Chapter 1

Quincy lay in the sterile hospital bed, his body motionless, eyes closed in his state of coma. Beside him, Kohler, his wife, was a vision of despair 

"I don't know what happened to you, Quincy, why have you been like this for the last three years?”

Her voice trembled as she whispered.

“You were once the city's most powerful businessman, the man every woman desired, and every man envied. What happened to you, Quincy? Please speak to me, please wake up…"

She clung to him, her tears staining his hospital gown as she rested her head against his unconscious body.

No stir, not even a flicker of response. Just the relentless beep of the heart monitor…

It had been the same way for the past three years.

“Can you hear me, Quincy? Please say you can hear my pleas…"

Her whispers grew more desperate. She had poured her heart, soul, and all her savings into his care… only to be met with the same blank slate every single day. The doctors said the situation wasn't clear, and he had made no step towards recovery.

Day by day, things were seeming more and more grim…

"When will you wake up? When will you save me from this nightmare?”

She sobbed,

"I have been mocked and taunted by everyone, and I have been facing all this, all alone. But I can't take this anymore! My father has ordered me to divorce you, and I can't… I can't refuse him anymore.”

She cried and looked at Quincy's face, wishing that he could wake up any moment, and rescue her from this fate.

Sighing, she looked at the machines and wires hooked to her husband, just to keep him alive and breathing.

He looked nothing like the man that he once was… now, he was just a shadow of his former self. She couldn't even believe that she had fallen in love with the same man who was lying on the hospital bed.

Kohler’s eyes fell on the diamond ring on her finger, a symbol of her crumbling marriage. Tomorrow, she was supposed to be engaged to another man… and the thought made her feel nauseous.

"Do you know that my father has arranged for me to get married already? He wants me to divorce you, he's threatened to freeze all my assets and kick me out of the family if I don't comply… I don't want to betray you, I swear… I don't want to leave you, but I don't have a choice, Quincy. I'm so sorry…”

Tears streamed down her face as she leaned closer; even though she knew that he couldn't hear her, she still felt the need to tell him what she was about to do.

"This isn't what I want, I promise. This isn't my choice, but I can't refuse them… I can't leave the family, I've lost all my money in trying to take care of you all these years. If it was up to me, I would never leave your side… but it's not in my hands anymore. I'm sorry, Quincy…I'm so sorry…”

Kohler cried bitterly.

Suddenly, a wild, desperate idea seized her attention. What if she could carry a piece of him forever? What if…?

Even in the moment, she knew that it was the most bizarre thought ever… she could only imagine what would happen if any of the nurses barged in on her…

But it was too late, she had already made up her mind.

"I know we've never… I mean, I haven't ever been touched by you, but I want to be with you, even just once before I finally sign the divorce papers. If I have to sleep with anyone in my life, I want you to be my first…”

She said softly, and placed her lips on his, kissing him even though he couldn't respond.

Her heart pounded as her pink lips were moving frantically against his blue ones, her fingers trembling as she slipped the blouse from her shoulders.

Kohler wanted to sleep with her husband, even though he was in a coma… but not just that, she also wanted to have his child.

She wanted the memory of Quincy to remain in her life, and with this thought driving her forward, Kolher got into the hospital bed.

Now completely naked, she straddled him, but Quincy didn't move as the warm curves of her body pressed against his cold contours.

Slowly, Kohler started to move, gently grinding her tender flesh against his body, which was cold and unresponsive.

“I know that you can hear me, Quincy… I know you would have made this night an unforgettable one, if you could. Consider this my final gift to you, before they tear us apart for good.”

With this, she locked lips with Quincy again, and trailed her eager hands down his chest, going under his hospital gown.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Without any warning, the door burst open and a stern voice sliced through the room.

“Mum!” Kohler jerked up and hurriedly tried to cover herself, but it was too late… the sight of a naked Kohler pressed against Quincy was unmistakable.

Her mother stepped inside, shaking her head with disgust.

“I can't believe this! You are completely shameless, Kohler! Don't tell me you just tried to mess around with this halfwit. It would be better if I had found you hooking up with some hobo, at least it wouldn't be a damn corpse!”

She snapped, while Kohler was putting on her clothes, her gaze fixed on the ground. But still, she made no move to leave.

“But I don't want to leave Quincy, mum… you know that I love him–”

Beverly Walter hissed,

"Love! What nonsense, this isn't love, this is madness! Your father and I have found the city's most eligible bachelors for you, and you claim to be in love with a vegetable!”

She then softened her tone, trying to talk some sense into her foolish daughter.

“You are my daughter, Kohler Walter! You can have anyone you want, still, you insist on clinging to a sack of bones! He is barely a man anymore, and your father and I won't let you waste your time with this thing.”

Kohler was still weeping, standing beside her husband as her mother looked at her like she was the source of all her misery.

“I do love him, mom, I don't know how or why, but I do… Please, mother, I don't want to do this. I can't even tolerate the thought of another man, I want Quincy–”

SMACK!

Mrs. Beverly’s hand hit her daughter's cheek, leaving a red mark.

"Enough of your nonsense! We already had this conversation, and it's settled! You are getting married, Kohler, and I don't want to hear a single word. You are going to get engaged tomorrow, for Goodness’ sake! How could you be so shameless and get in such a compromising position with this piece of trash? Haven't we suffered enough humiliation because of you, that you have crossed all the limits now?!"

Kohler didn't answer, but just hugged Quincy tightly. It was going to be the last time that she ever saw him… and she wanted to feel his touch, one last time.

Mrs. Beverly shook her head at her own daughter's pathetic behavior.

"Guards, take her away from him, I'm sick of this nauseating sight!' 

At once, the guards who had arrived at the hospital with her grabbed Kohler by the arm, and dragged her out of the hospital room. Kohler tried to struggle, but she didn't stand a chance against these guards, who were much stronger than her.

“Come with us, miss, don't make a fuss! Your mother has ordered us!"

One of them snapped.

Back in the hospital room, Quincy lay alone, his heartbeat suddenly racing. The heart monitor beeped loudly,but there was no one to hear it. His fingers twitched and he flinched, as his eyes blinked open.