Chapter 15: Repercussions

The harsh antiseptic scent filled the air as I made my way through the sterile hospital corridors towards the ICU. My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of apprehension, anger, and confusion swirling within me. I couldn't quite comprehend why I was even bothered with going to see James. My heart was broken into a thousand pieces by his hands. Not to mention my head was hurting. I guess a big part of me wanted to know what was the plan. Would he be discharged? Would he go to jail? The nurse had told me when I called earlier that he had given me access to his chart. Was it an attempt to manipulate me further, or did he genuinely still think I could help him?

As I approached his room, I braced myself, taking a deep breath, preparing for what lay ahead. The door creaked open, and I entered, my gaze immediately falling upon James, lying in the hospital bed. His shoulder and arm were bandaged, evidence of the gunshot wounds he had sustained. He appeared frail, far from the monster he had been when he mercilessly beat me yesterday. A tinge of pity flickered within me as I observed his bruised and bandaged face, his shallow breathing reflecting the severity of the beating my family had inflicted upon him.

His eyes fluttered open, and he stirred, sensing my presence. Recognition briefly crossed his face, soon replaced by an angry scowl. I stood there, distant and silent, unable to summon any warmth or forgiveness for the man who had caused me immense pain. The room felt cold, so I instinctively tucked my hands into the sleeves of my pajamas.

"Jasper," James whispered bitterly. "Took you long enough. Why didn't you come sooner?"

I remained silent, my gaze fixed upon him. Anger and resentment churned within me, yet somewhere deep down, a hint of guilt lingered. After all, he was still my husband, the person I had once loved and trusted.

"I'm sorry, James," I couldn't help but apologize, as I had become accustomed to doing. "I'm here now."

Struggling to sit up, weakened by his injuries and the weight of the situation, he didn't even inquire about my well-being.

"You know, considering the way you allowed your family to treat me," he continued, his voice barely audible. "I shouldn't forgive you, but I do. Once all of this is over, we can return to our home. You don't need that negativity in your life."

I shook my head in disbelief, struggling to comprehend the audacity of this man. Even in his near-death state, he remained self-centered and materialistic. It was infuriating.

"Where are my belongings, Jasper?" James demanded, his voice dripping with condescension. "Are they still at that country bumpkin's house? And my car? Where is my wallet? I had it in my pocket along with my car keys. Where are they?"

I couldn't believe my ears. Here I was, standing by his hospital bed, worrying about his well-being, and all he cared about were his possessions. What a jerk.

"James, the nurse informed me that your belongings are locked in a locker. They're being kept safe until you're discharged, or they can hand them over to me if you prefer. As for your car, it's still at my parents' house along with your suitcase. At least, that's my assumption. I was brought to the hospital at the same time as you, so I'm not fully aware of the situation at home. But I assume everything is still there."

He didn't even seem fazed by the reminder of my own hospitalization, the fact that I, too, was going through a difficult time. It was as if my well-being didn't matter to him at all.

"Well, it seems like I'll be here for a while, so I need you to take care of my possessions," he continued, his tone dismissive. "Make sure those hoodlums don't touch my car. And just to be clear, you're not allowed to drive it either. You're not on my insurance, and frankly, I don't trust you behind the wheel. You're far too irresponsible. That car is worth more than your life."

I clenched my fists, a mix of bitterness and vulnerability coloring my voice, but I ignored his comment. "Jay," I replied, my words tinged with resentment. "Is there anything you need?" It baffled me why I was offering help to someone who had caused me so much pain. But a part of me couldn't completely shut off the compassion I once felt for him.

"I'm not well enough for you to give me what I want," he grinned, barely audible. "Just give me a few more days, and you can resume your duties as my husband."

Conflicting emotions surged within me as I watched him. I recalled his degrading and vile remarks from the previous night, how he had reduced me to a mere object in his life. I wanted to cry, but more than anything, I longed for justice and an understanding of his motives. "Why did you allow me to visit and access your chart?" I asked, my voice filled with confusion. "What do you want from me?"

James dropped his gaze, his voice laced with shame. "Don't you care about what happens to me anymore, Jasper? Has everything changed in just one day?" His barely audible words echoed in the room. "Besides, you are and will always be mine."

A surge of anger coursed through me as I absorbed his words. He seemed genuinely hateful, and in that moment, I realized that forgiveness was not something I could grant, nor was it something I was ready to give him. The scars of his abuse, both physical and psychological, still haunted me. Perhaps they always would.

My face burned with anger and the sting of hurt as his possessive words pierced through me. It was clear that James still clung to his controlling ways, refusing to see me as anything more than his possession. Love was never part of the equation for him. I was merely a prize to be won, a slave to his desires, and it cut me deeply. Even now, as I stood here watching him feeble and pitiful in that hospital bed, the pain in my heart was overwhelming. How could the man I once loved treat me with such cruelty?

"James, all I ever wanted was to love you and give you the best of myself. But instead, you've hurt me in ways that should never have happened. And here you are still being mean to me for absolutely no reason."

I paused for a moment, gathering my thoughts and summoning the strength to continue. "I didn't want my family to harm you, but you hurt me badly in the yard, James… really before that. You don't have the right to treat me like that. We could have had a beautiful life together, James. That was all I ever wanted."

