Chapter 2 - THE SILENT VOW
The hours that followed were a blur of medical tests,
shouted orders,
and a tension so thick you could cut it with a knife.
I was ushered out of the room like an unwanted guest,
despite the gold band on my finger that said I belonged there.
I sat in the grand hallway,
the silence of the mansion feeling heavier than it had before.
Every time a nurse exited the room,
I tried to peek in,
hoping to see those blue eyes again.
But the door was always shut quickly,
keeping the secrets of the Thornton heir behind closed doors.
My father called me,
his voice eager and trembling with greed.
“I heard the news,”
he said,
not even asking if I was okay.
“Is it true?”
“Did he wake up because of you?”
“I don't know,
Dad,”
I replied,
tears of frustration welling in my eyes.
“He just opened his eyes when I spoke.”
“This is perfect,”
he chuckled,
a sound that made my skin crawl.
“Now you're not just a wife,
you're his savior.”
“The trust won't just pay our debts,
they'll make us rich.”
I hung up on him,
unable to stomach the transaction my life had become.
I walked back toward the room,
ignoring the glares from the security guards.
Jason was standing near the windows,
staring out at the Hudson River with a drink in his hand.
He turned as I approached,
his eyes narrowed and venomous.
“You think you're clever,
don't you?”
he asked,
his voice a low snarl.
“You think you can play the devoted wife and win the jackpot.”
“I don't care about the money,
Jason,”
I said,
my voice stronger than I felt.
“I just care that he's okay.”
He laughed,
a bitter,
hollow sound.
“He's a Thornton.”
“Being ‘okay’ is a luxury none of us have.”
“He’ll realize soon enough that he married a girl who was sold to him like a piece of livestock.”
The words stung because they were true,
a reminder of my own humiliation.
The doctor finally emerged,
looking exhausted but triumphant.
“He’s conscious,
but he can't speak yet,”
he informed the gathered family.
“His body is weak,
his muscles have atrophied.”
“It will be months of physical therapy.”
“But he is remarkably lucid.”
Vivian stepped forward,
her voice commanding.
“Can he sign documents?”
The doctor hesitated,
glancing at me and then back at her.
“He can blink for yes and no.”
“He can move his right hand slightly.”
“But he needs rest,
Vivian.”
“He needs a calm environment.”
Vivian turned to me,
her expression unreadable.
“You,”
she said,
pointing a manicured finger.
“You will stay in that room.”
“You are his wife.”
“If your voice is what brought him back,
your voice will keep him here.”
“But make no mistake,”
she added,
leaning in close.
“You are here to serve him,
not to rule him.”
I nodded,
May you like
too tired to fight her,
and walked back into the room where my new life waited.
