When He Begs, I Shine

Viviane Collins opened her eyes on the couch, the glaring sunlight already piercing through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, brightening the entire living room. She gently massaged her sore neck and reached out beside her, only to touch the cold leather. She winced and slowly glanced around, but Cyril Cartmell was nowhere to be seen. Apparently, he hadn't come home all night. Struggling to sit up, Viviane felt a splitting headache. "Hasn't Cyril come back yet?" she asked the maid. The maid, busy tidying up, didn't even pause or look her way. Forcing a wry smile, Viviane thought to herself, 'Three years. I thought I'd be used to it by now.' Marrying into the Cartmell family was supposed to be a stroke of divine luck, or so the house staff believed. Yet, it still hurt to be constantly overlooked and undervalued. After all, nobody wanted to be treated without any respect. Her gaze flickered to the phone on the table, and a wave of sadness washed over her, her thoughts spiraling back to yesterday's chaos. She had been ironing Cyril's shirts when a frantic call from the hospital came through. "Ms. Collins, your sister's heart condition has deteriorated rapidly. She's now experiencing severe heart failure. Fortunately, we've located a highly compatible donor, but an urgent transplant surgery is needed to save her life. The total cost for the procedure and follow-up care is 500 thousand dollars, and unfortunately, your account balance is insufficient..." The room spun around Viviane, her whole body going cold with shock as she shivered uncontrollably. "Okay, I... I'll figure something out," she managed before hanging up, her voice quivering. Her reminiscing was cut short. Viviane had hoped to discuss the financials with Cyril upon his return, but his absence had thrown everything into immediate urgency. Poor little Colita Collins was her only family left, her sole reason for enduring countless humiliations to marry into the Cartmell family. After their mother and stepfather died, she and Colita became the outcasts of the Merling family, their stepfather's family line, viewed as nothing more than burdens. Her only escape was marrying into the Cartmells by cashing in on a favor from Cyril's mother after a life-saving incident, securing a 700-million funds as her wedding gift to cut ties with her step-family. She once thought this marriage would shield Colita from hardship and sickness, blessing her with a happy life. Reality, however, was no fairy tale. The harsh truth hit her hard, shattering her fanciful dreams. Viviane took a deep breath, dialed Cyril's number, and braced herself. After a long while, the call was finally connected. "Hello?" a sleepy, sultry voice answered, heavy with the tone of someone just out of bed. Viviane's heart sank, but she steadied her voice. "Is Cyril there?" "Oh... him?" Aria Boyer drawled for effect. She then said hesitantly, "He's just woken up, utterly worn out from last night." After a pause, she glanced at the name on the screen and added, "Ah, you're... Ms. Collins? Did you need him for something?" Viviane gripped the phone tighter, her knuckles turning white. She was just about to speak when Cyril's gruff voice took over. "Hello, what is it?" he asked, distant and cold. "You didn't come home last night," Viviane managed, her voice hollow. She called to talk about Colita's condition, but the moment she heard Aria's voice, she bit back her words. Instead, she ended up with a plain sentence that wasn't even an accusation. "I was tied up at work. Anything else? If not, I need to go." Cyril's mind was a whirl of last night's blur. He had gotten drunk and, somehow, ended up sharing a bed with Aria. "Wait!" Viviane blurted, her voice desperate. "When will you be home?" After a heavy silence, an exasperated sigh came through. "I don't know, just stop asking." Before Viviane could say anything else, the line went dead. She stared at the disconnected phone until her eyes turned red, but she remained seated like a frozen statue. Three years earlier, during a car accident, Viviane accidentally took a hit for Cyril's mother, Valerie. That was why the Merling family had forced Viviane to marry into this gilded cage. Initially, Cyril was courteous, devoid of love but not of respect. Their relationship evolved from a mere alliance to something deeper, only to now revert to this chilling estrangement. Aria's intrusion was even worse, and it had shattered her heart completely. Remembering their past, Viviane felt a suffocating grip on her heart. Cyril had once been extremely kind to her. He could remember all her preferences. Besides, he was always there when she was sad and took good care of her when she was sick. But since when had everything changed? And why? Was it because of his indifference? His dismissals? Or his nights out? But Viviane couldn't dwell on these thoughts now. Colita was waiting, and she needed to find another way forward.