Chapter 95
After that sharp ringing finally faded, the pain eased significantly. But in my mind, sharp flashes kept appearing, like someone was talking. The voices were strangely familiar, yet at times completely foreign. They kept shouting inside my head, trying to make me see something clearly. However, the pain was too intense. I shook my head hard, desperate to throw those images out of my mind.
I turned on the cold water in the bathroom, hoping to wake myself up a bit. The steady drip of water timed every bit of exhaustion in me. As my tense emotions softened, I filled the bathtub, wanting a long soak to rest. For some reason, my consciousness started to blur and drift.
I slowly felt a chill settle around me, and an unbearable heaviness pulled at my eyes. I couldn’t keep them open, no matter how hard I fought it. The cold in the room grew sharper, biting through my skin. I barely noticed the water getting cold, so I tried to reach for the hot water tap, but my arm wouldn’t. As I was about to get out of the tub, I realized I had no strength, nor the will to move.
It was too cold, I thought. Any movement seemed to let the cold seep deeper into my bones. I don’t know how long passed before I vaguely heard someone calling my name urgently in my ear. I tried to open my eyes, but had no strength at all. When I finally came to, I was already lying on a hospital stretcher.
Gabrielle looked panicked next to me. “Elise, you’re awake?!”
I frowned, my mind still foggy. “Why am I here?!” I glanced at her and saw Frederick standing nearby. He was leaning on the stretcher, staring at me intently, his eyes scanning my face with clear worry.
“Elise, do you know how close you were to dying?” His voice was laced with unmistakable anger.
I tried to sit up, but Gabrielle quickly steadied me. “You passed out while taking a bath at home. You almost drowned in the tub. Frederick noticed something was wrong and rushed to the Ford residence to pull you out.”
“Really?” I couldn’t quite remember. My head throbbed painfully as I blinked in confusion, then muttered, “Thank you.” I glanced around, then asked hesitantly, “What about Aria? Weren’t you supposed to be with her?”
Frederick flicked my forehead lightly. “You should focus on yourself first. You still have the energy to worry about her?” His tone was heavy. “What exactly are you thinking? You already tried to kill yourself by slitting your wrist, and now you nearly drowned in the bathtub?”
“No way.” I gave a bitter laugh. “I wouldn’t be that foolish again. This was just an accident.”
I had just gotten off the stretcher when a dull, stabbing pain exploded in my head, tearing through me like it wanted to rip my skull apart.
“It hurts so much.” My face twisted in agony. “Jonathan, Jonathan… hate you.”
The pain was unbearable. I didn’t know why these words slipped out of my mouth. Dark emotions overwhelmed me, stirring a flood of hatred toward Jonathan inside. Scenes from the past flashed before my eyes. They were memories I desperately wanted to forget, but now haunted me relentlessly. They were all moments of me groveling and trying to please him, while he responded with coldness and charity.
His interaction with me steadily contrasted with the indulgence and love he showed Alicia. I chased after him countless times, but I could never compare to how much he cared for Alicia.
Why?
I was asking him and myself. Why marry me if this was how he would treat me!
There was no answer.