The Comatose Billionaire Wakes Up

Everyone in the Ford family remembers that day. My stepmother, Vivian, had brought her daughter to visit meDthe girl who was forced to marry into the family as a placeholder for a comatose man.

They spent twenty minutes mocking me in the hospital room. Vivian sneered, saying, Youre only fit to be married to a vegetable who cant even move.

That was when the man who had been unconscious for three months opened his eyes. The room went dead silent for three seconds.

Then, he threw back the covers and stood barefoot on the floor. He walked straight to me and pulled me into a crushing embrace.

Vivians mouth dropped open. My stepsisters face turned as white as a sheet.

He looked down at them, his voice raspy from disuse but sharp as a blade. Who said my wife isn't good enough for me?

The day I married Hudson Ford, not a single person in the Ford estate was smiling.

The Fords were true old money in BlackwoodDprivate, powerful, and untouchable. Their reach spanned from real estate to healthcare across half a dozen industries.

Hudson, the head of the family, had been in a car accident three months ago. He was now a vegetable in the ICU.

The Ford patriarch had consulted a spiritualist who claimed they needed a luck-bringer. They needed a girl with a compatible birth chart to marry in.

If he woke up within three months, the Ford familys luck would continue. The spiritualists chart pointed directly to my stepsister, Scarlett.

But my stepmother, Vivian, couldn't bear to send her precious daughter. So, she pushed me forward instead.

Let Serena go in Scarletts place, she told my father. She isn't really a Vance anyway. Her mother has been dead for years. Keeping her at home is just a waste of food.

My father looked at me and said nothing. In the twelve years since Vivian moved in, his most practiced skill was silence.

So, I was shoved into a rented wedding dress and pushed into a black car. I was taken to the Ford estate without a ceremony or guests.

The old Mr. Ford sat in a wheelchair and had someone hand me a thick envelope. Inside were two documents.

One was a marriage certificateDmy name and Hudsons were already printed there. The photo showed his profile as he lay in bed, eyes closed.

The second was an agreement. If Hudson didn't wake up in three months, the marriage would be annulled. My compensation would be three million dollars.

Three million to buy a girls reputation and three months of her life. I signed it without hesitation.

Then, I was taken to Hudsons room. It was on the top floor of the estate, larger than the entire apartment I used to share with my mother.

The man on the bed was covered by a white duvet, an oxygen mask over his face. He looked refined, with features that suggested a scholar rather than a ruthless businessman.

The nurse taught me how to clean him, massage his limbs to prevent atrophy, and manage his feeding tube. I memorized everything.

Once the nurse left, the room was empty except for the two of us. I pulled a chair to the bedside and studied his sleeping face.

Hudson Ford, I whispered. There was no reaction. The monitors green line pulsed steadily.

My name is Serena Shaw. Im your wife now. You dont know anything, and I dont expect you to. AnywayD

I glanced at the door. The hallway was quiet. I leaned in, lowering my voice.

Anyway, Im leaving the second the three months are up. If you can wake up, do it. If not well, thank you. Three million is enough for me to finally escape my family.

The green line on the monitor flickered. I thought I imagined it. I stared at the screen for several seconds, but the pulse remained steady.

I leaned back, the smell of antiseptic filling my lungs. Outside, the sky turned to ink.

2

The Fords gave me a simple task: stay by Hudsons side, massage him, and talk to him. The spiritualist believed the stimulation would help him wake up.

I stayed for a month. During that time, Vivian visited once. She wasn't there to check on Hudson. She wanted to see how miserable I was.

How does it feel, being a maid to a vegetable? she asked, lounging on the designer sofa with her legs crossed.

Scarlett is meeting the Montgomery heir next week. You know the Montgomerys, right? Theyre almost as powerful as the Fords.

Its fine, I said, wringing out a wet towel to wipe Hudsons arm. Vivians smile twitched. She wanted to see me cry, so I refused to give her the satisfaction.

After she left, I collapsed into my chair, feeling drained. Did you hear that? I said to the man on the bed. Shes marrying a Montgomery.

If you could move, you could at least help me save some face, I muttered. No response. The monitor kept its mechanical beat.

In the second month, I started bringing my own things into the room. The first was a small electric griddle.

The hospital-grade food they served the caregivers was terribleDbland boiled cabbage and dry chicken. I set up my griddle on the balcony and bought some high-quality steak.

