Chapter 143 Awakening
Paige gazed at Mrs. Sackler with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. Lying motionless on the bed, Mrs. Sackler resembled a figure trapped in a vegetative state. Paige's fingers trembled as she fought back the tears threatening to spill from her eyes.Overwhelmed by the sight, she rushed to Mrs. Sackler's side, carefully lifting her eyelids to inspect her condition. To her relief, there were signs of consciousness returning.She was waking up. Mrs. Sackler was truly waking up!Unable to contain her emotions, Paige found herself nearly shouting excitedly."Mrs. Sackler, Mrs. Sackler, it's me, Paige. Can you hear me? Open your eyes, please, look at me."Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched for any signs of recognition. Despite several movements from Mrs. Sackler's eyes, they remained closed, but Paige knew it wouldn't be long now.The moment she had been longing for was finally arriving.With bated breath, she watched as Mrs. Sackler seemed to struggle valiantly against the heavy veil of unconsciousness. After what felt like an eternity, Mrs. Sackler's eyes began to flutter open.Tears welled up in Paige's eyes as she embraced Mrs. Sackler, repeating her pleas. "Mrs. Sackler, it's Paige. Look at me, please."Mrs. Sackler's gaze shifted toward Paige, her hand twitching in an attempt to reach out, but it fell back onto the bed, unable to fully rise. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out.Seeing her struggle, Paige turned to Sullivan for support. He remained calm, his voice steady as he explained, "After sleeping for five years, the body, though well-preserved, has still experienced some muscle atrophy."Paige nodded, understanding the implications. Five years of immobility had taken its toll on Mrs. Sackler's body, causing her muscles to wither. Rehabilitation would be a long and arduous process.Gently, Paige took Mrs. Sackler's hand, pressing it against her own face, allowing her to feel her touch."Mrs. Sackler, you've finally woken up. Look at me, I'm your Paige. I've grown up. Do you remember what I look like?" she asked, her voice trembling with worry.Mrs. Sackler's limited movements and inability to speak filled Paige with a deep sense of sorrow, but as much as it pained her, she knew there was nothing more she could do at the moment.Mrs. Sackler was awake. That was a significant improvement from her previous state.Despite her inability to speak, seeing Mrs. Sackler awake brought Paige a measure of comfort. Mrs. Sackler attempted to make a sound, but only a faint, weak noise emerged from her throat.Paige felt a pang of distress but did her best to comfort Mrs. Sackler. She believed Mrs. Sackler was becoming more aware and recognized her. Her physical functions were weak, but it was a start.Holding Mrs. Sackler's hand, Paige reassured her softly, "It's okay, it's all going to be okay. Take it slowly, we're not in a rush. Bit by bit, you'll be able to talk again."After saying this, Paige called the doctor in from outside. The doctor examined Mrs. Sackler's vocal cords and confidently stated, "There's nothing wrong with Mrs. Sackler's vocal cords. With some recovery, she should be able to speak normally in a couple of days."Paige relayed the doctor's words to Mrs. Sackler, encouraging her to take her time. Mrs. Sackler had just regained consciousness, and her body was still very weak. There was no need to rush anything.Paige stayed by Mrs. Sackler's side in the hospital room for a full day and night, even sleeping on the couch next to her.
As dawn broke the following morning, Paige was ensnared in the depths of slumber. A faint murmur, barely discernible, stirred her from her dreams. She jolted awake, her heart pounding in her chest. At first, she dismissed the sound as a fragment of her dream, the echo of Mrs. Sackler's voice, but as the fog of sleep lifted, she heard it again—a soft, staccato whisper. Her gaze darted towards the bed where Mrs. Sackler lay, her eyes wide and alert.With a gasp, Paige rushed to her side. "Mrs. Sackler, do you recognize me? Were you just calling my name?" she asked, her voice trembling with anticipation.Her heart pounding like a drum, Paige clasped Mrs. Sackler's frail hand in her own. "Yes, yes, it's me. I'm Paige," she affirmed, her voice choked with emotion.A feeble smile tugged at the corners of Mrs. Sackler's mouth, a Herculean effort that spoke volumes of her condition.Tears welled up in Paige's eyes as she realized the truth—Mrs. Sackler did indeed recognize her."Mrs. Sackler, are you trying to speak? What do you want to say? Take your time, we'll take it slow," she coaxed, her voice soothing.Five years prior, Mrs. Sackler had been rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Had it not been for the medication, she would have made a full recovery, but the blame fell squarely on Margaret, whose cold-hearted treatment had subjected Mrs. Sackler to such torment.Witnessing Mrs. Sackler's condition only fueled Paige's disdain for the heartless woman. She wished Margaret would vanish from their lives.With great difficulty, Mrs. Sackler managed to utter a single word, "Up..." Paige immediately understood."Up, Mrs. Sackler? You want to sit up, is that it?" she asked, her voice filled with compassion.Mrs. Sackler blinked in response, her words failing her.Reading the silent plea in her eyes, Paige gently helped the frail woman to sit up. She knew that recovery from such physical deterioration would be a long and arduous journey.Once Mrs. Sackler was comfortably seated, Paige took great care to feed her. It wasn't long before the elderly woman leaned back against the pillows and succumbed to sleep once more.Paige immediately called the doctor, who assured her that this was a normal part of the recovery process.Overwhelmed with emotion, Paige wished she had the medical knowledge to treat Mrs. Sackler herself. Watching the older woman sleep peacefully, Paige stepped out to freshen up and grab some breakfast.The hospital room was never left unattended. Once assured of Mrs. Sackler's care, Paige made her way to the study.Meanwhile, Pearl was already engrossed in her work. She quickly picked up her tablet and dived back into the tasks at hand. However, Paige's first order of business was clear, "Don't let anyone, especially the Sackler family, know that Mrs. Sackler has awakened."Pearl nodded in understanding. "Sure, Xanthe, don't worry. I'll make sure everyone keeps it under wraps."Paige continued, "Bring me the work that has piled up over the last few days. While she's asleep, I can't afford to neglect my duties."Before Paige could finish, her cell phone suddenly rang beside her…
