“I’m sorry, Mrs. Lane. It’s very kind of you to offer me such a thing, but I cannot accept this.” I did not want the Lane family to be indebted toward me, nor did I want to be their goddaughter. I loved Christopher, and nothing would ever change that.
“Why not you sleep on it?” Julia insisted with a faint smile, “Think about your future. You’ll regret this when you’re older.”
“I understand what you mean, Mrs. Lane, but I’ve already made up my mind. I know what I want. I’m sorry I’ve disappointed you.” I turned and looked at the caretaker, signaling her to push me out of the garden.
I thought about what the woman said as I left. I knew what she meant. She wanted me to give up my relationship with Christopher because I was far from being the best wife candidate for him. In her eyes, only someone like Monica would be good enough for him, but she was wrong.
Christopher and I had been through life and death together. We had stuck with each other throughout, and nothing would stand in our way—not even his family.
Although what she said was sensible and unoffending, and I could understand her heart as a mother, I stood my ground and refused to budge.
When I saw Christopher again, he was sleeping soundly on the bed. I reached out to touch his face and play with his eyelashes. “Hey, are you still gonna continue sleeping? I’m already surrounded on all fronts by our enemies. Are you not gonna do anything?”
The man moved away uncomfortably and grunted, “Run, Eve. Run…”
I was overjoyed to see that he was awake. I leaned closer and whispered softly, “I’m here, Christopher. We’re safe. We’re at the hospital now.”
Christopher held my hand tightly without replying, and that was when I realized he was just dreaming. A wave of emotions washed over me as I looked at him, and I cupped my hands around his. “I’m fine, Christopher. I’ll stay with you. I won’t ever leave you. You said you’ll treat me like your queen the day you put a ring on my finger. I’ll stay right here and make sure you keep your promise.”
I rested my head on his bed and soon fell asleep. In my dream, he was calling out to me desperately. He was running out of breath, shouting as if he thought he had lost me. When I woke up again, he was still holding my hand.
I smiled and planted a kiss on his lips.
“Come on, it’s time to wake up. You’ll only get to see me in your dreams if you continue sleeping. Am I pretty in your dream? I think I look better in real life though.”
Beep! Suddenly, one of the machines beside Christopher rang loudly and sharply. I groped frantically, looking for the call button but to no avail.
I was getting anxious. I shouted for the nurse and reached for Christopher, but somehow, I accidentally knocked something. A mellow thud sounded. The next thing I knew, hot liquid scalded my hand, and I panicked. I simply could not let anything happen to Christopher.
The first thing I could think of was not myself but him.
“Somebody, help!” I shrieked at the top of my voice and struggled to stand up, but I tripped over the bench and fell.
“Don’t move! There’s broken glass all over!” Monica’s voice resounded in my ears as she ran in.
I sat still helplessly as I tried to understand what was going on. I could not see what was happening, neither could I see how Christopher was.
A disturbance followed. Doctors and nurses swarmed in to check on him while someone helped me up and treated my wound. My hand was burning with pain, but I quickly clung to the person attending to me, asking if Christopher was fine.