The head nurse caught me while I was searing the meat. Miss Shaw, this is a patients roomD

Steak has more positive energy than talking, I said, seasoned the meat with black pepper. The spiritualist mentioned energy, didn't he?

The nurse opened her mouth, looked at Hudson, then at the sizzling pan, and decided to walk away.

I ate while chatting with Hudson. Dont hate the smell. This smells way better than your liquid diet.

Look at thisDA5 Wagyu. Your assistant bought it. Too bad you cant have a bite.

If you wake up, Ill give you a piece, I teased. Suddenly, the green line on the monitor jumped. It was just a blip, like before.

I stopped eating and leaned close to his face. He looked the sameDpale, clean, with long lashes.

Are you eavesdropping? I whispered. I waited for ten seconds.

The monitor jumped twice. Not once, but two distinct, light beats. I froze.

Hudson? I grabbed the edge of his blanket. Can you really hear me?

The line went back to being steady. But I didn't believe it was a fluke anymore.

3

From that day on, I started talking to him for real. It wasn't just talking to the ceiling anymore; it was like talking to a friend who just happened to have his eyes closed.

I told him why I was sent hereDhow Vivian forced me and my dad stayed silent. I told him how my mother died when I was eight because we couldn't afford her treatment.

Vivian had just married in back then and said it wasn't worth the money. I told him my biggest fear wasn't being unmarried, but being controlled by the Vances forever.

So your three million is my only hope, I said, twirling the agreement in my hand. Whether you wake up or not, Im gone. But I should say thank you.

I stood up to get some water. As I turned, I saw something out of the corner of my eye.

I whirled around. Hudsons right index finger, lying outside the duvet, had curled slightly. It wasn't a twitch. The joint had moved inward and then flattened out.

My hand shook, splashing water onto the floor. I lunged for the call button.

Nurses and doctors swamped the room. After a full battery of tests, the neurologist looked amazed. Hudsons consciousness was returning.

Hes transitioning from a deep coma to a minimally conscious state, the doctor explained. His perception of his surroundings is much stronger than we expected. His hearing is fully restored.

Fully restored. That meant every word Id said over the last three monthsDhe had heard it all.

The steak. My complaints. Me saying thank you whether you wake up or not. The story of my mother. Vivians cruelty.

He heard everything. I stood at the door, watching him. His expression hadn't changed, but I swore the monitor was beating a little faster, like a heart racing.

My face began to burn for no reason. I walked back to the bed and leaned down, my lips almost touching his ear.

Hudson Ford, if you heard everything, you better remember two things.

First, dont you dare mention the steak to anyone. Second give me a heads-up before you wake up so I can wash my face.

The monitor jumped twice. I knew he was laughing, even if his face was still a mask of stone.

Vivian and Scarlett returned. This time, they weren't there to visitDthey were there to brag. Scarletts date with the Montgomery heir had gone well.

Our Scarlett is practically a Montgomery already, Vivian said, sipping the tea Id made. You should work harder, Serena. The Fords aren't as good as the Montgomerys, but theyre still rich.

Mom, dont provoke her, Scarlett said, faking a sweet tone. Its good that Serena has a roof over her head. Taking care of a vegetable is hard, but at least she isn't homeless.

Vivian laughed, looking around the luxurious room. Youre only fit to marry a man who cant move. No man with a choice would ever want you.

I stood my ground, but then I noticed something. Neither of them saw it because they were busy waiting for me to cry.

Hudsons eyes were open. They were a light amber, like a lake reflecting the autumn sun. He blinked and turned his gaze toward Vivian.

Then, he threw the covers aside. With hands that hadn't moved in months, he pushed himself up. He swung his legs over the side of the bed.

He stood up. His knees wobbled, but he gripped the bedrail and stabilized himself.

Vivians laughter died in her throat. She stared at him, her lips moving but no sound coming out. Scarlett turned pale as a ghost.

Hudson walked toward me. His first few steps were shaky, like a fawn learning to walk, but he got stronger with every stride.

He reached me and wrapped one arm around my waist, while the other hand cradled the back of my head. He pulled me hard against his chest.

He was still in his hospital gown, and his muscles had weakened, but the way he held me felt like he was trying to meld us together.

He turned to face Vivian and Scarlett. His voice was a raspy growl, like sandpaper on wood, but every word was crystal clear.

Who said my wife isn't good enough for me?