A heavy silence filled the ward. Only the steady beeping of the machines and the dim glow of the night lamp reminded anyone that life still clung to a fragile thread. The woman had been unconscious for three months. Her husband seemed the very model of devotion: every day he came, sat by her side, stroked her hand, and whispered words as if meant for her alone. To those around him, he appeared to be a grieving, loving husband.
When the doctors carefully explained that there was no longer any medical hope and that a difficult decision had to be made, the man burst into tears. His sobs looked genuine, and he begged them to give him just a little more time to say goodbye.
Left alone, he leaned over his wife’s motionless body, gently touched his lips to her forehead, and whispered a few words. They were spoken so softly, as though intended only for her:
— “Everything is mine now… You won’t stand in my way anymore. Goodbye.”
He had no idea that someone was standing outside the door, recording his every move and word.
Some time earlier, investigators had begun to suspect foul play: blood tests had shown traces of a toxin. Small doses hadn’t killed her outright but had kept her trapped between life and death. The police decided to set a trap. Doctors told the husband about the impending “end,” but secretly allowed surveillance. And in the moment when he felt victorious, the man revealed himself.
When he stepped out into the corridor, two uniformed officers were already waiting. Realization didn’t come at once—he first tried to stammer out excuses in confusion—but the handcuffs clicked shut instantly around his wrists.
And in the ward, she remained. Now that the constant poisoning had stopped, her body began to recover. A few days later, the monitors showed the first signs of improvement. The woman moved her fingers, then slowly opened her eyes.
The world greeted her with the soft voice of a nurse:
— “It’s over. You’re safe.”
The truth about who had sat beside her all this time, whispering words of “love,” she would learn later. The one she thought was her closest companion had been destroying her step by step. But it was his arrogance and greed that ultimately saved her.
