Chapter 3

As the night stretched on into the early morning, Kristen found herself tossing and turning restlessly in bed. Thoughts of Clyde and the mysterious woman plagued her mind, keeping sleep at bay. With a heavy heart, she reached for her phone, unable to resist the temptation to look at the incriminating photos Isla had sent her.

Each image felt like a dagger to Kristen’s heart, fueling her fears and insecurities. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the scene unfolding before her eyes—a scene that shattered the illusion of trust and love she had built with Clyde.

Tears welled up in Kristen’s eyes as she stared at the screen, her mind racing with questions and doubts. How could Clyde do this to me? What had she done to deserve such betrayal? Was their entire relationship built on lies? 

She could not get these questions off her mind as they pressed against her heart. Yes, she knew she could be at fault because of her inability to bore him a child but nevertheless, she had always stood by him and would do anything for him.

Her chest tightened with anguish as she imagined Clyde’s return in the morning, armed with his unusual arsenal of excuses and lies. She could almost hear his smooth voice as he tried to explain away his actions, painting himself as the victim in the twisted game of deceit.

But Kristen knew better than to believe his eyes as she had seen the truth with her own eyes, captured in vivid detail by Isla’s camera lens. And as the first light of dawn began to filter through the curtains, she made a silent vow to herself—to confront Clyde and demand some answers, no matter how painful they might be.

With a heavy heart and tear-streaked cheeks, Kristen wiped away her tears and braced herself for the confrontation that awaited her. She threw herself on the couch as she took a peek at the clock hanging on the wall, hoping that Clyde would show up at the doorstep. 

She stood up and reached for her phone to ring him but at that moment, a call came through, flashing on her screen was a number she knew not of. She sighed deeply and swallowed hard before answering the call, her voice trembling with anxiety.

“Hello?” she answered.

“Yeah, is this Mrs. Clyde?” the voice sounded urgent on the other end of the line.

Kristen’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Clyde’s name. “Yes, this is she and who is asking?” she responded, furrowing her eyebrow.

“I’m a nurse and I’m calling from St. Mary’s Hospital,” the nurse explained. “Your husband, Clyde, was involved in a car accident earlier this morning. He’s sustained some injuries, but he’s stable. We need you to come down to the hospital as soon as possible.”

Dread coiled in the pit of Kristen’s stomach as she listened to the nurse’s words. A car accident? Clyde injured? The words echoed in her mind, sending a chill down her spine. Without hesitation, she asked for the hospital’s address, her voice tight with worry.

As she hung up the phone, Kristen’s mind raced with a whirlwind of emotions—fear, anxiety and a pang of dread. She knew somehow that she had to get to the hospital at all cost but yet was unsure of what was bound to happen. She had just decided to confront him about the pictures Isla sent to her and now, she could not as she had to be by his side and see to it that he gets well.

With trembling hands, Kristen hastily threw on some clothes and grabbed her bag and car key from the center table, her heart pounding in her chest as she made her way out the door. She prayed silently for Clyde’s safety as she navigated the street, her mind consumed with worry for her husband.

*************************************

As Kristen stepped into the sterile hospital room, her heart lurched at the sight of Clyde lying unconscious on the bed. His face was pale, his body still, and for a moment, she couldn’t bring herself to move closer.

The doctor entered the room, his expression grave as he approached Kristen.

“Mrs. Clyde, I’m Dr. Reynolds,” he began, his voice gentle yet solemn. “Your husband was brought in earlier this morning after a car accident. He’s stable for now, but we won’t know the extent of his injuries until he wakes up.”

Kristen nodded, her throat tight with emotion. “Can I sit with him?” she asked, her gaze fixed on Clyde.

“Of course, that’s the best thing to do for now. He would need your company.” Dr. Reynolds replied, gesturing towards the chair beside Clyde’s bed. “I’ll be back to check on him shortly.” He smiled and stepped out of the room.

Alone with Clyde, Kristen approached the bed with hesitant steps. She reached out tentatively, her fingers brushing against his hand as she sank into the chair beside him.

Tears welled in her eyes as she gazed at Clyde’s still form. Memories flooded her mind----the laughter they shared, the dreams they once had together and the pain of recent weeks as their relationship seemed to unravel before her eyes.

