He paused, his fist hovering, surprised by my sudden compliance. It was a sliver of time, but enough for me to act. My hand, shaky and weak, reached for the call button tucked under the side of my blanket. Pressing it felt like moving a mountain, but the resulting ding was a whisper of hope.

“What are you doing?” Ethan demanded, suspicion clouding his face.

“I just need a nurse,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, echoing sincerity. “I can’t do this alone.”

The door swung open before he could respond, and a nurse entered, clipboard in hand. Her eyes widened, taking in my tear-streaked face and Ethan’s aggressive stance. Her training kicked in, and she assessed the scene with quiet efficiency.

“Is everything alright here?” she asked, her tone firm, eyes darting between us.

Ethan straightened, quickly plastering on a mask of concern. “My wife is just a bit emotional,” he said smoothly, too smoothly. “I think she needs something to calm her down.”

But the nurse wasn’t fooled. She stepped closer to my bed, positioned herself between us like a shield. “Mrs. Wilson, are you alright?”

I hesitated, fear of retribution anchoring my tongue. But then I remembered the weight of Ethan’s fists, the threat behind his words. I forced myself to meet the nurse’s eyes, searching for the courage I had buried for so long.

“No,” I whispered, the word a fragile defiance. “I’m not.”

Ethan moved to protest, but the nurse was quicker. Her hand moved to the call button, summoning security. Ethan’s mask slipped, anger flaring as he realized his control was slipping.

“Don’t you dare,” he started, but it was too late.

The nurse’s calm exterior belied the storm brewing behind her eyes. “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

Security arrived, their presence a balm to my frayed nerves. Ethan’s protests drowned in the shuffle of footsteps and the low murmur of authority as they escorted him out. My body, exhausted from the encounter, sank deeper into the mattress, relief and fear battling for dominance.

The nurse stayed by my side, inspecting my vitals, but more importantly, offering a sense of safety I hadn’t felt in years. “We’ll get you help,” she assured, her voice a soothing promise.

As the door closed behind Ethan, I realized this was just the beginning. The road to reclaiming my life, my dignity, stretched long and uncertain before me. But for the first time, I was ready to walk it—even with broken legs.