The Subconscious Trials
Chapter 20

*Luke's POV*

I firmly stated, "I said no, Riley," as I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration.

"Luke, we have been monitoring Kendra for days, her scans showed no signs of amyloid beta protein clusters. Her neural pathways have already received enough stimulation, and there is no need to keep her in a coma." Riley responded, equally frustrated.

"This is not your decision to make."

Our ongoing argument seemed to have no end in sight.

I was tired of Riley's constant nagging about waking Kendra from her coma. I firmly stood my ground, refusing to give in to his demands.

Riley persisted, suggesting that we could trigger

Kendra's memories in real life. Despite his persistence, I made my way back to Kendra's bedside, determined to continue with the trials.

Reluctantly, Riley followed behind me, his silence speaking volumes.

———

As Kendra and I sat at the table, I shared some of my favorite memories with her. Suddenly, her eyes began to flutter, as if she struggled to stay awake before ultimately falling unconscious.

Panic set in as the room started to fade into darkness, and my heart raced with fear. I realized that Kendra's sudden collapse could mean one of two things: either something terrible had happened to her in real life, or Riley had defied my orders and woken her from the coma.

Despite my anger towards Riley, I hoped that he had indeed awakened Kendra, as the alternative was too frightening to consider.

*Kendra's POV*

I felt a heavy weight on my eyelids, struggling to open them but failing. The beeping of a heart monitor filled the background, drawing my attention. After a few attempts, I managed to briefly open my eyes before they closed again.

"Kendra?" I heard an unfamiliar voice in the distance. Despite my efforts, opening my eyes was proving to be a difficult task at the moment.

"I'm sorry. I never expected to become so attached to you all. But I must prioritize my career," the stranger spoke with a hint of regret in his voice. "I have to leave before Luke wakes up. Please understand, this was only meant to be a job, but it became much more to me."

I wanted to ask for clarification, but my eyes and mouth refused to cooperate. When I finally managed to open my eyes, there was no one in sight. Had it all been a figment of my imagination?

Blinking a few times to adjust to the bright lights, I realized I was in a room that resembled a hospital. As I sat up and looked around, Luke's familiar voice called out my name.

"Kendra, are you okay baby? Where's Riley?" he inquired, but I was still unable to respond.

Luke's concern grew as he called out for Riley, receiving no response. Frustrated, he reached for his phone and attempted to make a call, only to be met with silence on the other end.

Returning to my bedside, Luke gently touched my cheek, asking if I could speak. My attempt to respond was met with a raspy and incomprehensible sound.

"It's okay baby. You've been in a coma for about a year, so this is normal," he assured me as I nodded in understanding.

"I need to check on a couple of things. Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, seeking further confirmation.

"Yes." I'm finally able to reply.

He nodded before gently grabbing my hand and placing a gentle kiss on it.

He then placed his phone to his ear. "Has anyone seen Mr. Hensley?" he spoke into the phone.

"What do you mean he left the building?" he half-yelled at the person on the other end.

I felt sympathy for this person. Luke was extremely intimidating when he was angry, and I could only imagine the fear he instilled in others.

After hanging up the phone, he went through a filing cabinet and then made his way to his computer. His fist slammed down against the hard surface of his desk, causing me to jump at the sudden noise. He looked up at me with an apologetic expression.

"I'll be back. I just need to figure something out," he said, and I nodded in agreement.

———

After waiting for about 30 minutes, an angry Luke stormed into the room.

"What's going on, Luke?" I asked, my voice now clearer than it had been before.

"He fucking crossed me! He double fucking crossed me!" Luke paced the room with his fists clenched at his sides.

"Who did?" I asked, still trying to grasp the situation.

I stood up on shaky legs, still connected to the hospital machinery with wires hanging from my body. Luke had yet to notice my standing up. I wanted to walk to him to offer support, but my whole body ached.

"My assistant stole all of the documentation, notes, and replaceings of the cure, and now our top competitor has released a statement about introducing their cure for Alzheimer's," he explained.

"This is really bad, Kendra. Really bad," he continued to pace.

As I felt my face growing numb and my muscles weakening, I started to lose sensation in the right side of my body. My vision blurred before I ultimately succumbed to complete darkness.

*Luke's POV*

I was startled by a loud thump on the floor and the chaotic sounds of hospital machines. Rushing to investigate, I found Kendra on the ground, her body twitching and her hands clenched. Foam was beginning to form at her mouth, indicating she was suffering from a seizure.

In a panic, I cursed and quickly moved to aid her, carefully placing her on her side to ensure her airways were clear. I immediately pressed the distress button to alert the medical staff that we needed urgent assistance.

As the medical team flooded into the room, I swiftly cleared the area around Kendra to prevent any equipment from falling on her. It was clear that Kendra was their top priority.

I was an unworthy piece of shit.

Reflecting on the situation, I realized my mistake. My focus should have been on Kendra from the moment we woke up. Instead, I had been preoccupied with Riley's actions, neglecting to ensure my wife's well-being.

Kendra had suffered a stroke due to dangerously high blood pressure, leading to the seizure. I felt a deep sense of guilt and self-blame. How could I have been so selfish, prioritizing a stolen cure over her health?

I don't deserve to be her husband. I don't deserve her.

I had developed the cure not for money or fame, but to reunite with Kendra. Yet, in my anger and obsession, I had failed to support her when she needed me most. It was a harsh realization that left me feeling unworthy of her love and companionship.

An: Should Luke be blaming himself?

Do you guys think Riley actually felt remorse for what he did?

XO~ KC