Ethan had finally been moved to his private room, and Linda, watching Olivia's anxious state, knew they had to see him as soon as possible. Olivia, despite the exhaustion from her recent surgery and the emotional rollercoaster of giving birth to Eva, couldn't wait any longer to see her husband.
Linda wheeled Olivia toward Ethan's room, her heart heavy with worry. But before they could enter, Martha and Mathew suddenly blocked their way.
"Where do you think you're going?" Martha asked sharply, arms crossed. "Ethan needs rest. You can't disturb him right now."
Olivia felt a surge of frustration but kept her composure. She exchanged a quick glance with Linda, silently agreeing to remain calm. They couldn't afford to reveal too much, especially in front of Martha and Mathew, who were already suspicious.
Linda stepped forward, her voice firm and commanding. "Olivia is his *wife*. She has every right to be by his side."
Mathew scowled, stepping toward Linda as if to challenge her, but she didn't flinch. "Move," she said coldly, her gaze piercing. "I won't ask again."
Martha shot a nasty glare but reluctantly stepped aside, knowing they couldn't legally stop Olivia from seeing her husband. Mathew followed, grumbling under his breath.
Olivia took a deep breath, steadying herself before entering Ethan's room. As soon as she saw him lying on the bed, her heart shattered. His face was almost entirely covered in bandages, only a few patches of bruised and scarred skin visible.
She rushed to his side, grabbing his hand, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Ethan... I'm here. I'm right here. And so is Eva... She's perfect, Ethan. Our little girl... she's waiting for you."
Her voice trembled as she poured out her heart, speaking to him in soft whispers. But Ethan lay still, his breathing steady but shallow, no response to her words.
A nurse entered the room, gently interrupting the emotional moment. "We need to change his bandages," she explained. "You can stay if you want, but it might be a little uncomfortable."
"I'll stay," Olivia replied quickly, unwilling to leave Ethan's side for even a second.
The nurse began to carefully remove the bandages, and as each strip came off, Olivia held her breath. When the last of it was peeled away, she felt a jolt of shock. Ethan's face was scarred—deep, angry marks that covered his once handsome features.
But it wasn't just the scars. His eyes… they were open now, but they lacked the warmth and life she knew. His gaze felt distant, almost hollow, as if something essential had been stripped from him.
Even the feel of his hand in hers felt wrong. The strength she'd always found in his touch wasn't there. It was as though she was holding the hand of a stranger, not her husband.
The nurse finished her work, leaving Olivia to stare in silence. "I'll be back soon, Ethan," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his forehead before pulling herself together to leave.
Once outside, Olivia's silence grew heavy. Linda, who had been watching her closely, noticed her distress. "What's wrong, darling?" Linda asked gently, her motherly instinct kicking in.
Olivia hesitated, then said softly, "It's Ethan… I know it sounds crazy, but his eyes, his touch… they feel different. It's like he's not really here. I don't know how to explain it, but something's wrong."
Linda's face grew serious. She had sensed something too, but had brushed it off as a result of the accident. Now, hearing Olivia's concerns, she couldn't shake the unease settling in her gut.
"Maybe it's the trauma, or the shock of everything," Linda suggested carefully. "But if you feel something's off, we won't ignore it. We'll keep an eye on him."
Olivia nodded, though the sense of wrongness lingered, heavy in her heart. They headed toward the NICU, where baby Eva was being cared for, but even as she stared through the glass at her tiny, precious daughter, Olivia couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed. Ethan wasn't the same, and deep down, she feared that the man she knew, the man she loved, might not come back the same way he left.
As she stood there with tears in her eyes, whispering to baby Eva, her heart broke all over again. "Please, Ethan," she murmured under her breath. "Come back to us. We need you."