Chapter 4. The Husband That Lost His Wife Forever

Chris lay weak in a hospital bed after undergoing surgery for a broken arm and leg. He could faintly hear the voices of people in his room. The nurse and the Doctor are talking with his father, Dawn. Chris saw his father from the corner of his eye. He saw his father rubbing his face several times like a confused person. Chris knew that today was the day Angela had surgery. The father had told Chris everything, what would happen to Angela if she had surgery. And it broke his heart, but for him, there was no choice but to operate on Angela. Although the possibility of Angela being conscious, according to the Doctor, was very slim. But Chris was sure that Angela would one day regain consciousness, even if it took years. And Martha’s death made him blame himself continuously.

Chris, who had been looking at his father, immediately turned his gaze towards the television as soon as he heard the news of his wife’s death on television. The father was still engrossed in chatting with the doctors and nurses in Chris’ room as if he was not bothered by the news about his daughter-in-law’s death.

“Sad news to the Goldenheart Family. The daughter-in-law of Chris Goldenheart, the CEO of GH Company, was in an accident on the road xxxx along with her husband and daughter. This incident claimed the life of his daughter-in-law, whose name was Martha Wilson Herbert. The funeral is planned to be held tomorrow at 10 am at City Crematorium.”

The news featured a wreath-covered GH Company yard and a wreath-covered Crematorium City, which Chris believed had been sent by his father’s colleagues, who were also colleagues himself. The news also featured the scene where he and his family had an accident. And it made Chris immediately tremble violently. His eyes were still looking at the television. The trauma experienced by Chris left him mentally shaken.

The sound of the hospital bed shaking made Dawn turn his eyes to Chris. He was shocked when he saw his son shaking violently on the bed.

“CHRIS,” shouted Dawn. He quickly approached Chris. But he looked confused about what he should do—the doctors and nurses who saw this checked Chris’ condition quickly. The two of them looked busy handling Chris while Dawn stood quietly on the edge of Chris’ bed and watched her son’s condition with a broken heart.

After a few moments, Chris finally calmed down again and fell asleep. After the Doctor injected the medicine into the IV tube attached to Chris’ hand, Dawn felt a little relieved, seeing the state of Chris, who had calmed down.

“What happened to Chris, Danny?” Dawn asked Danny, the Doctor who was his acquaintance. Dawn stroked Chris’s hand, which still had an IV in his hand. His eyes looked worried seeing Chris’ state, who suddenly shook violently earlier.

“He was in shock. I think he’s still mentally unstable at this point, Dawn. Better avoid him from seeing or hearing anything about the accident that happened to him.”

“Will it affect his current physical condition?”

“I’m afraid so. Because of an unhealthy mental state, it can affect how he behaves in the future.”

“And you have to make sure Chris still eats his food. If he refuses to eat, then it will make his physical condition worse, and it can also slow down the healing process of the operation he is undergoing.”

Danny then patted Dawn’s arm gently, encouraging him, before finally walking out of Chris’s room.

***

“Sad news to the Goldenheart Family. The son-in-law of Dawn Goldenheart, the CEO of GH Company, was in an accident on the xxxx road along with her husband and son. This incident claimed the life of his daughter-in-law, whose name was Martha Wilson Herbert. The funeral is planned to be held tomorrow at 10 am at City Crematorium.”

''Click''

William turned off the television in front of him this time. Since he and Susan helped the Goldenheart family from the accident, his feelings have also become uneasy. William always imagined the sad condition that befell the daughter-in-law of the Goldenheart family. And that is also what makes him anxious at work; he even has to work from home so he can feel a little calm and feel safe when he sees his little family within reach of his eyes at this time.

William turned his eyes to Martin and Susan, who were preparing lunch for their family. William approached his wife and son. He suddenly hugged Susan from behind. And that made Martin roll his eyes lazily. Susan nudged William with her arm, and she felt ashamed to be embraced like this in front of her son, Martin.

“Gosh, how long will you hug mom like that?” Martin teased his father, who was still hugging his mother as if they would never meet again.

Esther, the maid around them, could only shake her head, seeing the behavior of the Great Master, who was like a lovestruck teenager.

“Why? Come here, I’ll hug you too.” Martin jogged when his father tried to hug him.

Susan sighed, seeing the childlike behavior of her son and husband.

***

Dawn has just returned from the room where Angela is being treated. His heart was broken when he saw the many hoses or cables attached to his granddaughter’s body. Dawn can only pray to God so that Angela can open her eyes and return to normal life after her operation. The silence of the night made Dawn want to lie down right now. But his feelings were not calm when he saw Chris asleep in his bed. He approached Chris to confirm how he was.

