章 44: Decisions

Richard’s POV

“It’s okay, Richard.” Monique’s soft voice echoed in the still-silent room. My heart felt like it was being squeezed. It sorrowed me to see her like this. She didn’t deserve to suffer. No one did.

Her frail body barely occupied enough space to fill the queen-size bed. She looked at me, her eyes communicating with so much warmth I couldn’t stop the tears from coming.

She chuckled, beckoning me to come closer. I was afraid I might harm her. Hence, I kept my distance. It also pained me to see her like this.

The once vibrant, always on-her-feet woman who showed me that life was wonderful had now fallen victim to a strange illness. It slowly chased away her strength, leaving her confined to the bed, unable to sit or stand for long.

She had lost so much weight, and there were so many sleepless nights that dark circles under her eyes became evident. Despite that, she was still beautiful and smiled brightly at me.