Love That Wasn't Meant to Last

Selena lay in the hospital bed, dressed in a blue and white patient's gown with an IV in her hand, while her wrists were wrapped in thick bandages.

Her unadorned face looked quiet and almost serene, though her lips were pale, and she was thinner than ever. Her once-delicate collarbones now stood out

starkly.

Looking at her now, I couldn't help but wonder if she had been taking care of herself at all since I had left.

Zion came in, glanced at me, walked over to her, and gently tapped her shoulder. "Selena, wake up. Look who I brought."

Slowly, she opened her eyes, still half-dazed. "Hud, you're finally back. I missed you so much," she said, stretching her arms out, wanting a hug.

After seeing her look so fragile, I, feeling a surge of guilt, leaned in and embraced her gently. Zion, watching us, looked visibly uncomfortable and quickly stepped out, leaving us alone.

Selena poured out her heart, talking about how much she missed me. It stirred something in me, but my mind kept drifting back to Sylvia and the guilt I felt toward her.

I sighed, gently patting Selena's back, trying to calm her down. Then, all of a sudden, she began to cry again, beating her fists weakly against my chest.

She tried to push me away but failed. Hence, she stayed in my embrace and cried as she spoke, "Hudson, how can you be so cruel? I've been lying here all this time, but you didn't come once. We're still married, yet you're so indifferent. If I had really died, would you even have visited my grave?"

Her words tore at me, filling me with a painful regret. "I'm sorry, Selena. I didn't know."

Hearing this, she quieted down, settling back into my arms. Not long after, exhausted from crying, she fell asleep.

I gently laid her back down, pulled up her blanket, and quietly left the room. I didn't dare to tell her about Sylvia.

Outside, I found Zion waiting in the hallway, smoking with a distant look on his face. When he noticed me, he silently offered me a cigarette.

"Sorry, I don't smoke." I declined, pausing before voicing my thoughts. "Did you come all this way from Adenville to Carzonia just to bring me here to see Selena?"

Zion said nothing, took a long drag, and then crushed the cigarette beneath his shoe. Watching him, I frowned. "If there's nothing else, I'll head back. I have work waiting."

This last-minute leave hadn't given me any time to wrap things up at the office. If I weren't in such a senior position, I would probably be facing a major reprimand for this.noveldrama

I turned to go, but Zion grabbed the edge of my shirt. He kept his head down, his expression hidden, though I sensed a simmering anger. When he finally looked up, he seemed to have reached some kind of decision, and his eyes held a fierce determination.

"Hudson, don't leave. Selena needs you right now."

His sudden words left me taken aback, even making me question if I had heard him right. Did this really come from him?

As if to confirm, he repeated himself, "Hudson, I'm giving Selena back to you."