But Chris suddenly opened his eyes slowly and smiled faintly at Dawn, standing on the edge of his bed.

“Dad,” Calls Chris hoarsely.

“How are you?” Dawn’s voice was worried and sounded very sharp. His eyes scanned Chris’ whole body, trying to examine whether something made the boy uncomfortable.

“Dad, I want to attend Martha’s funeral tomorrow,” Chris begged his father to allow him to accompany his wife to her final resting place.

“Not. You’re so weak right now, and I don’t want your situation to get worse if you have to come along.” Dawn firmly refused Chris’ request. Dawn clearly remembered what Danny said to him to keep Chris away from everything, which could cause him to remember everything about the incident.

“Please, father. I can’t not see her for the last time.” Chris began to shed tears.

“I want to see my wife one last time, Father. I’ve lost half of my life now. And now you want me not to see the person who gave birth to my daughter for the last time?” Chris started to sob. And Chris’s cry made Dawn’s heart weak.

“Don’t you remember what happened to you earlier? I can’t if I have to lose you too, Chris. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. You are my only son.” Dawn held Chris’s hand, channeling his affection for his son. His eyes looked at Chris, asking Chris to understand what he said. But Chris averted his eyes and let go of Dawn’s hand above his.

“Get some rest. You must be tired of always caring for Angela and me.” Dawn could see the disappointed look in Chris’ eyes, but he also couldn’t let Chris’ mental state deteriorate any further.

***

The morning sun shone through the window where Chris was being treated. Dawn is seen getting ready, accompanied by his assistant, George, who arrives early in the morning. Today is Martha’s funeral day. And Dawn had to attend his daughter-in-law’s funeral before the guests arrived. Dawn glanced at Chris, who was still sleeping in his bed.

“We’d better go now, George.”

“Okay, sir.” Dawn and George then came out of Chris’s room. When he heard the door to his room closed, Chris immediately opened his eyes. Chris pressed the emergency button to call a nurse to his room. A nurse came quickly into Chris’s room.

“What’s wrong, sir? Are you feeling sick?” The nurse checked the IV tube attached to Chris’ hand.

“Take me to my wife,” Chris asked the nurse, but it was clear the nurse refused him smoothly.

“I’m sorry, sir, but Mr. Dawn said you weren’t supposed to be going anywhere.”

“FUCK, DO I HAVE TO STAY HERE, HUH? WHILE MY WIFE WILL BE BURIED IN A MINUTE?” Chris yelled at the nurse who was standing in front of him. The nurse took a step back when Chris snapped loudly at her. The nurse was frightened by Chris, who suddenly shouted at her. Seeing the frightened nurse made Chris feel guilty.

“Please, I want to see my wife. Take me to my wife. My wife is still in this hospital, right?”

With fear, the nurse nodded her head. Martha’s body is still in the morgue. Hospital workers clean the body before being taken to the place of the burial ceremony.

“Please help me. I want to see her one last time. Please.” With tears in his eyes, Chris again begged the nurse. The nurse then looked outside the room where Chris was being treated.

“Okay, wait a moment.” The nurse then walked out of Chris’s room to get a wheelchair. After getting the wheelchair, the nurse carefully helped Chris into the wheelchair and escorted him to the morgue, which is in the back area of the hospital.

When Chris was right in front of the morgue, at that moment, he could see his wife, who was being decorated. The half-open door of the morgue allowed him to see his wife’s imperfect face. Chris’ tears immediately fell. He even sobbed so hard that the people decorating Martha’s body at this time turned to look at him. They were surprised by the sudden presence of Chris in front of the morgue, with a nurse standing behind his wheelchair.

''Martha… ''

“I’m sorry….”

“I’m sorry….”

“I’m sorry, Martha....”

''Martha…''

“Chris” Chris turned his head when Dawn’s voice called him.

“Dad…” Chris hugged Dawn tightly once Dwan was next to him. Dawn stroked Chris’ head gently, calming him, who kept crying.

“Dad, Martha… How am I going to tell Angela about her mom?” Chris didn’t let go of Dawn’s hug at all. Dawn didn’t answer Chris’s question. He just kept quiet and continued to gently stroke Chris’ head.

The funeral for Martha was held solemnly. Chris ultimately did not attend his wife’s funeral. He only saw the whole process of his wife’s funeral through the television screen. The news of the death of the daughter-in-law of the CEO of GH Company has become a hot topic in various circles, especially from the business community. Rumors even spread about the accident that occurred in the Goldenheart family. Some media even said that Chris was very drunk then, causing his wife to lose her life and other negative rumors, which made Chris even more stressed. This made Dawn take action by not allowing Chris to see or hold any electronic devices. Dawn feared that Chris’s mental state would worsen if he continued to see negative rumors about him.