The doctor's words hung in the air, thick with tension.
Vijay's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
I felt a cold sweat break out on my skin. My hands clutching the sheets. I wasn't sure I wanted to know.
The doctor sighed, flipping through the report. "Due to the repeated trauma your body has endured, your uterus has sustained serious damage." He hesitated. "I'm afraid, Ivy… you may never be able to carry a child again."
Silence.
The room spun. My chest tightened.
I turned my head slowly, barely breathing. Vijay's face had changed.
His jaw tightened. His hands balled into fists.
"You're saying she's useless now?" His voice was dangerously low.
Raymond stepped forward. "She is not useless," he said firmly.
Vijay shot him a glare that could burn through steel. "No one asked you."
Raymond didn't back down. "She needs rest. She almost died, Mr. Vijay.
Vijay let out a slow, cold laugh. "Of course, you'd defend her. Always lurking around, always interfering." His gaze shifted back to me.
I swallowed hard.
The doctor cleared his throat. "Mr. Vijay, this is a serious condition. You should…"
Vijay cut him off. "We're leaving."
My heart dropped.
Raymond's voice was sharp. "She's not well enough."
Vijay turned to me, his eyes locking onto mine. "Get up, Ivy."
He wasn't asking.
The doctor shifted uncomfortably. "Sir, I strongly advise…"
Vijay grabbed my wrist. Pain shot through me.
Raymond took a step forward. "Let her go."
Vijay's grip tightened. "Stay out of this…"
I felt the air in the room change. Raymond was ready to fight and
Vijay was ready to drag me back to hell.
And I…I had no strength left.
Vijay's grip on my wrist tightened, his fingers digging into my skin.
"Get up, Ivy," he repeated, his voice hard.
The pain in my body was excruciating, but before I could react, the doctor spoke up, his voice sharp and authoritative.
"Mr. Vijay, let go of her. Now."
Vijay turned his glare to the doctor. "Stay out of this."
The doctor didn't flinch. "Or what? You'll hit her here? In front of medical professionals? Because if you lay a hand on her again, I will have no choice but to call the authorities."
Silence.
For the first time, Vijay hesitated.
The doctor took a step closer, his tone firm. "Domestic violence is a crime. And from what I've seen, Ivy is not just a patient…she's a victim. If you think you can walk in here and drag her home to continue this abuse, think again."
Vijay's jaw clenched. His fingers twitched at his side, but he said nothing.
Raymond folded his arms. "You heard him."
Vijay shot him a sharp look, but there was something different now…uncertainty.
The doctor exhaled, adjusting his glasses. "She needs rest, and I'm officially recommending a longer stay for observation. You will not take her home today."
Vijay's nostrils flared, but he forced a smile. "Of course, doctor. I only wanted to take care of my wife, myself. "
I almost laughed.
The doctor wasn't fooled. "Good. And when she does go home, I strongly advise you to change your ways. If she comes back here in this condition again, I won't just threaten to call the police. I'll do it."
Vijay said nothing.
His mother and sister weren't here to back him up. He was alone.
For the first time since my marriage, I saw something in his eyes I had never seen before.
Fear.
And that fear gave me something I hadn't felt in a long time.
Hope.
***
The hospital room was quiet, except for the faint beeping of machines. I lay still, my body aching, my mind heavier than ever.
Then, a knock. Soft. Careful.
Raymond.
He stepped in, carrying a food tray. "I figured you might be hungry."
I tried to sit up, but pain shot through me. Raymond was beside me in seconds, adjusting the pillows. "Easy."
I swallowed. "Thank you."
He pulled up a chair, watching me as I took a slow bite. I could feel his eyes on me, studying me in a way that made my chest tight.
Then, he spoke. "Ivy… this is not marriage. This is hell."
I froze. My fingers curled around the fork.
"You need to get out," he said, voice low but firm. "You need to leave, Ivy, while you still can."
I let out a shaky breath. "I can't."
"You can."
I shook my head. "No, Raymond. You don't understand." I forced myself to look at him. "David took everything. My international passport. My phone. My bank account. I have nothing. Nobody in this country. I'm trapped."
His jaw tightened. "Where are you from?"
I hesitated, then whispered, "Nigeria."
His eyes darkened.
I swallowed hard. "I can't run, Raymond. Even if I could, where would I go? How would I survive?"
"You have me."
I stilled.
His voice softened. "I care for you, Ivy."
The air between us changed. Thick. Charged. Dangerous.
His hand hovered near mine, just close enough to feel his warmth, but he didn't touch me. He didn't push.
He just waited.
I felt the intensity of his words settle deep inside me. For the first time in a long time, someone wasn't looking at me with anger, with cruelty and with ownership.
But my heart was already broken once. Shattered.
Last time I believed in love, I ended up in a cage.
I pulled my hand away, pressing it against my lap. "I… I can't do this."
Raymond exhaled, leaning back. "I understand." But his eyes told me he wasn't giving up.
He stood, adjusting his coat. "Get some rest, Ivy."
As he turned to leave, I felt something rise in my chest - something I couldn't explain.
But I couldn't stop myself from whispering, "Raymond?"
He paused.
I held the sheets. "Thank you."
He gave a small nod, then walked out.
I stared at the door long after he was gone, my heart pounding.
Because for the first time in foreve
r…
I wasn't just afraid of Vijay.
I was afraid of what Raymond was making me feel.