Dark Romance: A Cruel Obsession

Vilem stared intently at the “her” on the whiteboard, his eyes sparkling with tears.

Perhaps due to the explosion of emotions, Vilem’s spirits quickly plummeted, and Vivian stayed with him for a while until he fell asleep.

The nurse reassured Vivian that this was normal, “The patient’s body is still very weak, and he needs more sleep to help with recovery.”

Vivian nodded, and after confirming that Vilem was sound asleep, she left the intensive care unit with the nurse’s guidance.

As they changed into fresh clothes, the doctor treating Vilem had just finished his rounds and invited them to his office to discuss Vilem’s condition.

“Are you the patient’s family?” The doctor opened Vilem’s medical chart.

“Yes, I’m his sister,” Vivian sat in the chair in front of the doctor’s desk and replied.

“Your brother’s body has suffered significant damage. He has various injuries on the front and back of his torso, broken ribs, arm bones, damaged nerves in both hands, impaired hearing, shattered kneecaps…” the doctor solemnly briefed Vivian on Vilem’s condition, “Recovery will take a very long time, especially in terms of nerve treatment, which may require multiple surgeries with no guaranteed success. There will also be follow-up rehabilitation training, all requiring the patient’s absolute resilience and full cooperation from family.”

“I will cooperate, I promise,” Vivian assured, “Please make sure to heal him. He’s still young, with endless possibilities ahead of him.”

“As doctors, we will do our utmost to treat the patient, so the family can rest assured,” the doctor assured.

Wiping away her tears, Vivian said, “Thank you, doctor.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Coming out of the doctor’s office, Vivian finally couldn’t control her emotions, shouting in frustration, “I want them to die! All of them!”

“I understand, Vivian.” Alajos embraced her, gently soothing her by rubbing her back, expressing his support, “They will surely pay for their savage actions!”

Although Joseph was already dead, it didn’t mean that the matter was over. At least Mark, who advised Joseph, was still alive, and Lopaka, who kidnapped Vilem, was also alive.

…

Vilem’s condition remained unstable, and Alajos did his best to take Vivian to the hospital, but he would not allow her to stay in the hospital.

Vivian argued with Alajos several times about this, but she couldn’t change his mind.

“He’s my brother,” Vivian angrily told Alajos, “He’s injured, his condition is very bad, he’s lying alone in the hospital bed, I should be taking care of him.”

“Taking care of him is not your duty, you’re just his sister.” Alajos argued, “There are doctors, nurses, and experienced caregivers in the hospital, Vilem is not alone, there are people working for him.”

“But they are not his family. Family, do you understand, Alajos?!” Vivian gritted her teeth.

“Your questioning angers me, Vivian.” Alajos was trying to control his anger, but Vivian’s questioning pierced his heart like a knife. No one understood the meaning of “family” better than him.

“Am I not your family? Isn’t our daughter your family?” Alajos raised his voice in frustration, “Vilem is injured, I understand you’re worried, but you can’t compromise your health to take care of him.”

“I don’t feel that tired.” Vivian didn’t need Alajos to speak for her exhaustion, “The hospital has doctors, nurses, caregivers, they help share the burden of taking care of Vilem, I just need to wash his face and give him water.”

“Such tasks don’t require you to be by his side all the time!”

“But I’m afraid.” Vivian finally voiced her concern, “I tremble all over at the thought of not seeing him for a second. I’m afraid he’ll disappear, get hurt again when I can’t see him. You know his physical condition, he can’t withstand another injury.”

Alajos looked at the tearful Vivian, her voice trembling with fear. Alajos suddenly softened, “Your state is not good.”

“I don’t know, I’m just scared.” Vivian threw herself into Alajos’s arms, “I’m sorry, I know I’m wrong, I’m neglecting your feelings.”

Alajos lifted Vivian’s chin, kissing her soft lips gently, reassuringly, “No need to apologize, but you need to rest well. Our daughter has been with her aunt for days, do you remember her? She must miss her mom.”

“No, I…” Vivian guiltily lowered her head, “I’m not a good mother.” During this time, she couldn’t sleep well, always having nightmares of someone taking her child, and Vilem dying.

Her sleep had been erratic, and the baby’s crying had made her nervous. Alajos brought Doctor Yoshiye to check on her.

Yoshiye found nothing major wrong with her physically, but her postpartum recovery was poor, coupled with mental stress, and hormonal issues causing postpartum depression, requiring more rest.

So the baby was left in the care of Mrs. Yazmin. Although at first, Vivian was reluctant and did not want to be separated from her daughter for a moment, after fainting due to lack of sleep, it was only the daughter’s cries that alerted Mare, who found her.

After that, Alajos had to have a serious conversation with Vivian again, convincing her to agree to let her daughter stay with Mrs. Yazmin.

“But you love her, don’t you?”

“Of course.” Vivian quickly replied, “No mother doesn’t love her child.”

“Let’s go get her back, today.” Alajos said.

“But…” Vivian seemed hesitant, initially reluctant, but now constantly questioning if she was fit to be a mother.

Alajos remained silent, his gaze calm as he looked at her.

Vivian suddenly fell silent.

“Okay.” Vivian compromised, “Let’s go to Aunt’s house first.”

“I have Kasin at the hospital.” Alajos made additional arrangements.

Vivian then went with Alajos to Mrs. Yazmin’s estate.

Mrs. Yazmin had no children of her own; her beloved nephews had all grown up, busy with their own careers and marriages, unable to visit her frequently.

The estate was too large, the villa too empty, and Mrs. Yazmin often felt lonely. But now everything was different; Alajos’s child was born, a lovely girl like a doll, and Mrs. Yazmin was overjoyed.

Upon arriving, Vivian went straight to the child, and despite her previous reservations, the moment she held the baby, she admitted she couldn’t be without her.

“Have you named her?” Shelley asked.

Yazmin, gently holding the baby, replied, “Dhanna Helayna Hargrave.” She looked tenderly at the baby, who gazed curiously at the adults around her with her light brown eyes.

“Helayna?” Celinda covered her mouth in surprise.

Helayna, the name of Alajos’s mother, whom he named his daughter after, in memory of the woman who raised and taught him love.

“Such a beautiful name, isn’t it?” Vivian asked.

“Yes,” Celinda shifted her gaze to the sunlit glass conservatory softly creeping into her eyes, “Alajos loves her very much.”

“Yes, I love her very much,” Alajos said tenderly.

Although Celinda’s reference to “her” was vague, and no one knew exactly who she meant, it could be Mrs. Helayna, Vivian, or Dhanna; it didn’t matter. Each person had their own answer in their hearts, but it didn’t affect the current happiness of Alajos’s family.