CHAPTER ONE

Rosalind

“Please wake up, Marina. I need you.” James, my husband begged the beautiful woman who laid on the bed, who has been trapped in a coma for three years and also my patient and the reason James married me.

I hated thinking about it, but on days he looked at her like she was his world, it punched me in the gut and reminded me of the one thing I hated to think about.

He married me just because of her.

I fell in love with him, the minute I laid eyes on him. It was three years ago, when his grandfather was my patient, and I was an intern.

His grandfather, the CEO of Wooden, one of the biggest companies in the city, was sick, and I was in charge of taking care of him. I became very close to Grandpa, and he often used to tell me stories about James, and I was enchanted by the beautiful man he described, and the I laid my eyes on him on the days he came to visit, I fell hopelessly in love.

So, the minute his grandfather publicly announced that he wanted a wife for James at the party that was thrown because of his recovery, I immediately decided to be that wife.

He married me because of I was a nurse and I offered to help with his friend I overheard he and grandpa talk about. On our wedding day, I was the happiest alive, but all that went to dust when I found out that his friend, my patient, Marina, wasn’t his friend but in fact, his lover.

For three years, I’ve tried my best to show him how much I loved him, and would do anything for him, but those three years, he has done nothing but ignore my whole existence. He regarded me as nothing but a nurse, and he poured his love and affection on a woman that had a fifty percent chance of living.

But I did my best either ways. Because I felt he would love me if I did everything he wanted.

But nothing was changing, except the pain in my chest that increased with every passing moment that he looks at her like she’s his world.

He didn’t even remember today was my birthday.

He continued stroking Marina’s pale skin, forgetting or simply not caring that I stood there with my chest hurting. I sighed, and moved to check her vitals while he cleared his throat.

“How is she?” He asked, and the voice that used to comfort me worsened my pain, but I swallowed it.

“She’s stable, like she has been for a week now.” I answered in a small voice, setting up the oils I needed to massage her and prevent her from getting paralyzed from being immobile for so long.

As I arranged the bottles, I worked up the courage to ask the one question.

“James?” I called out in a timid little voice, and he turned from Marina look at me, his eyes that was just filled with warmth became cold as ice as they landed on me.

This was probably a bad idea, but it was my birthday.

I swallowed stiffly as I cleaned my sweaty palms on my thigh and met his gaze. “I was wondering, maybe when you are done with your duties today, you could come back and we could have dinner?”

The silence that followed my question settled like a rock, and only the sound of my beating heart echoed in my ears.

His cold eyes narrowed at me, and I instantly regretted my question the minute the silence was filled with his voice.

“Is Marina awake?” he asked rhetorically, but I tensed, my eyes landing on Marina, who was still in a coma, like we both knew. He was mad, I knew it, and he waited for my answer.

Now I was sweating, but reluctantly I whispered no, the sound of his rejection crushing me into pieces.

“So, what’s there to celebrate, Rosalind? Why would I have dinner with you when you haven’t done the one thing, I want from you?”

Hearing him say those words, confirming the words my brain told me a million times caused tears to spring into my eyes. Maybe he was just saying that out of frustration? Maybe he would reconsider his words?

Wiping the corner of my eye, I met his gaze once more. “But its…”, I trailed off, not having the courage to finish my sentence as he raised a brow in annoyance.

“Its what, Rosalind? Is there any reason we should celebrate when she’s still in that fucking coma?”

I flinched as he rose his voice, anger dripping from each word.

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, while I stood there, my gaze pinned onto the floor while I fought back the tears that threatened to spill. He hated that.

“Make Marina wake up, Rosalind. Maybe then, we would throw a huge fucking banquet.” He spat, and he marched out of the room, leaving me with Marina, and then the tears spilled.

For years, I’ve slaved for him, and all he sees me as was his lover's doctor. I’ve done everything. What else could I do to make him see I loved him?

the door opened and I quickly cleaned my tears, but it was just the nanny.

I sighed, and went back to finish massaging Marina’s limbs.

I finished with a new resolve. I would get a cake and convince him to celebrate my birthday with me. He would understand better when he sees its my birthday.

Taking the long route to calm my head, and I got the cake, his favorite flavor.

Walking back home with the cake, I mustered up courage to send the message.

“Hey James, I don’t know if you forgot or anything, but today’s my birthday and I got a cake. I know you love chocolate flavored cake, so maybe a piece could make you feel better.”

I reread the message and sighed. I sounded needy and desperate. Clearing the message and just leaving the first part of how it’s my birthday, my finger hovered over the send button.

Do it, Rosa.

I tried to cheer myself up. He may not love me, but he’s my husband, that should count for something right?

I closed my eyes, and decided to just tap the send button, but the sound of my ringtone had my eyes flying open.

The Nanny. My heart dropped. Could something be wrong?

I swiped on the receive button, the sound of panic in the Nanny’s voice instantly put me on edge.

“Madame Rosalind, Madame Marina is convulsing!”

Shit. I silently cursed, then took a deep breath to stable myself, but before I could reply I heard James’s voice in the background.

“Is that Rosalind? Tell her to get here this instant!” he roared and I instantly rushed to the house with the cake in my hands.

Immediately I got in, I dropped the cake in the kitchen and away from his sights, I headed to Marina’s room, but he was already taking her out if the room, carrying her bridal style while he gazed at her with worry in his eyes.

Those eyes met mine and instantly became flooded with anger.

“I’m sorry James I just stepped out- “I started to apologize, but a raise of his hand silenced me.

“you had one job, Rosalind. Just to take care of this woman who means the world to me.”

“And I tried! I just wanted to- “I tried explaining, but a growl left his lips, and I took two steps back at how strange and terrifying that was.

His eyes darkened with anger. “I’m taking her to the hospital since you are incompetent. But let me tell you, Rosalind. If anything goes wrong with Marina, ill make you pay with everything you have.”

And with that threat, he left with the nanny right behind him, who shot me a sympathetic glance as I stood there, frozen as I watched them leave.

After everything, he was ready to ruin me just because of a mistake?