“I don’t know if you can hear me, Clyde,” she whispered, her voice choked with emotions. “But I need you to wake up, I need you to be okay.”

Her words hung in the air, mingling with the beeping sound of machines and the quiet hum of the hospital room. Kristen bowed her head, her tears falling unchecked as she poured out her heart to Clyde, expressing her fears, her regrets and the love that still lingered despite everything they had been through. She bowed her head, her scattered hair touching his hands and in that moment, she felt his hand move. 

She raised her head and shook her head forward. “Clyde… Clyde.” She called out, shaking his hand. 

Clyde grunted and stirred open his eyes with a groan. Kristen’s heart skipped a beat with relief. 

“Clyde, you’re awake!” she exclaimed and leaped for joy, a smile encroaching on her face.

Clyde blinked, his gaze flickering around the hospital room as he tried to orient himself. “What… what happened?” he mumbled, his voice hoarse.

Before Kristen could respond, she called out for the doctor, her heart racing with anticipation. The doctor hurried into the room, a reassuring smile on his face as he approached Clyde’s bedside.

“Mr. Clyde, good to see you awake,” the doctor greeted warmly, checking Clyde’s vitals and running a few quick tests. After a thorough examination, he turned to Kristen with a nod. “He seemed to be doing well. He can go home anytime.”

Kristen’s eyes widened with relief as she turned to Clyde, a bright smile spreading across her face. “You’re going to be okay, Clyde.” She said, her voice filled with gratitude.

Clyde managed a weak smile in return, though he still looked a bit dazed from his ordeal. With Kristen’s help, he slowly sat up, his muscles protesting the movement after he had been bedridden for hours.

Kristen wrapped her arms around Clyde, her embrace filled with tenderness and relief. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” she murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. 

Clyde was silent and did not respond. All he did was return her gestures with a weak smile. As they stepped out of the hospital, Clyde halted all of a sudden, his mind consumed with a sense of urgency. 

“Kristen, I have to go somewhere, I’ll join you soon,” he announced, his tone indicating that he was not to be swayed.

But Kristen, still reeling from the emotional rollercoaster of the past few hours, refused to let him slip away so easily. “Clyde, you just got discharged from the hospital. You need rest.” She insisted, her voice laced with determination as she held onto him firmly.

Clyde’s brows furrowed in frustration, his resolve hardening. “I said I have to go, Kristen,” he repeated, his tone more insistent this time.

But Kristen, her own stubbornness matching his, refused to budge. “I’m not letting you leave, Clyde,” she declared, her eyes flashing with defiance as she gestured towards her car. “Clyde, just get in and I’ll take you wherever you need to go.”

Clyde hesitated for a moment, weighing his options but Kristen’s unwavering determination won out in the end. With a resigned sigh, he reluctantly climbed into the passenger seat of her car, his jaw set in stubborn defiance.

As Kristen prepared to drive away, Clyde’s voice cut through the tense silence. “Kristen, I want a divorce,” he blurted out, his words hanging heavily in the air.

Kristen’s heart skipped a beat as she processed his shocking declaration. “What?” she exclaimed, her voice trembling with disbelief. “Clyde…?”

Clyde remained stubbornly silent, his gaze fixed on the ground as he struggled to meet Kristen’s eyes.

“I know we’ve come a long way but I’m fed up… we both know you won’t be able to bear me a child and it’s frustrating… What can I do, huh? This is the best I can do.” He took a deep breath in and stared at her in the face.

“No… no, Clyde, you haven’t thought this through.” She said and reached for her phone in her bag and quickly pulled up the incriminating pictures Isla had sent her earlier. “Is this why?” she demanded, thrusting the phone toward Clyde as she pointed to the images of him with another woman.

Clyde’s expression remained unreadable as he stared at the damning evidence before him. Though the face of the lady in the pictures was difficult to recognize as the picture was taken from an angle, far away from the lady.

“It doesn’t matter… I’ve thought it through and this is my decision.” He concluded and without hearing what Kristen had to say, he opened the car door and stepped down.

Kristen watched in stunned silence as Clyde walked away, her heart heavy with the weight of his betrayal. She reclined back to the car seat as tears rolled down her cheeks.