Chapter 5

The front door slammed shut as Chloe left. Eleanor turned the TV volume up to the maximum, completely ignoring me.

"Eleanor, watch some TV. I'm going to deliver the soup to Vanessa."

After packing the soup, I left some simple food for Eleanor and headed out.

Leo had sent me the address. When I knocked on the door, Vanessa answered, holding a bag of chips with a pout on her face.

"You took forever, Valerie," she complained. "Arthur told me you were bringing soup, so I didn't even order lunch. I’ve been starving."

I forced a smile. "Sorry, Eleanor came back today, so I was busy."

Vanessa didn't care. She opened the thermos, her face twisting in disgust. "Is this cheap chicken? It smells so gamey!"

"Well... I don't have much money left. We have to save up for your new house and the Cartier jewelry, right?"

"Then buy the house faster. I want to see the listings. Oh, by the way, clean up the apartment before you leave. Arthur promised me you would."

I lowered my eyes. "Okay."

Thank God I had eaten before coming over. I spent the entire afternoon cleaning their apartment.

Vanessa finished the soup, pushed the bowl aside, and yawned. "Wash the dishes when you're done, and make sure dinner is ready before you leave. You'll need to do this every day from now on. Don't worry about breakfast, though. I sleep in."

She walked back into the master bedroom. It was a two-bedroom apartment.

I silently cleaned every corner. Leo’s things were in the guest bedroom. He and Vanessa weren't even sleeping in the same room.

While wiping the TV stand, I discreetly slipped a tiny hidden camera into the cable box.

That night, Eleanor made me massage her joints again while Arthur sat on the recliner, chuckling at TikTok videos.

My back was screaming in pain.

My head throbbed, and a sudden wave of dizziness hit me. As I lifted the basin of hot water, my knees buckled, and I crashed to the floor. The hot water splashed all over Arthur’s legs.

He jumped up with a yell, his face turning red with rage. He raised his hand to strike me. Eleanor started cursing, holding him back.

"Are you trying to kill him?! How malicious can you be, scalding your own husband?!"

I clutched my chest, a loud ringing echoing in my ears. "I didn't do it on purpose... I'm so dizzy. Please, take me to the hospital."

Arthur’s hand came down, slapping me hard across the face. "Stop watching those dramatic shows! You’re just faking it!"

"You've been causing trouble since this morning! Chloe is stressed, and now you're doing this? Are you trying to ruin this family?!"

I forced myself to stand up. If I stayed on the floor, he would probably beat me to death.

Slowly, painfully, I dragged myself back to my bedroom.

Arthur slept in the guest room, slamming the door. In the middle of the night, a strange numbness crept up the right side of my body. My chest felt incredibly tight. As a middle-aged woman, I knew the signs.

I was having a stroke.

Shaking, I dialed 911, dragged myself to the front door to unlock it for the paramedics, and collapsed.

The next thing I knew, I was in the ER.

"You’re lucky you got here in time," the doctor said, looking at my chart. "It was an acute ischemic stroke. We performed emergency thrombolysis to dissolve the clot. Where is your family? We need them to sign some paperwork."

I called Arthur. He picked up, groggy and furious. "Go to hell! Stop bothering me! I have work tomorrow!"

He hung up.

I called my children. Neither of them answered.

Tears streamed down my face. I begged the doctor to proceed with whatever was necessary. My parents had passed away years ago, and my brother lived in another state. He didn't care about me anyway.

Seeing my desperate state, the hospital committee rushed through an emergency authorization. The surgery was successful, and I was moved to a recovery ward.

But before noon the next day, I was awakened by a sharp pain.

Arthur, Chloe, Leo, Vanessa, and Eleanor were all standing around my bed, glaring at me. Arthur had just slapped me awake.

"Valerie, how long are you going to keep up this act? There's a pile of laundry and cooking at home! Get up and get back!"

"I had a stroke," I sobbed, my voice trembling. "I had surgery last night. Please, let me recover."

Eleanor grabbed my hair, dragging me off the hospital bed and onto the cold floor.