At that moment, I saw Michael pull the steering wheel and protect Olivia with his body.
The accident happened suddenly. When I regained consciousness, my legs were numb and I was trapped in the narrow space.
Screams and cries for help mixed with the sounds of ambulances and police sirens.
Half-conscious after being rescued, I heard Michael shout at the medical staff, “Hurry and save Olivia first! Can’t you see her arm’s all scraped?”
The medic hesitated. “But the woman in the backseat is more severely injured. Without quick treatment, she could become paralyzed.”
Michael’s eyes were reddened with anger “I’m her husband. I order you not to treat her. Save Olivia first!”
“As long as Olivia is in critical condition, she can’t get treatment.”
My heart ached so much it felt hard to breathe. Silent tears ran down my face, erasing my last feelings for Michael.
When I opened my eyes again, Michael was sitting beside my bed.
His voice trembled when he saw me awake, “Nichole, I almost lost you again.”
“The doctors said your injuries were serious. You were almost paralyzed, so I immediately called and gathered the best doctors to treat you.”
“How do you feel? Is there any pain?”
As I opened my mouth to speak, my throat burned fiercely, as if torn apart.
Michael picked up a glass of water beside him and handed it to me. “Drink some water first to ease your throat. Don’t rush.”
After drinking the water, I felt much better.
Michael handed me some apple slices. “I prepared this for you earlier, but my skills aren’t great, so the pieces are a bit weird.”
I stayed silent. My eyes kept seeing Michael, badly injured. He demanded that the doctors save Olivia rather than himself, who only had minor wounds.
Michael seemed about to say more when the phone suddenly rang.
From the corner of my eye, I saw his contact’s name was “Via”. In less than a second, I knew it was Olivia.
As I expected, after the call, Michael looked sorry for me. “Nichole, I can’t stay with you. There’s a new project that needs my attention. Rest well and recover. I’ll come see you again tomorrow.”
Then he walked away without hesitation. Shortly after he left, a friend request popped up on my phone. It was from Olivia.
After I accepted, she sent a message and a photo. The photo of a carved rabbit-shaped apple.
[A useless woman like you only deserves what I threw away.]