"What did you do?" Owen Thompson stared at the couple in front of him, his eyes wide with horror, struggling to comprehend what he was hearing, not wanting to believe his ears.His voice was strained as he watched his parents exchange a glance.
His mother stepped forward, trying to soothe him with her calm demeanor, "Owen, calm down. We are your parents. Have we ever made a wrong decision for you or your sister? Hmm?"
"Mother," Owen’s voice cracked with emotion, "I asked you, what did you do to my Rena?"
The Thompsons exchanged another glance, and this time, Mrs. Thompson’s irritation was evident. "What did we do? She was already almost dead! And you left her with us! At our age, we need our children to take care of us, not the other way around. We wasted so much money on her care, we’ve done all that we can and still she was almost dead!! What more did you expect? Isn’t it enough for you that she woke up?"
"I expected you to keep her safe!" Owen’s voice rose with anger, his fists clenching at his sides. "I hoped you would understand that I left the most precious person in my life for you to take care of! How could you sell her... sell her off to someone else? She is a person! Not some commodity."
"We were running out of money!" Mrs. Thompson snapped, her frustration boiling over. "That hospital where you put her up was expensive! You wouldn’t even let us transfer her to a public hospital, or at least put her in a shared room! But you continued to remain stubborn. It’s not like she would know the difference any way!!"
"But I would have known!" Owen shouted, his voice breaking with the weight of his own words. "Everything I am today is because of her! What do you think would have happened to you and dad if not for her signing as your guarantor to return the debt? She did that for me! You and father both know that you’d probably be buried alive, if not for her! In all my life, I have only asked one thing of you! Just one thing! To take care of her! And I provided you with the hospital bills!" He bit out the words, fighting the overwhelming urge to shake some sense into his mother.
For a year, he had been working tirelessly in a job that felt like hell, just so he could pay off his parents’ debts and return to Serena. Even if she was bedridden, even if she was in a coma—she was the woman he loved. There was nothing he wanted more than to always be by her side. But staying there was impossible for him. Not when his life was in danger because of that man’s goons!
They’d been so happy that day, when they’d eloped. He could still hear her laughter when she held his hand and raced to the car. She’d even joked that it was a good thing he’d come for her or else she would have had to die to escape her fiance’s clutches.
Who would have thought that those words almost came true? And they would almost die in that horrible accident only a little while later?
He ran a hand through his hair. He needed to go to his Rena. She’d woken up. It was a joyous occasion, wasn’t it? They would finally be able to marry like they had planned and live together happily. And once she was with him, that man who was after his life, would also be forced to back off. After all, he could kill him but not harm Serena or hurt her.
Hurriedly, Owen started throwing his things into a duffle bag, ready to go and find Serena right away. He needed to be with her, to ensure she was safe and to tell her that everything would be alright.
Just as he was about to zip up the bag,however, his father stepped forward, blocking his path with a heavy sigh. "Owen, what are you doing?"
Owen glanced up, his eyes blazing with determination. "I’m going to my Rena. She’s woken up. I need to be with her—"
"You can’t," his father interrupted.
Owen froze, a cold dread washing over him. "What do you mean, I can’t?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
His mother stepped forward, her hands clasped tightly together as if she were bracing herself for what she was about to say. "Owen, listen to us. Serena... she’s already married. To that man."
"What do you mean married? Did her fiance find her? Did you sell her off to him? She was in a coma!"
"Owen, it was a business transaction," his mother continued desperately, "She was in a coma, and you know there was no guarantee she would ever wake up. The man she’s married to now is also wealthy, he could afford the care she needed. He’d even assured us that he would take care of her funeral..."
Of course, Mrs Thompson did not dare tell him that the rich man had only promised to take care of the funeral because he was the one who ordered for Serena to be taken off life support in the hope that she would die immediately...And that they’d already taken the money to arrange Serena’s funeral. She cursed inwardly again as her son shook off her hand and glared at her. If that woman had died peacefully like she was supposed to, then her son would not have ignored her like this!
"Also, we have already...", his father began...Before the other man could continue, Owen raised his hand to stop them," Stop right there before you say anything that makes me want to cut off all ties with you! I am going to go and find Serena and make sure that she is alright! As for the two of you, you stay right here and don’t even think about interfering!"