After My Husband Stole My Designs, I Took Everything

The doctor abruptly ended the call, cutting off mid-sentence.

Upon receiving the news, Emily tasted something metallic at the back of her throat, leading to a sudden bout of vomiting and a pounding headache.

"The patient has suffered severe brain trauma and needs immediate surgery to relieve intracranial pressure and check for any signs of internal bleeding," the doctor announced.

"Where are the family members?"

Emily heard this just before losing consciousness, slipping into a deep, heavy sleep.

・・・

When she eventually awoke, she found herself unable to move, her eyelids heavy and unresponsive. All she could do was listen.

Time felt suspended until the doctor's voice shattered the silence: "Due to severe brain damage, the patient is in a vegetative state. Whether she wakes up will depend on her survival instincts. We've done everything possible."

Seth's voice was filled with anxiety. "Is it that serious? When will she regain consciousness? The design competition is coming up, and her sketches are not finished!"

If only she could speak, Emily would have demanded to know if Seth had any sense of decency. She had risked her life to have his child, yet all he cared about was her waking up to continue being a tool for his creativity.

The doctor sighed. "If she doesn't wake up within the first three months, the chances of recovery decrease significantly. Although she's in a coma, she might still be able to perceive things. You can try talking to her or holding her hand to see if it strengthens her will to live."

Their footsteps gradually faded away.

Soon after, Emily sensed someone else approaching.

"Emily Wagner, long time no see, huh? But look at the state you're in now—what a disaster! I remember when I asked Seth to stop you from entering the competition. He complied by crashing into you, leaving you in this vegetative state. Watching you bleed out, I genuinely felt sorry for you!"

Emily felt a jolt deep inside, unable to believe what she was hearing.

Was it really Seth who hit her? Even though she knew he was heartless, confronting the reality of his cruelty chilled her to the bone.

"So what if you're talented? I told him I wanted to marry Magnus, so your husband conveniently arranged for someone to sabotage your career."

"I mentioned that you might make a comeback in the design industry after reconstructive surgery, and he assured me he'd never let that happen."

"So, all your hard work only paved the way for me to become number one."

The attack on her reputation hadn't been an accident—it was Seth's doing?

She had loved him wholeheartedly for five years, dreaming of a future together.

Despite enduring years of professional ridicule, she thought he was shielding her from gossip and slander. But it turned out he was the root of all her suffering.

No wonder every time she talked about rekindling her career, he'd argue against it, claiming appearances didn't matter and that he just wanted her to be a homemaker. His so-called acceptance was just a setup for Iris Flores.

Her achievements were mere gifts to the woman he truly loved.

"You were only ever worthy of taking off my shoes, nothing more than a stepping stone," Iris sneered, her voice laced with arrogance and spite.

If Emily could rise, she would tear Iris apart.

"The doctor said she might feel and hear things? What nonsense! Not even this kind of provocation gets a reaction."

"Just look at yourself! Washed up and still trying to compete with me—keep dreaming!"

Hearing this, Emily felt her eyes sting and swell with discomfort.

Could someone in a vegetative state actually cry?

Iris let out an amused scoff.

"Oh wow," she whispered. "You can hear me, can't you?"

She leaned in, her perfume suffocatingly sweet.

"Pathetic."

The door clicked shut.

Silence settled once more.

But this time, something was different.

Something inside Emily had changed.

The rage burned brighter.

The grief twisted sharper.

The hatred sank deeper.

She would wake up.

She would rise again.

And when she did—

She would burn them all to the ground.