Chapter 871: A Beating Heart

The ICU was frozen in silence. Susan flushed, unsure what had given her the courage to speak so frankly, as if it were a rehearsed confession. Luckily, Manuel was too weak to refuse. She wouldn't be humiliated by his rejection.

She continued calmly, "Don't look down on me. You're the only one who's slept with me."

The man lay still, unresponsive. His heartbeat, however, was climbing on the monitor, a fact Susan didn't notice.

"I'm not as wanton as I appear," she said seriously. "You're my only man. I swear."

Having resolved to win him back, she decided to tell him everything. Even if rejected, she wouldn't regret it.

She spoke, as if to the empty air, "At first, I dated Henry. We didn't have sex; he repeatedly rejected me. I couldn't understand it—I'm attractive! Men should want to sleep with me, right? But later, I realized he was my enemy, seeking revenge. How could he desire me? I'm grateful for that now."

Manuel, had he been stronger, would have leaped from the bed to silence her. Her confession was dreadful, though Susan remained oblivious. She continued, "After our divorce, I reconciled with him, but I'd changed and began rejecting him. Maybe I'd stopped loving him then. Why are people so fickle? I loved him so much—how could that love vanish? When I try to remember falling in love with him, my mind goes blank!"

Her tone was pitiful, and Manuel was annoyed. Men had little interest in their lover's tales of past relationships.

"After he died, I was despondent. Remembering him hurt. Without my father, he should have had a wealthy upbringing, attended high school, become an outstanding man. Instead, his life was consumed by revenge. For a time, I resigned myself to a life alone; I didn't deserve love, or to be loved," she sighed heavily.

Had he not been so weak, Manuel would have escaped her story about Henry Parker.

"But you changed my mind," Susan continued, momentarily self-deprecating. "I lack perseverance. When faced with challenges, my first thought is to give up, not to try.

"I told you I didn't love Henry anymore, right? When I reconciled with him, I found myself unwilling to date him, while I longed for you, uncontrollably. But I knew you disliked me. Then I learned you were seeing Clara Stern…"

The mention of that name stung. Manuel, however, was puzzled; who had told her he dated Clara?

"I was jealous seeing you two, so sweet and gentle."

He was even more confused, struggling to recall any tenderness toward Clara.

"But you're never nice to me!" she accused. His fear of her rejection had been the cause.

"Anyway, you saved my best friend, nearly at the cost of your life. So I must thank you—with sex. Just take it, you can't say no," Susan declared bluntly.

Manuel was helpless to object; she could say whatever she pleased. Any refusal would come when he was strong enough to rise, not now.

"I'm a good sex partner," Susan asserted seriously.

Manuel struggled to compose himself.

"Though I lack experience, I can impress you. Our first time wasn't good—I was dazed, and so desperate for sex I was selfish. But next time, I swear I'll give you incredible sex," she promised.

Manuel swallowed, embarrassed. Their first encounter had been unforgettable; Susan was a phenomenal lover, impressive both mentally and physically.

"When will you recover?" she asked, sighing.

He pressed his lips together, suppressing the urge to dismiss her.

"Right now, I can only watch porn." Learning sex skills was one thing, but watching without a partner was torture. If Manuel died then, it would be from Susan's infuriating audacity. He could scarcely believe she was his only woman if she revealed so much.

The monitor buzzed, startling Susan, lost in her confession. She turned to see Manuel's heartbeat spiking wildly. Her face drained of color.

She hit the emergency button, yelling, "Help! Manuel is dying…"

Manuel mused that perhaps Susan would be his end.

The medical team rushed in, beginning a thorough examination. Manuel's heartbeat was erratic. The doctors couldn't understand the sudden change; he'd been stable and out of danger. More alarmingly, they found nothing wrong. A sedative, however, slowed his heart rate, and there were no other symptoms.

"Doctor, what's wrong? Why so suddenly?" Susan asked, pale.

The doctor shrugged, equally perplexed.

"Perhaps such an acute reaction is normal. He's stable now."

"My God! I was terrified he wouldn't survive," Susan said, relieved. She would have been devastated if he'd died.

The doctors were leaving, having confirmed his stability, when they noticed Manuel's lips moving.

The doctor hurried to him, removed his respirator, and asked, "Can I help you?"

Manuel spoke weakly; the doctor listened, his expression shifting. Susan was alarmed again, wondering what he'd said. The doctor nodded and replaced the respirator.

"What did he say?" Susan demanded.