Chapter 1 Five Years

After lying in a coma for five long years, Isabelle Reed finally opened her eyes.

The deep, velvety voice of her husband, Kolton Reed, rang in her head.

She could still feel his hand caressing her face as he muttered, "Belle, you're useless to me now. Sleep on forever, and don't ever wake up again."

The heartless bastard!

Isabelle balled her hands tightly into fists, fighting against the wave of nausea roiling inside her.

She had first crossed paths with Kolton at the age of twelve. By twenty, she was his wife. At twenty-two, she had an accident in childbirth and fell into a coma.

The doctors had written her off, saying her body was functioning but her mind was gone-no awareness, no perception. A living shell.

But Isabelle had been fully aware. She could feel, and she could hear; the only thing she couldn't do was wake up.

And that powerless state allowed her to discover the truth about the man she loved.

A nurse knocked and entered to remind Kolton, "Mr. Reed, visiting hours are over."

Kolton's lips curved in that charming, polished smile of his as he nodded.

Before leaving, he bent down and pressed a tender kiss to Isabelle's forehead, just as he had done countless times before. "Wake up soon, Belle. I'll always be here, waiting and loving you."

Isabelle scoffed inwardly.

Wasn't it such a shame that his performance was completely wasted on her, his immobile wife?

Two nurses outside, however, were bewitched. They watched him go with dreamy eyes.

"Mr. Reed is the perfect husband," one whispered. "Five years, and he still comes every week."

"He's handsome, rich, and scandal-free," the other said with a sigh. "So many women throw themselves at him, yet he remains faithful. That's really impressive. Isabelle is truly the luckiest woman in the world to have such an ideal husband!"

An ideal husband?

Isabelle smiled bitterly at the irony.

If only they knew. He had used her brains to climb the corporate ladder, drained her worth as a mother, and then prayed she'd stay in that hospital bed forever. An "ideal" husband indeed.

Kicking back the blanket, Isabelle tried to stand. But after five motionless years, her body betrayed her. Her muscles were useless, her legs buckled, and she collapsed heavily.

She bit down on the pain and dragged herself across the floor to the window.

Outside, a sleek black Bentley waited below.

It was the anniversary gift Kolton had once given her, the plate number set to her birthday.

Back then, she had been glowing with happiness, wrapping herself in his arms and asking, "Kolton, do you really love me?"

He had smiled, kissed her sweetly, and answered, "Silly girl, you're my wife. Of course I love you. Belle, this is only our first year together; we have more years ahead of us."

So that was love? A role he could play effortlessly.

Now Isabelle watched as Kolton's secretary, Joelle Murphy, climbed out of the Bentley, carrying herself like she owned the car, strutting confidently in her high heels.

She walked up to Kolton with a teasing smile, stumbled on something, and pitched forward. Kolton rushed in, catching her before she could hit the ground.

Isabelle had never seen Kolton wear that worry look before.

To Kolton, she was unbreakable, untouched by pain or exhaustion, and always compliant, like a pet trained to obey.

All it ever took was a single gesture, and he could have her at his beck and call.

When Isabelle graduated from college, she was offered a position at a world-renowned medical research institute.

But the moment Kolton said, "Belle, stay. I need you," she stopped at the boarding gate and walked away from her future, choosing instead to become his wife.

After they married, she threw herself completely into supporting Kolton, pushing her body to the brink until she suffered a stomach hemorrhage. In the end, she created a breakthrough drug that cemented his rise in Sky Group, earning him the title of the youngest director in the board's history.

Back then, Kolton had promised her a lifetime of care. And she had believed foolishly.

The memories pierced Isabelle like a dull blade, leaving her shuddering with agony.

Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes, bitter on her tongue.

Outside, Joelle put on a sweet smile, planting a quick kiss on Kolton's cheek.

The sight turned Isabelle's stomach.

Then the rear door of the car opened.

Isabelle spotted her twins, Emily and James Reed, the children she had nearly given her life for, climbing out of the car.

They looked radiant, almost angelic.

"Jim! Emmy!" Isabelle's heart swelled with aching love, her hand pressing desperately against the glass as she tried to reach them.

But the children threw themselves into Joelle's arms, kissing her cheeks with devotion.

Kolton stood next to them, his smile soft and doting, as if they were a picture-perfect family of four.

Seeing this pierced Isabelle's chest like needles.

In these five years, Kolton had scarcely brought the twins to see her.

She remembered vividly one visit when Joelle had tagged along. With no one else around, Joelle coaxed Emily into calling her "Mommy" right in front of Isabelle. Right then, all Isabelle wanted was to rip Joelle to shreds.

Isabelle planted her palms on the glass, looking out with a determined expression on her face.

She could discard Kolton like trash, but her children were her flesh and blood. She would reclaim them.

As if sensing something, Emily suddenly looked up toward the window.

Their eyes met.

Isabelle instinctively smoothed her messy hair and forced a gentle smile. But Emily's face twisted in fear. She clung to Joelle, trembling.

Isabelle's heart sank. Her daughter was frightened of her.

"Daddy, Joelle, someone's there!" Emily pointed to the window.

Kolton glanced up, a puzzled look appearing on his face.

That was Isabelle's room. But there was no one by the window.

"Emmy, maybe you imagined it?" he asked carefully.

"No!" Emily shook her head, insistent. "I saw a woman with long hair."

Kolton frowned, about to respond when his phone vibrated.

The caller was Roderick Ward, Isabelle's attending doctor.

Kolton picked up the call. "Dr. Ward?"

"Mr. Reed!" The doctor's voice quivered with excitement. "Wonderful news! Your wife has regained consciousness!"