I don't know how much time has passed.

For a long time, I feel as if I exist in a period of darkness. A world of nothing.

Until I feel a light pressure on my wrist. I recognise Ed's touch.

He's telling me to wake up, to not give up.

But I can't open my eyes. My eyelids are heavy. I don't have the strength to open them.

"Chloe..." I hear Ed's silky voice.

I want to tell him that I'm okay but for some reason, my throat's so hoarse that I can't say anything.

"Chloe, please wake up," Ed pleads.

Come on, Chloe Manson. Open your damn eyelids. Ed's there. He needs you. You need him.

I force my eyelids open and I stare at the bright lights.

I'm not dead, am I? Had a stray bullet killed me?

"Chloe, thank goodness." Ed kisses my hand.

I swivel my head to stare at him. He looks as handsome as ever, just slightly more dishevelled.

"Am I dead?" I croak out. "Are you dead?"

Ed laughs, his voice weak with relief. "Neither of us are dead." He closes his eyelids and I notice a tear roll down his cheek. I stare at him in shock.

I've never seen Ed cry before. Not even when I told him that I was breaking up with him. He has always been the strong and silent type.

The one who comforted me when I was the one crying. The one who wasn't afraid of anything. The one person who thought that crying was a weakness, rather than an expression of emotions.

"Why are you crying?" I ask weakly. My head throbs in pain. "You hate it when someone cries."

"I don't care anymore." More tears drip down his cheek. "This is the closest I've come to losing you. It's...It's so painful. Why the hell am I in so much emotional pain?"

He covers his face with his hands. "I hate it when you see me like this. All sobbing and weak," he continues, his voice muffled and thick with emotion.

"Ed." I squeeze his hand and smile weakly. "You don't have to act macho and all though in front of me. We're a couple. We're supposed to show our true side to each other."

"You're right," Ed chokes, half-laughing, half-crying. "You've always been the wise one. I've always so...idiotic, acting so macho when I'm not. I rely on you too much."

We stay silent for a few moments.

"Do you remember everything that has happened?" Ed interrupts gently.

I close my eyes. I try to recall things but everything is fuzzy. Suddenly, one fixed image comes rushing towards me.

Hannah. Dying. Soaked in Blood. Her eyes wide open. Dead.

"Hannah..." I choke. "Is she...is she...." I can't bring myself to ask.

"She's dead," Ed says quietly. "But it's not your fault. She brought it upon yourself."

"She didn't mean any harm." All my initial hatred for Hannah has evaporated. I pity her. She gambled her life and everything on this.

In the end, she lost. She didn't deserve this.

"And Jack?" I ask.

"He's been taken into custody. He's fine. Mum's engaging the best lawyers in the States for him."

I try to process these news for a few moments. "Is Eleanor upset?"

"Disappointed yes, upset no," Ed replies. "She has faced worse." He gives me a dark look and I instantly know what he's talking about.

"She wants to talk to you," Ed adds.

"What?" I stare at him. "When?"

Ed glances at his watch. "Actually now, I promised her that I would give some time for both of you to be alone."

"Ed!" I protest. "I can't face Eleanor right now."

"You promised." Ed kisses me on the forehead. "We will both make this work. But to do that, you've to overcome your phobia of my mother. I know she's unreasonable or bitchy, as you would put it. But please, give her a chance on account of my sake."

As Ed leaves the room, I practically hyperventilate. Oh no, Eleanor's coming. She's coming.

"Hello, Chloe."

I jerk my head up. Eleanor's standing there, her face impassive. She doesn't look as if she had emerged from a gun-fire exchange. She looked as if she had just emerged from a full Chanel makeover.

"Ed said...you're going to have a heart-to-heart talk with me," I say slowly. Okay, "heart-to-heart" is kind of the wrong word to use here. I can't imagine sitting on the bed with Eleanor and joking all night.

"Yes." Eleanor sits on the chair next to my hospital bed. "I'm a very forthright person. I'm going to admit now that I was wrong to interfere with Ed and your affairs."

"No, I understand," I gulp. "I mean, it's natural that you would want to safeguard Ed's interests. For all you know, I might have been a money-grubbing woman who just wanted to cheat him of his fortune."

"But admirably, you aren't," Eleanor says in a slightly softer tone. "From the kidnap attempt, I could tell that you sincerely love my son and not his money. You chose to protect Ed first rather than selfishly sacrifice him. That's very rare for a person."

"How do you know?" I retort in defiance. "Maybe this is all for show. Maybe I'm just a good actor."

"I've experienced many things in my lifetime," Eleanor presses on. "I know that Ed has told you about my...past despite my express warnings," Eleanor continues. But since you're going to join the family, you might as well know the truth. I wasn't  a respectable woman. People have said that I seduced Ed's father and Adrian but I don't blame them."

I continue gaping at her. I just don't know what to say.

"Perhaps you were taught by your mother to despise women like me," Eleanor says bitterly. "But do you think I chose to seduce Adrian? No, I fell in love with him. I never told Ed and Jack the truth.That Adrian had been married before."

"I...I..." I stutter but Eleanor ignores me. As usual.

"I don't expect any pity or sympathy," Eleanor snaps. "If that's what you're thinking, you're wrong. And don't blame your father. He was the second man who treated me with decency and respect other than my late husband."

"I know," I gulp. "I understand now." And as a matter of fact, I really do. I know what Adrian has done was unpardonable to my mum and me but he did it to pursue his true love. It's difficult to blame him for that.

"I will give my approval for your marriage to Ed," Eleanor says. "Although you weren't born of high status, I've learnt my mistake. I tried to matchmake Ed with Hannah and look how it has turned out. I'm not going to control Ed's life or yours anymore. Both of you have to decide your own path."

I stare at her face for a few moments. "You did all these for me?" I ask incredulously.

"I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it for Ed." Eleanor gets up. "I know that all along, he has always thought that I favour Jack over him but that's because he's always dependable and responsible. There was no need for me to worry about him."

"Why don't you tell him all these yourself?" I interrupt. I want to backtrack the moment I see Eleanor's face darkens but I can't take back my words. And I won't. This concerns Ed.

Eleanor pauses, looking uncertain for the first time. "He won't understand."

"It will mean a lot to him," I whisper. "Trust me, let him know that you care too."

Eleanor stares at me as if I'm an alien. For a minute, I'm scared that my message won't go through but suddenly, her lips curve into a smile- a genuine one, not a smirk or a malicious grin.

Eleanor smiling....is an image that doesn't fit. But I saw it with my own eyes. Wow, she's actually capable fo smiling.

"I see why Ed is so enamoured by you." Eleanor nods. "Rest well and we will discuss all these later." She walks towards the door.

"Wait." I don't know what I'm doing but I feel as if I'm possessed.

I slowly get up and I walk towards her.

"I know there aren't that many people in this world who have showed you concern," I say hesitantly. "But I want you to know that I will be there. For Ed, for the family and for you."

And without thinking, I hug her. She's really bony, not soft like Evelyn or muscular like Ed. Hugging her is actually like hugging a stick.

"Chloe!" She sounds shocked. I guess, I would be shocked too. I never imagined myself hugging my bitchy mother-in-law in a million years.

"Thank-you," I say quietly by her ear. "For everything."

She nods once, withdraws away from my touch and hastily moves out of the door, as if she's about to break down.

I stare after her receding figure.