All Chapters of Bride Of The eccentric CEO: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

8KATYThe next couple of days passed in a monotony of repeated moments. Richard was monitored closely, his vitals checked, tests done, Dr Fletcher coming and going. I got to know the team of hardworking, dedicated nurses. I came and went, staying longer than I was supposed to, but they turned a blind eye to the fact that I stood beside Richard’s bed, holding his hand and talking for hours on end. I stepped out of the waywhen needed, but otherwise, I was by his side.Graham and Laura were allowed in briefly, both of them insisting on my taking a quick break. Graham had arranged a place for me to shower and change, and I called Gracie every time. Mrs. Thomas stayed with the girls when Graham and Laura were here, or Jenna stepped in if needed. It was a great comfort to know the girls were well looked after.“When you home, Mommy?” “Soon, baby.”“Is you and Daddy having fun?” I had to clear my throat.“Daddy is working, Gracie. Mommy is helping him.” “Daddy yikes that. But me miss you.”

10KATYMy anger didn’t abate. It grew.For six days, it simmered and twisted in my gut. Six days as I waited by my husband’s bed for him to wake up. To open his hazel eyes and look at me. Smile. Frown. Groan. Anything.The medical staff told me to be patient. To remain positive. Both emotions were slowly draining from me.For six days, he remained trapped in a world beyond me. Where I couldn’t reach him. His chest fell and rose with his breathing. The full oxygen mask had been replaced by cannulas, his breathing tube gone. Thick stubble grew on his face, hiding some of the cuts. His bruises were changing, fading from black and blue to yellow and purple. His expression was peaceful, his body unmoving and unresponsive.When we were alone, I wept, begging and pleading with him to wake up. When other people were around, I remained calm, locking down my emotions, putting on a strong, brave, positive face, saying he would wake soon. Be with us.Still, he slept. Inside, I despaired. And bur

11KATYThe next three days were filled with tension and anticipation. There were small signs Richard was waking up. The flutter of his eyelids—as quick as a hummingbird’s wings—so fast you would miss it if you weren’t looking. The tremor in a finger. The twitch of his arm. A quiet sound deep in his throat—something between a sigh and a groan.Each action made me stiffen with anxiety and yearn with hope. Ache with the need for the next sign. I didn’t leave his side, even sleeping with my fingers interlocked with his. I rushed to the bathroom when needed, swallowed the food that appeared, and raced through the fastest showers I ever had in my life, returning with wet hair and the same determination in my heart.I read to him. Talked endlessly. Played recordings of Gracie singing and nattering away that Laura sent me. I stretched and bent his limbs the way Colin had shown me—easy movements to help his muscles stay active. I tried desperately not to get upset at the dead weight his legs

12KATYI was already rushing toward the door when Carol opened it, looking for me. I heard the sound Richard made, even through the walls, and Iknew he needed me. Screw protocol.I hurried to his bedside. He was almost panting in his panic, a sheen of sweat on his forehead. His hands were wrapped tight around the bed rails, and the stark fear in his eyes made my heart ache.I brushed my hand over his forehead, leaning in as close as I could. “Shh, Richard, I’m here, my darling. I’m here.”My touch seemed to calm him. I ran my hand down his arm, loosening his grip from the metal. I intertwined our fingers, lifting his hand to my mouth. “Right here,” I repeated, hating seeing him so unsettled, so vulnerable. So unlike the Richard I knew.Alan stood on the other side of his bed. “Listen to your wife, Richard.Breathe with her and try to relax. I’ll explain more when you’re ready.”I pressed his hand to my chest and breathed long and slow. He struggled to calm down, finally relaxing, th

14KATYRichard didn’t appreciate any of the changes. In fact, they either annoyed him, or caused another outburst.The repositioning of the furniture in the family room to make space for the exercise equipment was met with a glare and a downturn of his mouth.The lowered cabinet so he could reach the Keurig and make coffee was greeted with silence. The rearrangement of his office and the added height to his desk so he could get his wheelchair tucked under the edge earned mutterings and a glower.Refusing to let him see my rising frustration, I opened the door to the new elevator with a flourish. “Ta-da!”“Are you fucking kidding me with this?” he growled.“Richard!” I gasped, indicating Gracie, who was staring at him with round eyes.“You expect me to use that?” He kept talking, ignoring the fact that he had dropped the f-bomb in front of our daughter and was acting like a jerk.I remained calm. “If you want to get upstairs, you will.”“This is what you’ve been wasting your time on?