Chapter 5

Clarisse regained consciousness to a stabbing pain in her head. Every breath burned in her lungs, sharp and ragged. Instinctively, she tried to curl up, but a pair of firm hands pressed her gently back down. "Clarisse, don't move. You're still on an IV," a familiar, worried voice said softly by her ear. She struggled to open her heavy eyelids. The glaring light above made her eyes well with tears. She tried to lift a hand to shield her eyes, but her arms felt impossibly heavy. When she managed to lift it, it dropped right back onto the bed. A shadow fell across her face. Theodore appeared in her field of vision, his brows furrowed with guilt and pain. "Clarisse, I'm sorry. It's all my fault…" he quickly explained, his tone rushed and anxious. "Bianca is pregnant, and the baby is Caleb's only hope! Nothing can happen to her! I… I really didn't think you were actually drowning. I thought…" He hesitated, his gaze flickering. "I thought you just… pretended to drown to get my attention…" Clarisse didn't want to hear another word. His excuses were weak and ridiculous, given everything she had been through. She closed her eyes. She didn't want to look at the face that had once been so familiar but now felt impossibly distant. The hospital room fell into a suffocating silence. Suddenly, a phone notification chimed, breaking the stillness. Theodore, as if grabbing onto a lifeline, quickly picked up her phone and handed it to her, his tone almost desperate to please. "Clarisse, you got a message. Let me get it for you." As he spoke, his eyes inadvertently landed on the glowing screen. A message from an airline popped up. "NorthStar Airlines: Dear Ms. Clarisse Hart, your reservation for Flight MF6589 has been confirmed. Please…" Theodore's eyes went wide in shock. He jumped to his feet, his voice rising, unable to hide the panic. "Clarisse! When did you book a flight? Why didn't I know? Where are you going?" Clarisse's lashes fluttered. She opened her eyes and calmly met Theodore's panicked gaze as he realized she was about to leave. All she felt was bitter irony. "I just need some time away," she said hoarsely, keeping her voice steady. "I don't want to bother anyone. It's better for everyone if I'm away for a while." Theodore's tense expression suddenly softened. For a brief moment, a flicker of relief appeared in his eyes. He knew it. Clarisse loved him so much that she would never leave him. She was just upset about how he'd been neglecting her lately and was trying to get his attention. But maybe it was for the best. She was finally being understanding and willing to compromise. "I see!" Theodore sat back down beside her, his voice turning gentle. "A short trip might do you good. I know you've had a rough time lately." He reached for her hand. She didn't pull away, but her fingers were cold and stiff. "But the doctor said you need to rest and not to overexert yourself." He gently stroked her hand, already making plans out loud. "Once Bianca's pregnancy stabilizes, I'll take you anywhere you want to go. Didn't you always want to see the aurora? We'll go to Norvel, Icelora, or wherever you want. Just the two of us…" He kept describing their future trips, his voice full of excitement and hope. But when he looked over at Clarisse again, she'd already closed her eyes, her breathing slow and steady, as if she'd fallen asleep. Looking at her pale, fragile face, Theodore felt a wave of guilt and pity. He realized he'd neglected her for too long and made her suffer alone. She had shouldered far too much pain and heartache. But now that Bianca was finally pregnant, his responsibility to her would soon be over. He would have all the time in the world to make it up to Clarisse. … In the days that followed, Theodore never left Clarisse's side. He brought his work into the hospital room and personally fed her every meal. He also bought rare supplements and had them delivered to the hospital. He filled her room with fresh roses that had been flown in that very morning. Every day, he changed the water and trimmed the stems himself. Clarisse accepted his care in silence, never refusing but never speaking either. Her eyes would drift to the bright, dewy roses by her bedside. They were still so fresh, as if they could bloom forever. But the moment they were cut from the stem, no matter how beautiful they looked, their fate was sealed. They were already dying—just like her marriage. From the moment Theodore chose betrayal, their love was doomed to wither away, no matter how beautiful it once was.