"OH. I'm so sorry, Bianca." Amelia cried as she pulled me into a tight embrace. It was my third day in the hospital when Amelia and Darwin came.
I thought I had already become numb from the past three days. But the moment I heard Amelia sobbed, hot liquid pooled in my eyes.
"My poor grandchild."
I didn't know how long we stayed in each other's arms until we both calmed down.
"I'm sorry it took us days before we visited you," Amelia apologized while holding my arms.
I stared at her. She seemed five years older than the last time I saw her—at her own party a week ago. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. Her porcelain skin was now dry and saggy.
"How are you, Bianca?" she asked in a gentle voice. "Charlie told me you're not properly eating your meals."
"I don't have the appetite," I said in a weak voice.
She grabbed my hand and gently pressed it. "The baby... Charlie said he looked just like you."
"C-Charlie?"
"Yes… Bianca." Amelia gave a gentle smile. "Charlie buried him in the family mausoleum."
I didn't know that. Charlie and I didn't chat the whole time he was here. He was just there… checking on me. Reminding me to eat. He didn't tell me that he saw my baby. That he was the one who arranged for his burial.
Another tear rolled down my cheek. My baby. I still couldn't accept that he was gone. I hadn't even seen him. I hadn't even got a chance to hold him in my arms.
I'm so sorry, baby.
"I'm sorry, Amelia," I turned to her, sobbing. "It was my fault." I shut my eyes. "If… if I didn't go out that day…"
I suddenly remembered Gideon's words to me.
"Nothing will ever happen to your child if you stay to be a good wife to me."
I smiled bitterly. In the end, everything just boils down to me. It was my fault I lost my baby.
If I hadn't gone out that day… If I hadn't answered Amelia's call… If I hadn't decided to leave Gideon…
I shook my head. No. If only I had been strong enough. If I had only stood up to him from the start. If only I hadn't gotten scared. If only I had decided to leave him earlier. None of this would have happened.
"Please, don't say that, Bianca. None of it was your fault." Amelia caressed my arm. "You didn't want any of this to happen."
Despite the tears in her eyes, she gave me a gentle smile.
I looked at Amelia. She had always treated me with kindness. I remembered how she threw a dinner party when she learned I was pregnant. How she comforted me when my father died. Somehow, the old woman reminded me of my late mother.
No matter how much I hate Gideon… I could never hate his mother.
She'd been a perfect mother-in-law. It was just unfortunate that I was married to her other son.
"Amelia... h-how's Gideon?" I finally managed to ask after a moment of silence.
"H-he's still in the ICU, Bianca." Tears formed in Amelia's eyes. "Last night... his condition went stable. That's why the doctor gave us a signal to transfer him. B-but this morning... his brain stopped responding. The doctor couldn't tell if he's going to wake up anytime soon."
"I… I understand." I bit my lower lip and looked away.
I stared at the window of my hospital room. Maybe… I shouldn't have asked Amelia. I didn't want her to see my lack of reaction to what she had just said.
"I'm so sorry, Bianca." Amelia grabbed my arm and pulled me again in a hug. "I know... I know it must be so hard for you. You already lost your child. And now... Gideon."
I shut my eyes as I listened to her broken voice. Yes. I hated Gideon. No. I didn't just hate him. loathe him. He ruined my life.
If it hadn't been for him, I wouldn't have lost my baby.
If only Gideon had been good to me. If only he had treated me better. If only he hadn't appeared in my life…
But despite everything I felt for him, I never wished him dead. No matter how much I despise him, I never wanted him to end up in this situation.
"Gideon..." I uttered his name as I stood in front of his unconscious body.
Three days later, the doctor finally allowed me to leave my hospital room. I had decided to finally pay Gideon a visit in the ICU.
From afar, no one would recognize that the man lying on the bed was Gideon Henry.
He looked different from the powerful and formidable Gideon that I had been used to seeing for the past months.
Half of his body was covered in bandages. His head was shaved. His face was swollen from different cuts and bruises.
Aside from the IV fluid on his arm, different apparatuses were attached to his body.
Amelia told me that Gideon was driving back to his hotel when his car crashed into another vehicle. Both of the vehicles were fast, so the collision was severe. Gideon's car was a total wreck. The doctor had told them that Gideon's chance of survival was slim.
"I hate you so much Gideon…"
I muttered, the corner of my eyes burning with hot tears.
"I hate you for everything you've done to me. For making me leave Charlie. For forcing me into marrying you. For making our marriage a hellhole. You've ruined my life, Gideon."
I croaked as tears finally escaped my eyes. "If you didn't come into my life, I'm sure I'm living a happy life right now. With Charlie… and our baby."
My voice broke. "But you suddenly came and ruined everything for me, Gideon. You've deprived me of happiness. God knows how much I hate you." I shut my eyes when I felt my lips were already trembling. I stopped, took a deep breath and tried to calm myself.
"But you know what?" I said. I opened my eyes and looked at him again. "Despite the amount of hate I feel for you… I never… wished you to die. So you have to wake up, Gideon. You're one of the biggest assholes on this planet, right? You're cruel, selfish, cunning… You're evil. People like you don't die this early. So wake up, Gideon. Wake up for Amelia."