Even he knew the body on the floor was me,
but my husband, who I’d shared my life with,
said it was just a mannequin I used for acting.
<
Ashley, too excited, looked a little pale.
Chad frowned. “Can’t find Hazel today. I’ll
have the nanny make you some ginger soup.”
When the nanny brought the soup and gave it
to Chad, he just glanced at it, then set it
down on the table, disgusted.
“I want you to make the ginger soup Hazel
always made for me when my stomach hurt.
What is this?”
The nanny looked at Chad, fear in her eyes.
“Sir… The ginger soup Mrs. Hayes made took
six hours to make, and it was a special
recipe, only she knew how to do it.”
く
Chad remembered how I’d only sleep two
hours after work, then get up to make him
soup, and a flicker of regret crossed his face.
“Am I being too harsh on Hazel?”
Then, a moment later, he sighed.
“When Hazel comes back, I’ll make it up to
her. If she behaves, I’ll spoil her like I used
to.”
I scoffed, Chad, there was no “after” for us.
That night, Ashley got up to use the bathroom
and “accidentally” ran into the door.
Seeing the red mark on her forehead, Chad
frowned.
L
“Tomorrow, we’re going to the hospital,
gonna make Hazel donate those corneas.”
A smug look spread across Ashley’s face.
Early the next morning, Chad took Ashley to
the hospital.
He waited in the office for ages but didn’t see
- me.
A bad feeling crept into Chad’s heart, but he
quickly pushed it down.
The most important thing now was to fix
Ashley’s eyes.
Thinking that, Chad grabbed a fire
extinguisher from the wall and smashed it
against my nameplate on the door.
<
“Hazel Hayes, how long are you gonna hide?”
“Come out right now and donate those
corneas to Ashley, or I’ll trash this whole
damn hospital.”
But no matter how he yelled, I didn’t show up.
Just as Chad was about to smash the glass in
my office, Wayne showed up.
My picture, smashed to pieces on the floor.
Wayne grabbed Chad’s collar, furious.
“Chad, Hazel was blind to marry you. She
hasn’t been to work for two days, you’re not
worried about her, you’re here making a
scene, trying to get her to donate her eyes to
another woman.”
く
Ashley’s eyes, but I know your eyes are
definitely blind.”
“I don’t know if there’s anything wrong with
“Hazel…”
Suddenly, Ashley grabbed her head and
started screaming, cutting Wayne off.
She cried and hit her head.
“I didn’t lie to Chad, my eyes hurt… I really
can’t see.”
Ashley passed out, Chad was livid.
He held Ashley and pointed at my profile on
the wall, yelling.
“Hazel Haves you’re a quack Ashley only
く
“Hazel Hayes, you’re a quack. Ashley only
came to your hospital once and you blinded
her. You get out here right now and fix her
eyes.”
More and more patients started gathering
around.
Chad’s words got even worse.
“I’m Hazel Hayes‘ husband, I’m telling you,
don’t let Hazel treat you, or you’ll end up like
Ashley.”
Chad was trying to ruin my reputation, force
me to come out.
He knew work and the patients meant a lot to
me, to protect the hospital, I’d have to show
- up.
<
But I was right there in front of him.
Watching him slander my work, but I couldn’t
do anything.
Helpless and hurt, a hole started forming in
my soul.
Chad was still yelling at me.
My patients couldn’t take it anymore, came
out to defend me.
“Dr. Hayes is a great doctor, she cured my
disease, don’t you slander her.”
Chad scoffed.
“She’s so great, why is she hiding?”
Г
“She’s so great, why can’t Ashley see?”
The people around them started talking about
Chad and Ashley.
“That guy says he’s Dr. Hayes‘ husband, but
he’s holding onto that woman, how
shameless.”
“Yeah, who forces his wife to donate her eyes
to another woman?”
“They must be having an affair, Dr. Hayes
found out, that’s why they’re bothering her.”
Their words really set Chad off.
He couldn’t let anyone talk about his beloved
Ashley.
Chad’s face turned red, veins popping out of
his forehead.
“Ashley and I are innocent, Hazel must be
sleeping around, afraid the baby won’t look
like me, that’s why she’s hiding.”
Chad’s audacity shocked me.
Wayne, furious, punched him, knocking him to
the ground.
“You ungrateful bastard, you should’ve died.
long ago. Hazel shouldn’t have donated that
kidney…”
Chad hadn’t even realized what Wayne was
saying when Ashley yelled his name.
“Henok
<
“Honey, I can see, I can really see you.”
Ashley, tears in her eyes, looked at Chad.
She glanced at the crowd around them.
“Honey, I wanna go home, I’m scared with all
these people.”
Just before walking out of the hospital, Chad
suddenly pictured me in my white coat.
He remembered the good times we had at the
hospital.
His heart ached, like something important had slipped away.
Chad looked back at Wayne and said, “Tell
Hazel to come home tomorrow. Now that
く
Ashley can see, I won’t hold anything against
her, as long as she comes home.”
After a moment of silence, Chad’s eyes.
narrowed. “If she doesn’t come back, I’m
marrying Ashley, divorcing her.”
Chad was threatening me with our marriage.
I laughed hysterically, tears streaming down
my face.
Too bad he couldn’t see.
Marrying him was the worst mistake I ever
made.
Chad waited day after day, but I didn’t show
- up.
