The perfect Bride

IN Q SP HOSPITAL

Agatha woke up an hour after being rushed to the hospital, but she had refused to see or speak to anyone. She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling as tears streamed down her face. It felt like a nightmare she desperately wanted to escape. She couldn't believe that her aunt—the one person she had trusted completely—had been the one to betray her. How could she? After everything they had been through together.

There had to be a way out of this. Agatha's mind raced with thoughts of escape when she noticed Anita walking in. She turned her gaze from the ceiling to her friend.

"Agatha, I know you don't want to talk to anyone right now, but..." Anita said softly as she moved closer and sat at the edge of the bed. She stretched out her hand to comfort Agatha, but Agatha drew back.

"Girlfriend, you can't keep acting like this. Let's think of a way to get you out of this—the sooner, the better." Anita moved closer and wrapped her arms around Agatha, holding her tightly.

"Agatha, it's going to be fine, trust me," she whispered, gently patting her friend's back.

"How could she?" Agatha sobbed. "I would have done anything for her. I would have plucked the moon if she needed it. I loved her. I trusted her."

Anita held her closer. "Everything is going to be alright. Forget about what happened and focus on getting better. The doctor said you can leave here tomorrow morning."

Anita's phone buzzed, and she pulled it from the pocket of her blue jeans. Her expression changed when she saw the caller ID. She pressed the red icon to end the call and shoved the phone back into her pocket.

Agatha noticed the shift. "Who was that?"

"It's no one important. No need to worry about it."

"Who was that on the phone, Anita? Are you keeping secrets from me now?" Agatha's tone was stern, her eyes filled with disappointment.

"No, how could I keep secrets from you?"

"Then tell me—who called, and why didn't you pick up? Tell me everything."

Anita hesitated, then sighed. "It's Josh."

"Who is Josh? What about him? Did he hurt you? What did he do? Tell me, Anita," Agatha asked, her concern mounting.

"Calm down, girl—one question at a time," Anita chuckled. "Josh is the guy you met at my gallery about two weeks ago. He didn't do anything wrong; he just wants a serious relationship, and I'm not ready for that yet."

Agatha exhaled deeply, relieved. "Oh, girl, take your time. Don't let anyone pressure you, and don't pressure yourself either."

"Yeah, of course," Anita replied. "But now let's focus on you. Come to think of it—you've hit the jackpot, girl."

Agatha threw her a deadly glare. "More like rock bottom."

The two friends spent the night chatting, pretending that nothing had happened. They fell asleep side by side, finding solace in each other's presence.

---

THE NEXT MORNING

The nurse assigned to the ward opened the windows, and sunlight poured into the room, disrupting the sleep of the two friends. She urged them to freshen up and await the doctor's final checkup before Agatha could be discharged.

After a while, the doctor arrived. Following a brief examination, he confirmed Agatha's discharge.

"Where is the bill?" Anita asked.

"It has already been settled," the doctor replied.

"By who?" they asked in unison.

"Mr. Christian Edward—your husband," he said, addressing Agatha.

Agatha's expression soured instantly. She had hoped that waking up would make this ordeal feel like nothing more than a bad dream, but reality was unyielding.

Anita drove them back to her house in her 2022 Peugeot. Noticing Agatha's mood, she played her favorite song, "Jesus Take the Wheel."

When they arrived at Anita's house, they noticed a 2023 Range Rover parked outside, with a man in a blue suit standing beside it. He approached them, his demeanor as rigid as his appearance.

"Good morning, Mrs. Christian," he greeted, nodding respectfully at Agatha. "I am Mr. John, your husband's personal assistant. I bring greetings from Mr. Christian. I came here to inform you about your meeting with him."

He handed Agatha the brown envelope he had been holding. "All the necessary information is in the letter. It would be appreciated if you comply. Have a good day, ma'am." He bowed, got into his car, and drove off.

Anita watched him leave, then commented, "Is that guy a robot? He spoke as if he was programmed."

Agatha opened the envelope and read the letter. The meeting was scheduled for 6 p.m. at Blue Night Restaurant.

"Girlfriend, you mean Blue Night Restaurant? Like, the place where a plate of an average man's meal costs about $3,000? And I heard you have to pay tax even for just stepping a foot in there! That's the most luxurious restaurant in Q Country!"

Agatha shrugged as she made her way to brew coffee. "Well... I think that place is overhyped. It's not a big deal."

"It is not overhyped, and it is a big deal! OMG, I really wish I could follow you, but I wouldn't want your husband to kill me with his deadly stares."

"He is not my husband, Anita. Please don't say that again if you don't want to piss me off."

Agatha's voice was sharp as she slammed the coffee cup onto the table, causing it to spill. She left the dining room, her frustration palpable.

Whoa, easy girl," Anita said gently. "I didn't mean to make you mad. I was just saying... trying to help with your mood. But I guess I overstepped."

Agatha rolled her eyes and stormed out of the dining room. Anita let out a sigh, grabbed a cloth, and began cleaning up the spilled coffee. As she wiped the table, worry etched itself into her features. She knew this meeting with Christian could change everything, and all she could do was hope that Agatha would emerge from it unscathed.