His Wife By Midnight

night could rewrite my entire

way, with my mother fighting for her life, I le

he numbers looked unreal, like a cruel joke printed in black ink.

idney f

ge f

deterio

weeks," the doctor had said. "W

ide her bed now, watching her chest rise and fall slowly. She looked sma

a... why are you still here? Don

e. "I'll manage.

nd. Her skin felt cold. Diffe

d. It was

e stand and the small cafeteria whenever someone called in sick. But

on my chest lik

eath, closing my eyes, trying not to cry.

peaking with one of the senior doctors. He didn't belong in a place

nce, I felt the ai

on B

Corp. Billionaire. A man who could buy the hos

ons private research funding, charitable surgeries, or meetings w

elt nervous. His presence was like grav

r into my own sadness. But the nex

a? H

me. He'd been two years ahead of me in school, always kind, always gentle.

?" he asked, s

o smile. "

ng." He cros

y. "I'm sorry, M

ce broke without warnin

ent, then glanced behin

Dr. Collins said quietly, "but

wned.

ed aside

n Damon Black loo

eadable. He didn't blink. He didn't smile. He simply saw me,

fro

d about me?"

s talking earlier at the reception.

t stumbl

d confused too. "But he told m

didn't "speak" to people like me. He comman

y not in hospi

slow, measured, purposeful. His suit fit him perfectly expensive, dark, i

right in f

. His eyes were the kind of eyes that he

not asked. His voice was deep,

tightened

ling focus, then glanced at the

other is

s burn behind my eyes. "

ke he already knew the entire story like

llowed

, as if he was making a d

mped once, ha

ke lightning striking the same plac

't leave mine. "But I

my stoma

what do

tightened

he said. "We'll

was trouble. But he was also the first person wh

follow

He closed the door slowly behind us. The air

ur mother's surgery will

dded

l pay

the air from my

repeated. "Her surgery, her

fraid, hopeful all at once. "

need to know you. I only need

tuttered. "What

me just closing the distance unti

ill mar

room

Wh

aid calmly. "For a yea

ed, but no wo

s is not about love, emotions, or rom

my breat

d me... a

one knows about our marriage. You will not appear in publ

swam. "

eld m

he said quietly, "and everything to l

sliced thro

refuse?"

his voice dropping to

our moth

ees we

the cuffs of his suit. "You hav

he door, opened

onto mine again. "If you accept, your life will no

aking, breathless

I had n

opti

ti

rrifying, ‎I was already

one step, I heard a voice behi

un ar

d f

in the shadows of th

wasn't suppos