Chapter 3

In a haze, flashes of memories with Patrick began to resurface.

We got married because of an unexpected incident. While our marriage was not exactly sweet, he treated me well and was always willing to compromise, at least initially.

That all changed the day Victoria suddenly showed up at our front door. She stood there with a radiant smile, casually greeting Patrick as if I did not even exist. Without warning, she walked straight in and wrapped her arms around him.

I was completely thrown off because I did not know who she was. I shot up from the couch, yanked her away, and shouted, demanding to know why she was trespassing and clinging to my husband.

Patrick's face instantly darkened. He stood up and scolded me in front of her, yelling that I should stop spouting nonsense—and that if I kept going, he would not hesitate to file for divorce.

His sudden change in attitude scared me. I cried, begging him to explain how he could stand there and let a stranger break into our home and hug him like that. Yet, all he gave me was a dismissive wave and irritation. He said Victoria was just a college friend who had dropped by to catch up.

She was just a college friend, yet he would bend over backward for her.

Later, Patrick found her a rental place to stay, cooked her meals, took her out for fun, and even offered his own body heat when she said she was cold.

I could not take that kind of blatant betrayal, so I fought back. Sadly, every argument only earned me more lectures.

He would say, "Nothing is going on between me and Vicky. Can you stop twisting every normal interaction into something dirty?"

He also said, "Who I talk to and how I treat them is none of your business. Just because I married you doesn't mean I'm not allowed to be around other women. What did you expect me to do—leave her in the cold and pretend I didn't know her?"

I used to cry myself to sleep over words like those. Now, thinking back, I only felt sorry for my past self.

Eventually, I steadied my breathing and pushed myself forward, swimming toward the closest rescue boat. I prayed that this gamble would buy me a second chance.

Debris floated everywhere in the murky floodwater, dangerous objects drifting aimlessly, just waiting to injure anyone in their path. I was lucky—every time something rushed toward me, I managed to dodge at the last second.

However, a wooden plank came barreling through the current, cutting through the water like a weapon aimed straight at me. My instincts kicked in, and I dove beneath the surface, holding my breath just in time to avoid the impact.

I remembered that there had been a long gash on Victoria's arm when they recovered her body. It hit me that Patrick had only survived because Victoria, a strong swimmer, had pushed the plank out of his way.

No wonder he made it until the rescue team arrived.

As that realization dawned on me, I accidentally inhaled too much water. My body convulsed with the sharp pain, and I felt my consciousness fading before I could reach the boat.

...

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself staring at the ceiling of a hospital room.

A moment later, a nurse walked up to my bedside. She asked gently, "You're awake! Are you feeling any pain or discomfort?"

I shook my head slowly and murmured, "Just a little dizzy."

She looked down, jotting notes into her chart. Soon, a doctor behind her said, "Thank goodness you're finally awake! You're in pretty rough shape, so we strongly recommend contacting a family member to help with the hospital admission paperwork."

I froze for a moment, then gave him Patrick's phone number. In this world, he was the only person who could technically be called my family.

The doctor nodded and quickly dialed the number, putting the call on speaker in front of me.

Patrick's voice came through the phone, sounding a bit hoarse. "Who's this?"

Next to him, a woman's voice spoke sweetly. "Rick, I want some soup. Can you feed it to me?"

Patrick immediately agreed, followed by the clinking of dishes and silverware.

The doctor coughed several times awkwardly, trying to interrupt them. "Is this Mr. Patrick Holmes? Your wife was rescued after nearly drowning in the flood. She's currently being treated at Northside Hospital. Please come over as soon as possible."

There was silence on the other end for a moment. Then, I heard the sound of porcelain shattering.

A commotion broke out, and Patrick angrily questioned the doctor. He asked, "Who the hell are you? Everyone knows Esme drowned. Her body was never even found! If you're trying to scam money from me, forget it!"

Seeing the doctor's embarrassed expression, I took the phone and spoke calmly, "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm very much alive. Get over here right now."

Patrick hesitated, words stuck in his throat before he finally responded, clearly flustered. "I—I don't believe you! I know AI is advanced these days. You're just imitating her voice!"

With that, he hung up immediately.

The doctor and nurse stared at me, stunned by what they had just witnessed.

"Mr. Holmes is a real piece of work!"

Someone chimed in, "Wait, Patrick Holmes? Isn't he the second-in-command of the rescue team? I remember him crying to the news reporters yesterday afternoon, claiming he saw his wife drown right in front of his eyes."

"You're right! Ms. Spencer was rescued by a good samaritan who happened to pass by, not even by the rescue team."

"What is going on?"

I could hardly believe it either. I never would have guessed Patrick would publicly claim he watched me drown. Clearly, he did not want me to survive and was probably terrified that if I had lived, I would cause trouble for him and Victoria.

I took a deep breath, gripping the sheets tightly to stop myself from crying.

The nurse saw my reaction and quickly stepped forward, apologizing for her careless comments and trying to comfort me. Meanwhile, the doctor sighed and reassured me gently, saying at least I had seen Patrick's true colors.

After they gave me some instructions to aid my recovery, they both hurried out of the room.

The room fell silent once more. Unable to hold back any longer, I cursed Patrick out loud, venting all my anger and bitterness into the empty room.

I rested at the hospital for another day, and to my surprise, Victoria showed up.