RECLAIMING ME

Chapter 4

Amber POV

“Ma’am, I’m here to inform you that your husband has been rushed to the hospital after falling from Parkson mountains.”

The police’s words were the only thing replaying in my head as I sped down the highway.

My brain couldn’t fathom why Liam had gone to Parkson, with Agatha. Then I remembered Parkson was where they first met but then why did he decide to climb a mountain?

I had a bad feeling that Agatha was behind this. When I asked the officer if he saw him with any woman he had told me the lady with him was the reason why they found him. If she hadn't tried to signal for help when she saw the helicopter flying over they wouldn’t have noticed a thing.

Despite the police tagging her as the hero. There was this gut wrenching feeling that kept trying to make me see that she was less than that.

I sighed, trying to stabilize my thoughts as I drove.

The minute I crossed the welcome to Parkson sign board I braced myself for what I was about to encounter.

The hospital wasn’t far and when I arrived the nurse at the reception told me Liam was in the Er.

I couldn’t breathe as I walked to the waiting room. My watery eyes fell on Agatha sitting on one of the chairs in the waiting room. Her dress was smeared in blood, her eyes bloodshot from crying and those skinny legs of hers I was jealous of had bruises which hadn't been attended to.

“Amber!” She said my name like we were old friends and the anger in me burned.

“You did this didn’t you?” I spat,”you just couldn’t accept the fact that you couldn’t be with him so you decided to hurt him,”

“I would never hurt Liam,” her voice rose. “Liam was the one who chose to go to Parkson trying to cheer me up and he was also the one who took me to the mountains. I told him we weren’t dressed to go mountain climbing but he didn’t listen to me.”

“Liar!” I yelled, and the eyes of the other people in the waiting room landed on me but I ignored them.

“My husband didn’t deserve this from you, especially when all he did was—“

“Amber I need you to believe me when I say I wouldn’t hurt Liam. I would never do that.” There was this genuine look in her that didn’t only show me that she was telling the truth. It also showed me that she might still be in love with him. Honestly that frightened me.

The emergency room door opened and I saw a doctor coming out of it. I was about to approach him when Agatha held my hand.

“Liam’s surgery is being performed in the next room.”

The doctor approached the woman who was sitting close to the window. Minutes after, I saw tears fall down her eyes.

She screamed out in pain and the others that were sitting close to her rushed to her side. I assumed they were her family.

“He’s gone!” I heard her yell. My heart ached as my eyes returned to the second door.

The thought of being in the same state as the woman scared me. Despite me and Liam’s ups and downs he was still my world. His death would leave an empty space in my heart. A space that nothing would be able to fill.

I moved away from Agatha, stationing myself in front of the second door. When I tilted my head a little I noticed she wasn’t there anymore.

I didn’t spend my time wondering where she went as a short doctor waltzed out of the room Agatha claimed Liam was in.

“Mr. Ken,” I said, reading the tag on his shirt. “I’m Liam’s wife and—“

“Your husband is in a very critical situation ma’am but we are trying our very best to stabilize him.” He cut me off, then walked away, not giving me a chance to ask more questions.

I saw him disappear down the hallway only to return with more doctors. I followed him closely behind but just like before he repeated those same words.

I took my position on one of the chairs, waiting for him to return with good news but he never did. The news was all the same. Liam was still in a terrible situation.

Agatha returned to the waiting room seconds later with a bandage on her bruises, keeping a safe distance between but everytime the doctor stepped out she was always the first to bolt to the door.

I was beginning to grow worried when I realized the doctor hadn’t stepped out of the ER for hours. Every minute felt heavier than the last, pressing into my chest.

And then the door flew open and the doctor finally stepped out of it. This time, he didn’t walk past or turn down the hall. He walked straight toward me.

My stomach dropped so fast it felt like the floor disappeared beneath me. I shot to my feet, too quickly, my legs wobbling as if they might give out.

“Please,” I whispered. “Tell me he’s okay.”

He exhaled, and that single breath shattered me. “We’ve done everything we can,” he said gently. “But his condition has gotten worse. He might not make it through the next few hours.”

The world blurred. My heart squeezed painfully, refusing to believe it. I could hear Agatha break out in sobs, her cry getting louder by the minute.

The doctor patted my shoulder once before walking away, his footsteps fading down the hall. I stared at the floor, blinking rapidly as tears slid down my cheeks. I didn’t bother wiping them. There was no point pretending to be strong when the world felt like it was cracking open.

I pulled out my phone with shaky fingers and called Violet. She picked up on the first ring.

“Amber? What’s wrong?” she asked immediately.

The moment I heard her voice, my chest broke open. “Violet—Liam… they said he might not… he might…” My words dissolved into a sob.

“Oh my God,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry. Amber, breathe. Please breathe.”

“I can’t,” I choked. “I can’t lose him.”

Violet kept talking, her voice trembling but steady enough to try to hold me up. But halfway through our conversation, something caught my attention. The doctor had stepped out of the room yet again and I saw him signaling nurses who rushed past me.

“Violet, wait—something’s happening,” I said urgently.

“What? What do you see?”

“They’re going into Liam’s ER. Violet, I’ll call you back.” I ended the call before she could say anything.

My heart hammered as I stood. A nurse hurried by, and I reached out to stop her. “Excuse me, what’s happening? Is something wrong? Is he—?”

“I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “I can’t say anything yet. The doctors will update you.” Then she disappeared through the doors.

Minutes stretched into something that felt like hours. I paced. I prayed. I cried. I imagined every worst-case scenario and hoped none of them were real.

When the doors finally opened again, the lead doctor approached me. This time his expression was softer.

“It’s a miracle,” he breathed out, almost in disbelief. “For a moment… we thought he wouldn’t make it. But he pulled through. The surgery was a success.”

My hand flew to my chest as fresh tears filled my eyes. this time from relief. “Thank you,” I whispered. “Thank you so much. Can I see him?”

“You’ll need to wait a little longer. He’s still unconscious and being monitored.”

I nodded. Waiting felt easier now. Bearable. Hopeful.

As soon as I stepped outside to breathe, I called Violet back with trembling fingers.

“He made it,” I said as soon as she answered. “He made it, Violet.”

Her gasp of relief echoed through the phone. “Thank God. Amber, you scared me.”

“I scared myself,” I said, letting out a shaky laugh.

Hours later, a nurse guided me to Liam’s recovery room. Agatha had followed too, keeping a safe distance.

My heart beat hard against my ribs as I walked inside his room. Liam looked pale, fragile even, but he was alive. That was all that mattered.

His eyes fluttered open slowly. For a second, I forgot how to breathe as I watched him stare at me.

“Liam,” I whispered, stepping closer.

“Who are you?”