Chapter 291:
Early in the morning, the chirping of birds outside the hospital window stirred RK from his restless state. A ray of
sunlight filtered through the glass, landing on his face as he stood outside the ICU, his eyes fixed on Stella, who
remained still in her hospital bed.
She hadn’t woken up. Why hadn't she woken up yet?
“Doctor, doctor!” RK called out, his voice laced with panic. Soon, the doctors and nurses arrived to check on her
condition. When they emerged from the room, they shook their heads slightly.
RK felt as though he had been plunged into an icy abyss, frozen in place.
“The patient hasn't woken up yet, and there are no signs of improvement,” the doctor said carefully. “It's
possible... she may never wake up again.”
RK’s mind spiraled into a whirlwind. In an instant, he envisioned a lifetspent caring for Stella, watching over
her motionless form as she lay in bed for the rest of her life.
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For the past few days, he had been by her side, moisturizing her lips with a cotton swab, wiping her face every
morning, and applying facial masks every evening. But after three days in the ICU, she had shown no signs of
waking.
“Stella, what's wrong with you?” RK whispered, his voice cracking. “Aren’t you the one who can overcome
anything? Why haven't you woken up this time? What's holding you back?”
He continued speaking to her, hoping his words might reach her. “Adrian and | are fighting. He's stopped talking.
What if he needs you to guide him? What if he stays this way?”
“Stella, what are you dreaming about?” His voice broke. “Didn't you say you'd fightfor custody of Adrian?
What are you doing lying here? Don’t you care about him anymore? Don’t you hate me? Get up and hit me,
Stella. I'm bullying you again.”
“Stella, wake up...”
In the midst of the darkness surrounding her, Stella thought she could hear someone calling her name. The voice
was faint, distant, like a far-off echo. She wanted to hear it clearly, but it eluded her.
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“Stella...” the voice called again, gentle and familiar.
She heard it many times, but couldn't place it. She had been searching in the dark, but there was no one, no one
at all.
Who was she? Who was he? Adrian? Who was Adrian? RK? Who was RK? Was she Stella? Why couldn't she see
them? Where were they?
She floated endlessly, like a lost piece of driftwood, aimless in a sea of black.
Who would save her? Who would pull her out?
RK stayed by her side, using every ounce of patience he never thought he possessed. He had never shown this
level of devotion, not even with Alia. But with Stella, he poured all his energy and care into her, casting aside the
past and setting his worries behind him. He was finally willing to face the truth of his past.
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As he continued to talk to her, his voice softened. “Do you remember the first birthday we celebrated after we
got married? | gave you a star-shaped necklace. You loved it and always wore it. When you left the Kingston
house, you left it behind. I've carried it withever since. Would you like it now?”
RK reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small box. He opened it and took out the star necklace, the
one Stella had cherished. Leaning over, he gently placed it around her neck.
“And | remember on my birthday,” he continued, “you didn’t want to spend my money to buya gift. So, you
used the money you saved up from university and boughta small rose plant. You said it would bloom into a
beautiful flower. | waited for six years, but it still hasn't bloomed.”
Back then, Stella had been so poor. After marrying into the Kingston family, she had never gone out to work, so
the savings she had from university were meager. She couldn't afford to buy anything extravagant for RK, and
she refused to use his money to buy him a gift. After searching for a long time, she finally chose a small rose
plant.
She thought that since he had given her a star, she would give him a rose that would add scolor to his
otherwise black-and-white world. She brought it home, so happy, and prepared a meal for him.
She had been nervous about cooking since she hadn't done it in so long, but she put in her best effort. She
arranged the table, served the food, and sat there, waiting for RK to chome.