Chapter 5 Nothing Left
826 Words
Renata woke up to the sharp smell of disinfectant and a hollow ache deep inside her body.
Everything around her was painfully white. Slowly, she turned her head and noticed the IV drip hanging beside the bed.
"You're awake?" A doctor in a white coat stood nearby, flipping through her medical chart with a heavy expression.
"You collapsed on the street. Someone brought you here."
He paused briefly before continuing in a quieter tone. "I'm sorry. You got here too late... we couldn't save the baby. And with your current physical condition, you absolutely need proper rest. No emotional stress, no further physical injury, otherwise..."
Renata could no longer hear the rest.
Her hand instinctively moved to her stomach. It felt empty. But strangely, she did not feel overwhelming grief.
Because deep down, she had already known this child was never going to stay.
She closed her eyes. Silent tears slid down the corners of her face, soaking into the pillow beneath her.
Renata stayed in the hospital for three days.
During those three days, aside from nurses changing her IVs and checking on her regularly, nobody came to see her. Nobody knew what she had lost.
Later, another patient moved into the same room. A young girl recovering from appendicitis surgery. She was cheerful, loud, full of life.
Her boyfriend barely left her side. He fed her water, peeled apples for her, told terrible jokes just to make her laugh.
"Ow, slow down, it's hot!" the girl complained, pushing away the spoon he offered.
The boy scratched his head awkwardly and grinned. "I'll blow on it first. Then it won't be hot anymore."
Renata quietly watched them from her bed like a silent ghost. Her eyes looked empty, but something sharp and painful twisted deep inside her chest.
Because she thought... maybe once, she had something warm like that too.
Back when Renata first became Douglas's kept woman, she had lived in constant fear. But over time, she realized that although Douglas was cold and quiet, he still used to take care of her in his own way.
When she got sick, he personally brought her soup. When she stayed up all night painting, he would sleep beside her afterward.
Nobody ever loved how quiet and awkward she was. So those tiny moments of warmth had already meant everything to her.
But now Renata finally understood something. People only love sunlight. Someone dull and gloomy like her would never truly be loved.
On the afternoon of the third day, the sunlight outside was warm and bright. The nurse told her she could go downstairs for a short walk.
Those three days in the hospital had been the best sleep Renata had gotten in a very long time. Her headaches had eased slightly. Even her mood felt lighter. Until a shadow fell over her.
Renata slowly looked up into the light and saw Douglas standing in front of her.
His handsome face looked dark and tense. For a split second, there seemed to be anxiety in his eyes. Then it vanished beneath anger.
"Renata!" His voice was rough and cold. "You really know how to disappear, huh? Playing missing person? Lying around in a hospital bed now, trying to make people pity you?"
Renata simply looked at him silently without expression.
That distant, emotionless look in her eyes only made Douglas even angrier.
"Say something!" He stepped forward and grabbed her wrist violently, his grip so tight it nearly crushed the bone.
"You still haven't paid for lying to me. Did you think hiding here would solve anything?"
Pain shot through her wrist. But Renata did not even frown.
Slowly, firmly, she pulled her wrist free from his hand. Then she lifted her eyes and looked at him calmly. Her voice was soft, fragile, like wind that could disappear at any second.
"Mr. Warren... I don't want to see you."
Something in her empty gaze hurt him unexpectedly. His anger exploded harder.
"You don't want to see me? Renata, did you forget who you are? Everything you wear, everything you use, every single thing you have came from me. Without me, you're nothing."
Renata stayed quiet for a long time. Just when Douglas was about to lose his temper again, she suddenly smiled faintly. "Then I'll give it all back to you."
Douglas froze.
Under his stunned gaze, Renata began unbuttoning her clothes.
Since she had gone downstairs for a walk, she was wearing her own outfit instead of hospital clothes.
Now, in front of everyone passing by, she slowly started taking the pieces off one by one. People around them stared openly. Renata's face turned paler and paler.
Until she reached for the last piece. Suddenly, Douglas grabbed her wrist hard.
But Renata only looked up at him quietly. "Can you leave now?"
Douglas stared at her for two seconds before suddenly dragging her toward the exit.
"Renata, I think you've completely lost your mind."
- Writer