I took a deep breath, meeting his gaze with unwavering resolve. "I came here to see you because, yes, you are still my husband, and I want to know what's going on. But you and I won't be leaving this hospital together."

James's eyes narrowed, his bitterness seeping through. He didn't like this seemingly newfound confidence I had. He preferred me to be weak and frail. Truthfully, I was and was standing here trying to do the best I could do to maintain control.

"You think you have the upper hand now, don't you?" he sneered, his voice filled with venom. "But remember, Jasper, you will always belong to me. No matter what happens, you're mine. You owe me, Jasper. I should have never brought your pathetic ass out of Forks."

I refused to let him reduce me to an object of his control any longer. "No, James," I shot back, my voice firm and resolute. "You can't control me anymore."

His eyes flashed with a mix of anger and disbelief, his voice laced with a desperate edge. "You can't leave me. You're nothing without me! Where will you go? Who will want you?"James's face contorted with rage, his retort dripping with contempt. "You're delusional if you think anyone will ever love you like I did. You'll regret leaving me, Jasper. Mark my words."

"Whatever, Jay. You completly destroyed us."

The hospital room started to feel suffocating as James's anger permeated the air. Tubes and wires snaked around his frail body, a stark contrast to the once powerful and controlling man I had known. His eyes blazed with fury as he fixed his gaze on me, his voice still laced with venom.

"How can you stand there, accusing me of abusing you, when all I have ever given you is love, Jasper?" James seethed, his voice trembling with rage. "And yet, you seem so hypocritical. You stood by and allowed your family to put me in this hospital bed. You didn't even defend me, your own husband!"

His words struck a nerve, fueling the fire of anger within me. "But James you don't defend me or even let me defend myself. You control everything I do and every move I make. Love? Is that what you call it, James?" I shot back, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Love doesn't involve control, manipulation, and cruelty. You have no right to play the victim here. It was your actions that led us to this point."

His face twisted with fury, his voice growing louder. "Don't you dare shift the blame onto me! Your father, your uncle... they will pay for what they've done. I will make sure they rot in prison!"

"Whatever Jay. I'm going back to my room." I rubbed my forehead. I was so tired and I had a splitting headache. I was in excruciating pain in my head and groin. Truthfully it took all I had to walk down here. It took forever to come down here. I almost fainted trying to get here.

His anger simmered, replaced by a chilling calmness. "You have no idea what I've done for you, Jasper. I've given you everything, and this is how you repay me? By turning your back on me?"

"Ja, love is respect, trust, and care. You never gave me that. All you did was take, take, and take some more. I want out."

"You will die before I let that happened. I will kill you before I let you just walk away from me."

More threats. "Hmmm, okay." Now prior to last night the old James would have slapped the unrighteousness right outta my ass. Now he was frail and pathetic. Still trying to make weak ass threats. Admittedly, I was terrified of him still. The only thing that reassure me was the fact that I had my family's protection.

"You don't have one shred of evidence!" He snarled.

What he didn't realize was that this trip wasn't just to see him. I was secretly recording him. I didn't know if it would hold up in court, but I was sure going to try. I wasn't as dumb as he thought I was.

"Just because there may not be physical evidence or witnesses doesn't mean the abuse didn't happen."

James scoffed dismissively. "Oh, please. In many domestic violence cases, it does come down to one person's word against the other's. And without concrete proof, your accusations hold no weight."

"It's not just my word, James," I shot back, his voice growing stronger. "It's the pain I've endured, the fear that has consumed me. The whole friggin' reason I'm in this hospital is because you made good on your word to put me in here. I deserve better."

"You don't deserve shit. You better be glad I'm in this bed. You know not to buck at me like this."

"Oh should I be scared?" Okay now I really was pushing him. "Judging by the fact that you're in ICU, looks like I'm the only one you CAN throw around. That makes you feel good and sleep better, I'm guessing."

He growled at me much like he had done with Patrick yesterday…which technically got all this mess started.

"I'm gone wipe your face with my shit. Just you wait. And just like I made good on my promise to put your stupid ass in here, I'm gone make good to burn your body and piss on your ashes. They will never find you."

I laughed still faking confidence. He meant what he said. He would do that especially if my folks stay locked up. " Oh, Ja. You're funny."

James sneered, his tone dripping with condescension. "Well, good luck proving it without any evidence. Your case will fall apart, and you'll be left with nothing. And I'm coming for you. Nobody betrays me and gets away with it. I will track your ass and not let up."

I told my cell phone out. It was a good time to let him know I was recording him. Just in case it stuck. "Can you talk a little louder so I can get it recorded clearly on my phone."

He was so pissed at me. He was unbothered. "I don't care if you are recording."

"Well I am." I informed him.

"Good because I don't care. I swear you are so useless and ungrateful."

I smiled and he became more enraged. "Fuck off Jasper." He said. " If you're not sucking my dick or eating my ass you're no good to me you stupid whore."

Now he meant to put that in the recording to once again degrade me. He knew I would play the recording so he wanted to take advantage of yet another opportunity to embarrass me.

