After My Death, His Love Turned Obsessive

My husband's childhood sweetheart was grappling with kidney failure and was hell-bent on making a pilgrimage to a secluded chapel in the highlands to seek divine intervention.

Late at night, he bailed on me, barely hanging on to life, just to snag some pain relievers for her menstrual cramps.

My stepbrother cautioned him, "Man, if you don't rush her to the hospital, she's gonna freeze to death out here."

But my husband just dismissed me with a flick of his hand, clearly annoyed.

"Why pit women against each other? Haven't you noticed how pale she is from the pain?"

Little did he know, while he was out scouring for his pal, I was ambushed and left with one kidney less and half my blood drained.

Without immediate medical attention, I was a goner.

***

My husband, James Moll, was fixated on his childhood sweetheart, Ella Eugen, who was desperate for some spiritual healing for her kidney failure. She insisted on visiting a remote chapel nestled in the mountains.

As dusk settled and we prepared to head back, she mysteriously disappeared.

Ignoring my protests, James left me to guard our gear while they went off to find her.

When they returned, I was leaning weakly against a tree by the campfire, barely conscious.

My stepbrother, Luke, was the first to sense something was off. He touched my forehead, concerned.

"James, Emma's shaking and burning up—she might have caught a chill. You're the doc, come take a look!"

James glanced over coldly and pulled Ella in closer.

"Did you miss how white Ella's gone from her cramps? Emma's all wrapped up. She can't be that cold."

"You're not playing sick just because I was taking care of Ella, are you? Trying to drum up sympathy with a sob story?"

I was not playing anything.

Previously, he took everyone to go look for Ella, leaving me here to guard our gears.

But after that, I was ambushed by some thugs who knocked me out, stole a kidney, and took half my blood.

They patched me up, threw a blanket over me, and left me in the cold.

The drugs hadn't worn off yet, and with all the blood I'd lost, my body fluctuated between hot and cold flashes. My forehead was slick with cold sweat, and my head felt like it was spinning.

Luke was by my side, calling out my name, each call more urgent than the last.

"James, no joke, Emma's really bad off—it looks like hypothermia. We need to get her to a hospital, now!"

Luke stripped off his jacket, added it to the blanket around me, and tried to lift me into the car.

But James stood in our way, frowning and gesturing dismissively.

"I gotta get Ella some painkillers first, find her a spot to freshen up."

"You can either wait here for us to come back or find your own way."

Stranded in the wild—where were we even supposed to find another car?

I could feel my body temperature dropping, the pain from the incision where they cut me open worsening, and my strength fading.

Luke tightened his hold on me, his jaw set in frustration.

"James, remember who your wife is!"

James scoffed, looking down at us smugly.

"Luke, cut the crap. I know what you're thinking."

"Just so we're clear—I'm sorting Ella out first. Hang tight if you can, or tough luck."

"We're out. This will give you two some space, stop the theatrics already."

I bit down hard, trying to keep conscious.

"James, I'm not faking. Someone... did this... to me."

I struggled to speak, my words tangled and faint.

James laughed like he'd heard the best joke ever.

"Someone hurt you? Out here? Come on, spill—who?"

"What, you gonna say a forest fairy did it?"

"Emma, if you're gonna spin tales, at least make them sound plausible. You think I'm a kid?"

I reached out, showing him my hand smeared with dark blood from the wound.

"I'm not lying, check it yourself. You're the doctor, you'd know."

"James, please, we need to get to a hospital. I don't wanna die. I haven't even had the chance to look after Grandpa."

James stared at the blood on my hands, then shook his head dismissively.

"Emma, the lengths you go to for a bit of drama!"

My consciousness was fading, but I managed to grab his sleeve, desperate.

"Save... me..."

"Ugh, James, my stomach's killing me. I forgot my pads and it's just awful!" Ella's voice overshadowed my plea.

Through blurred vision, I saw James let go of my hand, pick Ella up in his arms, and stride toward the car.

Luke tried to follow but got pushed aside by James. With me in his arms, he lost balance, and we both fell to the ground.

He cushioned my fall with his body, ensuring I wasn't hurt.

James started the engine and stomped on the accelerator, the vehicle leaving out of our sight so fast.

The blanket that was keeping me warm unraveled during the fall.

Struggling to sit up, Luke saw the blood soaked through the blanket and hurried to check me over.

"Emma, Emma, stay with me—don't go under. Wake up, wake up!"

With the last of my strength, I murmured, "Take me back to Grandpa."

My parents had long gone, but Grandpa raised me.

He had already buried younger persons once; the thought of having to do it again at his age was unbearable.

I had promised to take care of him in his old age, but now I was about to break that promise.

Grandpa, I'm so sorry.

My awareness began to drift, floating and then being pulled by a distant, mysterious force.