Chapter 2
While William went back to being a doting partner to Grace, I quietly slipped out of the house and through the front gates. But I had barely made it out when bright headlights blinded me. I recognized the car and shakily made my way toward it, feeling hopeful again. But before I could reach the car, two guards appeared behind me. They grabbed me before I could scream loud enough and roughly dragged me back inside the villa. Inside the bedroom, William pushed me face down on the bed and pinned my hands down while one of the guards held my legs in place. Without warning, the doctor was ordered to drive a massive needle through my spine. “No sedatives, sir?” He asked William, sounding nervous. William didn’t even spare me a glance. “She can handle it.” He answered dismissively. The doctor hesitated. “Mr. Goldberg, spinal fluid extraction is delicate. If done incorrectly…if she moves… it could seriously damage her nerves. She may be paralyzed.” William’s voice was cold. “Your only job is to get good stem cells. Grace’s condition can’t wait. And if Nicole becomes paralyzed, it’ll be her own fault for moving in the first place.” The doctor turned to me, horror in his eyes. “Madam, please… try to stay very, very still.” I couldn’t speak. My throat was tight with rage and disbelief. My husband was willing to put my life at risk for his mistress. I turned my face away, refusing to give William even one glance. The moment the needle touched my spine, white-hot pain bloomed through my entire body. My legs convulsed. My jaw locked shut from the effort of not screaming and trying to stay as still as possible. I heard the doctor whisper urgently, “Her pressure’s crashing. Her body can’t take much more.” Then came William’s voice, calm and ruthless. “Double the extraction. Grace needs a lot more.” The doctor looked panicked and sweaty. “Sir, she could be paralyzed. She needs a hospital.” “I said do it. Do it right now!” I interrupted the doctor before he could say something again. My voice came out cracked and hollow. “Fine. Take what you want. But when this is over… just let me go.” William finally looked at me then. For a moment, there was something unreadable in his gaze. Maybe guilt. Maybe disgust. More likely, disappointment. He opened his mouth, maybe to scold me, to call me dramatic, selfish and cruel. And to ask why I would want to leave my marriage over such a small thing. But Grace’s soft voice rang out from the master bedroom. “William…” And just like that, he turned and walked away. ___ Two days later. I woke up in a hospital bed, my lower back aching, limbs slow and heavy. William sat nearby, absentmindedly flipping through papers. When he noticed I was awake, he set them down and approached with a bowl of porridge, as emotionless as a robot. “I’ll feed you,” he said. I turned my face away. “I’ll do it myself.” He didn’t argue. He just watched as I forced down a few bites. He even looked relieved that he didn’t have to feed me. Then he asked, “Do you feel unwell anywhere?” I didn’t respond. Instead, I looked at him and said plainly, “Please pass me my phone.” His jaw tightened. He stared at me for a moment before gesturing to the nurse to pass it over. When I checked the screen, I saw missed calls, too many to count. “Who’s been calling you?” William asked suddenly, his voice too calm. He never used to care about things like this. It triggered my annoyance. I didn’t even blink. “It’s not someone you know.” He unbuttoned the top of his shirt and leaned in closer, a cold edge in his eyes. “Nicole, how long do you plan to keep acting like such a spoiled brat? I give you a little bit of freedom, and you go the extra mile.” In the past, I’d get scared and shrink at his anger. I’d try to apologize, beg and make peace. But not this time. I pointed to the phone buzzing on the table. “You should answer that. It’s Grace.” The second her name left my lips, his entire demeanor changed… shoulders softening, mouth twitching into a smile. It was almost like magic. He didn’t say a word to me. He stood and stepped into the hallway to take her call. The moment the door shut, my phone rang. I answered immediately. A voice burst through, breathless. “Nicole? You didn’t show up. Did you change your mind?” “No… I didn’t. Something just came up.” “Something came up? You sound really awful. No. No, this isn’t right. I’m flying back home tonight.”