Chapter 13
Tessa watched as Charlotte was wheeled into the operating room. She watched the doors slowly close and the red light above flicker on. At that moment, her last shred of hope shattered.
Feeling as if all of her strength was drained, she muttered, “Why?”
Her voice was so soft that Ethan almost couldn’t hear it. “What?”
“I said why!” Tessa suddenly shouted, her emotions boiling over.
“Why would you do this to me, Ethan? What did I ever do to deserve this? You think I drugged you? Fine. But I didn’t force you to sleep with me. I didn’t force you to marry me either!
“You said you didn’t like your wife showing her face in public, so I gave up my career and stayed home for you. I cooked, cleaned,
and played the good wife. I molded myself into someone you’d like.
“I accepted all your sarcasm, coldness, and neglect. Even when I knew you were messing around with Charlotte, I kept making excuses for you to protect your image.
“I’ve done nothing to wrong you. So why? Why do you hate me this much? Why would you give me hope only to crush it so
ruthlessly?”
Ethan remained expressionless under the weight of her accusations.
Tessa suddenly felt like a fool performing a monologue in a one–woman tragedy no one was watching. For a moment, exhaustion. she had never felt before hit her like a wave.
Her eyes dulled as she looked at him.
“You win, Ethan. I give up. Falling for you was the biggest mistake of my life,” she uttered through gritted teeth, every word. spoken in pain. “I wish I’d never met you.”
Those words finally stirred something in Ethan, and his expression turned terrifyingly dark.
“What did you just say?”
He grabbed Tessa’s chin just to see a tear fall down her cheek. Her eyes were full of hatred. They were icy and cutting. He had. never seen her look at him that way.
Ethan frowned. He was about to speak when she shoved him away with all her strength.
“Get away from me! You make me sick!” she screamed. With reddened eyes, she stormed off without saying anything else.
Ethan stood frozen, stunned. He made her sick?
He let out a low chuckle, the look on his face turning menacing. He couldn’t believe she dared say that to him. It seemed that he’d been too soft on her.
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Ethan’s gaze turned cold. Just as he was about to chase after Tessa, a nurse called out behind him.
“Mr. Ziegler, we need you to sign the papers.”
+15 Bonus
Meanwhile, Tessa stumbled blindly down the hallway, looking extremely haggard. Suddenly, she crashed into someone.
“Tessa?” Zachary caught her just in time, surprised. “What are you doing here? What happened?”
Tessa’s face was pale. Her eyes were swollen and red, and her hair was disheveled. She looked as though she had just suffered from a devastating blow.
She looked up to speak, but before any words could come out, her vision went dark, and she collapsed.
“Tessa!” Zachary caught her in his arms and quickly carried her away anxiously.
When Tessa woke up, she couldn’t see anything. Panicked, she waved her hands in front of her eyes. She didn’t know what was going on and wondered if she had lost her sight.
“Tessa!” Zachary hurriedly held her hand. “It’s okay. Don’t panic. The doctor said that the emotional trauma caused temporary blindness. You’ve been given medication. It should pass in a few days.”
Tessa finally began to calm down, though her expression remained vacant and lost.
Zachary felt his heart ache seeing her in such a state. While she’d been unconscious, he had already found out what had happened, and what he’d learned made his blood boil..
Ethan had given the corneas meant for Tessa to Charlotte. He had cast aside his wife just to save another woman.
Zachary suppressed his anger and comforted her, “Tessa, don’t be upset. You’ll get a pair of new corneas. Don’t worry. I won’t let you go blind!”
Tessa didn’t respond.
They both knew how rare cornea donations were. Otherwise, Charlotte wouldn’t have fought her for it..
P
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