Unspoken Hearts: My Neglected Mute Wife’s Escape

Chapter 52:

Lying next to Jake on the hospital bed felt utterly odd for Kallie. The bed was too narrow for both of them, so Kallie tucked herself into a ball on one side, trying to occupy as little space as possible.

Kallie turned away from Jake, yet despite her efforts to put distance between them, she could still sense the warmth emanating from his body. His firm muscles faintly brushed against her, and the heart monitor cables pressed coldly against her back.

She closed her eyes, attempting to clear her mind. Slowly, drowsiness crept over her—the day’s hectic activities had left her completely drained.

Suddenly, Kallie sensed movement behind her. Jake shifted, pulled away the bothersome cables, and wrapped an arm around her. His entire body pressed against her back, and his warm breath on the nape of her neck made her stiffen.

Fortunately, Jake did nothing more. He simply held her, and his breathing soon evened out.

After a while, Kallie tried to shift slightly, but Jake’s deep voice halted her. “Stop fidgeting. Remember, this is a hospital.”

Kallie held her breath, too afraid to even inhale deeply. She couldn’t recall how she eventually drifted off, but a sudden noise abruptly awakened her.

The door to the hospital room swung open with a click, followed by the echoing tap of high heels and then a piercing scream.

Startled awake, Kallie instinctively tried to sit up, but Jake’s firm arm kept her in place, and she slumped back onto the pillow.

It was Sarah who had burst in. The hospital room lacked a lock, allowing Sarah to enter without knocking and catch Jake with his arms around Kallie.

gαℓησv𝒆ℓs․com hosts exclusive updates

“What… You two…” Her eyes wide with disbelief, Sarah nearly let the breakfast tray she was carrying clatter to the floor.

“What’s with all the noise?” Jake grumbled as he sat up slowly, irritation coloring his tone.

Kallie scrambled out of the bed, her cheeks flushing as she noticed several of her shirt buttons had come undone. She quickly fastened them, but her hurried movements only seemed to inflame Sarah’s anger further.

Holding back from lashing out in Jake’s presence, Sarah approached cautiously. “I brought you breakfast, but I certainly didn’t expect to find this…”

“There were no spare beds for family members last night, so she ended up here,” Jake said nonchalantly.

As Kallie adjusted her shirt and looked down, a pang of sorrow struck her. She was Jake’s wife, and here they were, having to justify their closeness to his mistress.

“After the blood draw, you can have breakfast,” the nurse announced, entering the room with a cart equipped for drawing blood.

Kallie moved to the side, while Sarah stayed quiet.

“Everything appears in order,” the nurse commented as she skimmed through the records from the heart monitor that had tracked the previous night. She added with a note of caution, “You will be on the path to recovery as long as the readings stabilize further.”

“Stabilize further…” Those words echoed in Sarah’s mind like a stark warning. What had Jake and Kallie done last night to cause instability? This was supposed to be a place of healing!

Sarah was far from reconciled. She had spent years with Jake and never succeeded in getting intimate with him. How could Kallie, a mute woman she deemed unworthy of a man like Jake, get so close to him?

A surge of frustration gripped Sarah, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to keep her face unreadable.

“Alright, time for breakfast,” the nurse announced, breaking the tension. She completed her task and departed, leaving the three of them alone in the quiet room.

“Jake, I brought your favorite porridge,” Sarah said, arranging a small table and setting a thermos of food on it. She smiled at Jake, perched gracefully on his bed, making Kallie feel awkward and out of place by comparison.

As Sarah lifted the lid, steam wafted up, yet it carried no tempting scent. “It’s from your favorite restaurant. I managed to persuade them to open early just for you. Chef Damon personally prepared it, ensuring it’s far superior to any home-cooked meal!” Sarah boasted, her gaze pointedly drifting toward Kallie, her words laced with condescension.

“And as an extra treat, I’ve brought some freshly flown-in fruit,” Sarah added, casting a dismissive glance at Kallie, who stood by, feeling a pang of inadequacy at the comparison.

Standing at the threshold, clutching the container of food, Kallie couldn’t shake the sense of being an outsider despite being Jake’s lawful spouse. Mere moments ago, Kallie had labored over preparing a meal for Jake, striving to convey her care and concern through culinary efforts. Now, in the presence of Sarah’s effortless elegance, she felt as though her efforts had been in vain. All Sarah had to do was make a phone call for the arrangement.

“What’s that smell?” Steven’s voice pierced the air, drawing attention to his presence as he stepped into the room.

In his hand, he held equipment for the IV drip, his features contorting in distaste upon encountering the aroma emanating from the container Sarah had just opened.

Despite Sarah’s intentions to please Jake with a gourmet meal, Steven’s reaction was far from positive. “How much artificial flavoring did this chef add?”

Steven’s tone was accusatory, his concern for Jake’s well-being evident in his inquiry. “You intend to feed this to the patient? Do you seek to nourish him or poison him?”

Sarah faltered under Steven’s scathing criticism, her attempt to rally Jake’s support falling flat as she faced his silent demeanor. “Jake, this is from your favorite restaurant…”

But before Sarah could finish, Steven’s reproachful gaze turned toward her, his words cutting through her attempt at explanation. “What’s that smell on you? Are you trying to suffocate others with your perfume? They might as well post a sign outside the hospital: ‘Perfume-free zone! Say no to pollution!'”noveldrama

Steven wrinkled his nose disdainfully and said, “Please take this stuff and leave. I beg you!”

Sarah began, her voice tinged with hurt as she glanced at Jake, seeking some form of validation.

Yet, Jake remained silent, his gaze fixed ahead, his response curt and final. “Just listen to the doctor.”

Underscoring Jake’s directive, Steven added, “Yeah, that’s right. This is a hospital, and patients have to listen to the doctors!”

As Sarah stormed out, her eyes bore into Kallie like hot daggers, laying blame without a word. She seemed convinced Kallie had orchestrated Steven’s rebuke.

“Done and dusted,” Steven announced, his movements brisk as he attended to Jake’s IV.

Then, with a theatrical flourish, he remarked, “Oops, slipped up there! A needle’s in your right hand. Guess you’ll need someone to help you eat today.”

Jake’s stare turned frosty. “Slipped?”

“Yeah, it’s been a hectic day, feeling a bit dizzy,” Steven admitted, his tone lacking remorse. “But no harm done.”

Then, Steven shifted his attention to Kallie. “Mrs. Reeves, since you are still around, why don’t you take over feeding your husband? I can’t exactly redo the needle now, can I? Thanks!”

Feed Jake? The suggestion caught Kallie off guard, causing her cheeks to flush with heat as she froze in place.

.

.

.