Chapter 9: Hospital Realities

Derek had to leave Lillian and come to the hospital to take care of me.

He arrived with a bouquet of grocery store flowers and a forced smile. He sat by my bedside, but his eyes kept drifting to his phone, waiting for updates from my parents. The linoleum floors squeaked under every step, and the smell of disinfectant clung to my skin.

But my mother thought it was just my way of forcing Derek to come home.

She stormed into the hospital room, her anger filling every corner. “Just because you called Derek away, your sister tried to kill herself last night and almost died!”

“You’re healthy—why are you fighting with a disabled person?”

Her words hit like a slap, shame burning in my cheeks. I tried to explain, but she was already gone, slamming the door behind her.

I looked at her in disbelief. “But Derek is my husband now…”

The words sounded hollow, as if I were trying to convince myself more than anyone else.

“So what? This marriage was supposed to be hers. You stole her husband.”

Her voice was final, like the last note of a funeral dirge.

But back then, she was the one who begged me to marry him!

It was true. I remembered every word, every plea, the way she’d twisted my arm with guilt and fear.