. He tapped his calf, and still nothing.

The silence in the room was suffocating. Leonard's breathing suddenly turned ragged. "What's wrong with my legs?" he asked, his voice shaking.

Nobody dared to answer. Leonard tried to lift his leg, veins bulging on his forehead, but his body didn't move at all under the covers.

His face turned pale, the color draining away bit by bit.

"Am I... am I crippled now?" he asked, his voice trembling.

Vivian gripped his hand, sobbing uncontrollably. "Don't say that, Leonard. You're going to be okay. You'll get better, I promise," she said.

Leonard suddenly whipped his head toward me, his eyes burning with rage. He looked at me like he was ready to tear me apart.

"Susan, why didn't you stop me?" he snapped, his voice cutting and full of blame.

Tears welled up in my eyes. "I tried to stop you," I said, my voice trembling.

I raised my wrist, showing the red mark from his backpack buckle. "You wanted to save Vivian so badly, I just couldn't stop you."

Diane's gaze followed my wrist, and her face turned grim. Leonard was stunned.

I lowered my eyes, my heart completely still, without even a flicker of emotion inside me. Don't be in such a hurry, Leonard. Your hard days are only just beginning.