My Husband Operated on Me for 18 Hours… So I Left Him

The door to my hospital room slammed open, and my dad stormed in. "You're so heartless, Tessa Patton! Andrew hasn't slept for three days trying to save you, and this is the crap you say the moment you wake up?"

I lowered my gaze. "Didn't you always want a son? Why don't you just take him instead? A great son-in-law like him is wasted on me."

Dad was shaking with anger. "You little—"

Andrew Rollins steadied him, his voice gentle as he soothed him. "Walter, don't get worked up. Tess is probably still disoriented since she just regained consciousness not long ago."

I let out a cold laugh at his show of concern.

The attending physician walked in, frowning as he glanced at Andrew's reddened eyes. "Mrs. Rollins, you've just come back from the brink of death. Your health comes first. Married couples shouldn't hold grudges for that long."

I closed my eyes, refusing to talk to anyone. Only the monotonous beeping of the machines could be heard in the room.

Right then, a nursing student entered with a syringe. "Mrs. Rollins, it's time for your blood draw."

She hovered over the back of my hand, trying to find a vein. She missed on her first attempt. As a drop of blood welled up on my skin, she hastily pressed a cotton swab over it. "Sorry. I'm so sorry."

She moved to another spot, her hands shaking even harder this time. She pierced straight through a vein on her second try.

A sharp pain shot through me. Cold sweat broke out across my forehead.

Unable to take it anymore, I snapped in anger, "Get out."

The nursing student looked like she was about to cry.

"What's going on?"

A clear, pleasant female voice sounded from the doorway. Helen Gardner, a resident under Andrew's supervision, walked in.

Upon seeing the nursing student's flustered state, she frowned. "How can you mess up something this simple?"

She turned to Andrew with a concerned look. "Dr. Rollins, did you skip rest again? You look awful."

Andrew's tense expression relaxed a little at the sight of Helen, though he didn't seem to realize it. "It's fine. I'm used to it. What are you doing here?"

"I just got off work. I was worried, so I came to check on things."

As she spoke, she casually took the syringe from the nurse. "I'll do it."

I smacked her hand away before she could get close. "Keep your filthy hands off me," I said, my breathing uneven.

The head nurse, who had just walked in, snapped, "What's with that attitude? Do you have a problem with everyone in this hospital? Why are you taking your anger out on us? Someone as good as Dr. Rollins should seriously divorce you."

I scoffed. "I do want a divorce, and I'm getting it no matter what."

Grabbing my hand, Dad cried out, "Tess, what's gotten into you? Don't scare your old man like this!"

A hint of hurt appeared in Andrew's usually calm dark eyes as he held onto Dad's sleeve. "Walter, Tess just woke up. She needs to rest. Let's step outside for now."

I closed my eyes in exhaustion. Soon, they filed out of the room.

Once it was quiet again, I tried to sit up.

It felt like my body had fallen apart; I couldn't muster even a bit of strength. The lingering effects of the car accident were worse than I had expected.