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Chapter 3

"It hurts." I could hear my voice echo in my head. My head hurt. I could feel a weight in my eyes as I struggled to pull them open, when I finally did, what I saw were blurred images, I could hardly make out the meaning only the image before me. I tried to move something else, my hand maybe but I had no feelings there. I tried to talk but I couldn't find my voice then I heard someone speak.

I listened carefully and could finally make out who the sound belonged to. A familiar pain struck me, one that I desperately wished would seize and never return. It was the pain from betrayal. The cruelest form of it.

"I think Racheal has suffered enough Miguel, It's time for us to let her go." What was that witch talking about? I yelled within me, recognizing the female's voice to be no other than Nicole, my best... I swore at myself for almost giving her the title. So I meant, my ex-bestfriend.

"I know it's hard to pull out your wife from life support but it's the best thing you can do so that you can move on with your life." The doctor said and it was then that I realized I had woken up from a coma. For how long had I been here to make them want to get rid of me?

They should have left me for dead after the accident than let me wake up to hearing such cruel things as the first words I heard. Miguel had all the money in the world to keep me on life support for as long as he wanted. Why was this even a suggestion? Another realization hit me when it occured to me that I could be treated in Nicole's parent's hospital and that doctor was her cousin. I laughed seeing that I had been blind indeed. They both hated me.

Something felt off, every movement I made, everything I did, was all within me even when I intended to be real with it. I opened my mouth to talk but nothing came out of it, my lips didn't even move.

A sudden fear engulfed me and I began yelling for help despite no sound came or maybe I was wrong.

"She's awake." I heard a disappointed yet surprised voice say. It was that of Sarah, Nicole's cousin. Then three pairs of eyes soon settled on me as they came by my bedside, each airing their shock that I was awake.

They didn't all seem too happy to see me. What did I expect? They had practically talked about taking away my life support. How Kind?

"I'm so glad you're awake Rachael." Nicole was the first to speak and my anger boiled over yet I couldn't react. I watched as Miguel's hands rested on her shoulder offering some consolation to her. She didn't even care! My heart shattered all over again. Even when I barely escaped death, they still rubbed it to my face, that they were in love with each other. As if realizing himself, Miguel quickly pulled his hand off her shoulder and avoided my gaze. I felt tears pool in my eyes and prayed earnestly that it didn't fall to my face.

"What's wrong with her Sarah? Why isn't she talking or doing anything?" Nicole asked, more like curiosity than concern.

"We will need to have an examination to know more." Sarah said. Both Nicole and Miguel had left, I guess to continue from where they left off but something weighed on me more. Why couldn't I move? Or do anything at all?

Three days had past after Miguel and Nicole visited. Today, they had shown their disgraceful face to me. I wanted to drag Nicole and beat her to a pulp for speaking and I wanted to yell at Miguel and ask him why he let our beautiful love turn into ashes but I couldn't do none of that.

"She suffered a brain damage that has left her immobile and unresponsive...." Shock enveloped me at Sarah's words. What did she mean by that? They couldn't be talking about me. No... This can't happen to me. I kept crying within me.

"How long will she be like this?" Miguel asked and sarah kept quiet. The suspense was killing. I only wanted to hear goodnews but I couldn't trust my doctor either.

"I'm sorry Mr Elliot, but I'm afraid your wife can only be better by a miracle. She'll be like this forever." Sarah said and it felt as though my heart stopped beating for some seconds. I was too shocked that it interrupted my vision and hearing for a short while.

No! I wailed inside. How could this happen to me. I had done nothing to deserve this. The two people who should be paying for their crimes were standing next to me, alive and healthy while I was sentenced to forever as a prisoner in my own body. How was this justice?"

"So what do we do now?" Nicole asked. She must be overjoyed. Now she could have Miguel all to herself.

"You'll need to take her home and care for her there. You can employ a caregiver if the task is too much for you." Sarah suggested.

"A caregiver? No way Miguel. I won't let you employ a stranger to take care of my bestfriend." Nicole said. I didn't realize how much of a devil she was until now. I could see through her plans. "I'll move in with you. I'll spend the rest of my life if I have to taking care of Racheal. She's my best friend." Nicole kept saying shedding tears that wouldn't come out.

I felt so helpess and pitiful. Where were my parents in all of these? Had they not heard about what happened to their daughter? I had been too engrossed in my hatred for Miguel and Nicole that I haden't put too much thought about them visiting. Were they still angry at me for giving my inheritance to Miguel? I was their only child and I knew my parents, they couldn't abandon me not in this time but why weren't they here in my worst time?

Miguel had agreed to Nicole moving in and for three months I had been taken care of by indeed a stranger. Both Nicole and Miguel had little to no time for me. I witnessed them coming back from dates, going into the room Miguel and I once shared as our matrimonial place and coming out with the look of what they had done strongly etched on their face.

I wanted to just die but when I thought about how they'd move on without me, I prayed for a miracle instead because I wanted revenge. They needed to pay for all the silent pain I went through.

Today, I was left alone, uncared for by the caregiver who left for reasons I was yet to know. Nicole walked by me and I wished I could close my ear from hearing the things that came next. She and Miguel were kissing behind me and saying how they missed each other.

My heart had not yet healed. I still loved Miguel despite the hate that clouded my heart. I didn't want to hear more of it or see more of their betrayal but there was nothing I could do about it.

"I've told you, let's not do this in front of Racheal. I still feel very guilty." I heard Miguel say but Nicole sighed. "Alright, let's go upstairs and finish off but we can't keep showing affection in front of her." He said to please her. My heart bled beyond what I could take. This torture was too much.

"I sent the caregiver away. It's her day off." Nicole said.

"Damn it! And I'm already aroused." Miguel cursed.

"You bother yourself too much. I understand we can't leave Racheal unattended. She doesn't even realize what is happening so you don't have to feel guilty about a thing." That witch.... If only I could get my hands on her. Miguel was silent and I was hoping he'd have some conscience left to refuse but to my shock, he accepted. He had even pushed my wheelchair into our room and quickly pounced on Nicole with a hunger I had never seen before. Did she move him that much? Was I really not enough?

"Miguel wait... You didn't turn Racheal to the other side." Nicole said while Miguel's hands relentlessly tore off her cloth.

"You said she wasn't aware of what's happening, so she wouldn't know what we are about to do. " He said impatiently, taking off the remnant of her cloth. Tears pooled in my eyes as I watched my husband, the man who once made love to me with deep passion now making love to my bestfriend in front of me.

It was a sight no human should ever ever be made to watch, yet I did. I realized being able to walk away was a privileged. I couldn't do so because I was trapped and helpless. The sound of their kisses, the sight of their cuddled up body after they had come down from their high tortured me beyond words could tell.

As if what I had just witnessed was not enough. Miguel had started saying how he wished he had met Nicole sooner and not married me then. Like a joke, he led Nicole out of the bed, withdrew a box from the drawer. Nicole's hands quickly flew to her mouth expressing shock. Tears dripped down my face and I watched helplesssly as my husband went on his knees and said the words he once said to me.

"Will you marry me Nicole?"