Chapter 479 Rose
After Daryl left, the hospital room fell into a deathly silence.
The hum of the air conditioner outside seemed louder than ever. I stared at my blurry reflection in the window glass, my throat tightening like it was being strangled by a thick rope. Behind me, I could hear Edward's heavy breathing, the bed springs creaking with his slightest movements, each sound striking my frayed nerves.
The days dragged on like someone had hit the slow-motion button. Every morning at five, I mechanically stirred the contents of the clay pot, the sound of the wooden spoon scraping the bottom reminding me of chains dragging across a ship's deck. When I helped Edward wash, my eyes would skim over the pale pink scar on the back of his neck, and I would see Anne's ankle, bleeding. Edward no longer asked about that day, and I didn't dare meet the dark currents in his eyes, even controlling my breathing with caution.
The day to remove the stitches came quickly. Morning light filtered through the blinds, casting a pattern of light and shadow on the floor, and the room was filled with the faint smell of alcohol. The attending doctor, wearing latex gloves, pressed his hand on Edward's bandaged shoulder. The metal tweezers caught the light as he grasped the end of the stitch.
"Your shoulder's healed faster than expected. You can be discharged in two days."
He removed his mask, revealing a smile of approval. The pen in his white coat pocket cast a long, thin shadow as it swayed with his movements.
"To recover from such an injury in three weeks, most people would need at least another half month."
Edward swallowed hard, staring at the hem of the doctor's coat, his knuckles pressing deep creases into the bedsheet. As the tweezers lifted the stitch from his shoulder, he tensed, the new flesh around the wound twitching.
My eyes suddenly burned, and I pressed down hard on Edward's shoulder.
"Can I remove the rest myself? I want to start moving my shoulder sooner."
Edward deliberately stretched his shoulder and neck muscles, his voice unnaturally light, but the veins in his neck bulged from the effort, trying to break free from my grip.
My nails nearly dug into his muscle.
"Don't be ridiculous!"
My voice carried a sob I hadn't noticed in myself.
"If the wound reopens, do you want to end up back in the ICU?"
The doctor didn't respond, continuing to carefully disinfect with an alcohol swab. As the swab passed over the new pink tissue, I glimpsed the bullet wound on Edward's leg, not yet fully healed, with tiny beads of blood seeping through the scab, staining the once white bandage a faint red.
"The leg is healing well, too, but it still needs more rest."
The doctor's tone was serious as he precisely lifted the stitch.
"If you push yourself now, you'll regret it later when the scar affects your movement."
But Edward was already propping himself up with one hand, the buttons of his shirt clinking against the metal bed frame, startling the sparrows outside the window. He buttoned his shirt three times faster than usual, his injured leg trembling uncontrollably with each button. When he finally fastened the last button, he gritted his teeth and tried to lift his injured leg, gasping in pain as sweat beaded on his forehead, his eyes still burning with the desire to escape the oppressive hospital room.
I reached out to support Edward, but his sleeve brushed against the back of my hand first, the heat searing, making my hand tingle.
The sharp smell of alcohol was suddenly overpowered by a faint, sweet fragrance, a mix of roses and the scent of earth after rain, lingering at my nose. I instinctively turned my head. Behind the attending doctor, Anne's pale face slowly emerged. She was half-hidden behind the doctor, her eyes timid, as if afraid to disturb the tense atmosphere in the room.
Anne's frail figure was draped in a loose, lotus-colored dress, the hem of the thin fabric speckled with bits of grass and a few dried leaves, clearly showing she had rushed over. She looked as if a gust of wind could knock her over, the veins under the skin of her collarbone faintly visible, rising and falling with her rapid breaths. The bouquet of red roses in her hand was vibrant, the petals still glistening with fresh droplets, making her appear even more delicate.
Edward's hand froze on his buttons, staring at Anne in disbelief. His injured leg trembled violently, his knuckles white as he clutched the edge of his shirt, his voice shaking almost beyond recognition.
"Anne? Is it really you? You're alive!"
Edward's eyes reddened instantly, tears rolling uncontrollably down his cheeks as he struggled to move towards Anne, groaning in pain from his wound. I reached out to steady him, but he pushed me away in his urgency.
Anne bit her lip, stumbling forward in her high heels, rose petals scattering on the floor.
"I came to see you."
Anne's voice was soft, her eyes sweeping over the bandages on Edward's shoulder and leg, her eyes reddening as well.
"You're so badly hurt."
Edward grabbed her wrist, his fingers trembling as they brushed over her pale hand, the bruises on her wrist faintly visible under his thumb, completely ignoring my presence.
Anne's already bloodless lips tightened, her wrist instinctively pulling back but held in place by Edward's grip. She gasped, her shoulder shuddering, tears rolling down her lashes, her body trembling slightly. Her fragile appearance evoked a deep sense of pity.
Anne forced a smile through her pain, shaking her head as tears fell.
"I never thought I'd live to see you again."
Seeing Anne alive brought tears to my eyes, too. But when Edward looked at Anne with such intense and tender eyes, a pang of bitterness welled up in my chest.
Since Edward was injured, I had been by his side day and night. At three in the morning, when I changed his bandages, he bit his lip until it bled but never complained of pain. The pillowcase soaked with his cold sweat was changed again and again, and he smiled at me through his pain. Now, as he looked at Anne's trembling lips and red-rimmed eyes, it was a tenderness I had never seen before.
I quickly moved to support the swaying Anne.
"Sit down, you're still so weak."
As I spoke, I deliberately positioned myself between them, subtly pushing Edward's reaching hand away.
Edward didn't notice, his eyes still fixed on Anne, his voice choked.
"I'm sorry, it's my fault. I couldn't protect you."
Edward's tears fell on Anne's dress, leaving dark stains.
Anne shook her head gently, tears falling as well.
"Don't say that, you're the one who's hurt."
Their gazes locked, filled with unspoken words, while I stood beside them, feeling like an unnecessary outsider.
The attending doctor sighed helplessly.
"This is a hospital. Talk, but don't get too emotional."
I retreated to the window, looking out at the distant horizon, swallowing the bitterness in my throat.
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