James shrugged, his arrogance evident. "Believe whatever you want, Jasper. But without real proof, your accusations are just empty words."

I took a deep breath, my voice steady with conviction. My body hurt like nobody's

"We'll see." He challenged. "We shall see big man."

I decided to give him something to really fear. I played into his possessive card deck. "I will meet a man my age. We will fall in love, for real this time, we will build a life together and have children…a little boy named Thomas and a princess named Olivia Rose. And my family will love him just as much as they love me." My mind immediately thought of Edward. God how I wish that could be true. "And he will be mine to love and I'll be his to love."

James was hot and I could hear his blood boiling in this icy ICU room.

"Get out." He ordered.

"That won't be a problem, Ja."

"You will never get that opportunity. I'll kill both of us before I allow you to do that."

I chuckled. "Bye, Ja."

The room fell into an uneasy silence as the weight of our words hung in the air. Each of us knew that this battle was far from over.

"This is all your fault!" he spat, his voice filled with bitter accusation. "If you had just listened to me, none of this would have happened. We would be together, safe and happy."

I stood there, my heart pounding, as James unleashed his anger. His words were filled with resentment and blame. He accused me of breaking my promise, of betraying him by involving my family in our affairs.

"No, James," I said firmly.

"Jasper, please! Then you're talking about divorce and life with some twink. You're out of your fucking head if you think you're going anywhere but underneath me or the in ground."

"Whatever." I shrugged. "James, you're all kinds of crazy. I hate what you've become. You were not always like this. I really do feel sorry for you. You need help."

"You're the one with the problem Jasper. You need help and to be more appreciative."

Gathering my strength, I turned again to leave the room, my voice steady and resolute. "James, I can't help you anymore," I said, my words filled with finality. "You need professional help, and I hope you find it. But I won't be a part of your life anymore."

James's face twisted with a malicious grin. "You think you can just walk away from me? Take everything I have?" he taunted, his voice had ice in it. "Well, I won't let you. You won't get a single dime of my money."

I looked him straight in the eye, my voice filled with determination. "Cool deal. Jay I'll be fine without your money."

A menacing smile played on James's lips as he leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You think I'll give you a divorce? Think again, Jasper. I'll never let you go," he threatened again, his eyes burning with a twisted possessiveness.

Fear gripped my heart, but I refused to let it consume me. "If you say so." I wasn't going to feed into his negativity.

James's laughter filled the room, chilling me to the bone. "You think you can escape me? You think you'll ever be truly free?" he spat, his voice taunting. "I'll always find you, Jasper. You'll never be able to hide."

As his words echoed in my mind as I let the door close behind me, my resolve hardened. I knew I couldn't face this alone. I needed guidance, support, and protection. I made a silent promise to myself to reach out to Kate, the social worker from Forks General, and seek her guidance. I also knew I needed to speak to my father's lawyer, to understand my rights and options. But for now, I kept these thoughts hidden, locked away out of fear that James would retaliate.

Regardless of whether I received any of James's wealth or millions, I was determined to make him pay for what he had done. I was also aware of the extent of his financial resources, of my own entitlement to a portion of his wealth. I couldn't shake the fear. I was terrified of him. He had me completely trapped no matter how bold I tried to be. I finally felt free to cry as I walked away but I held it in.

Passing by the nurses' station, I managed to catch the attention of one of the nurses. "Excuse me," I said with a weak voice, "Can you please update me on James Hale's condition? I'm his husband,Jasper. I... I need to know."

The nurse, a kind-hearted woman with a sympathetic smile, motioned for me to step closer. "Oh yes he's been complaining all day because he hasn't seen you."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure he has."

"He's currently stable, Mr. Hale," she reassured me, her tone gentle. "We're working on stabilizing him further before we can move him to a regular room. Coincidentally, that room happens to be in the same tower as yours."

A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of being so close to James, especially after his threats. My voice trembled as I confided in her, "Is there a way to prevent that from happening,". She looked surprised. "Domestic violence."

Her eyes filled with compassion as she reached out to place a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, Mr. Hale," she said softly. "We'll do everything in our power to ensure that you're kept separate from him, even if it means placing you in a different tower of the hospital. Your safety is our priority."

Feeling a glimmer of relief, i asked for his belongings and after checking his file for permission, she gave them to me. I thanked her and continued on my way back to my hospital room. As I entered, the weariness that had settled in my bones became even more pronounced. My mother and Rosie were still there, their presence bringing a sense of comfort amidst the chaos.

With tired eyes, I looked at them and managed a weak smile. "Any news on Dad and Uncle Mike?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

My mother's face lit up with relief and concern. "They've been released, Jasper," she replied, her voice filled with love. "Dad's on his way to the hospital now. They are both going home to shower and change. Michael and his family will be out here too."

A surge of gratitude washed over me, mingling with the exhaustion that had taken hold of my body. I allowed myself to surrender to the weariness, sinking into the bed and closing my eyes, ready to rest and gather strength for the challenges that lay ahead.

"Jasper, how did it go with James?" Mama asked, her voice filled with worry and curiosity.

I let out a weary sigh, my body sinking into further into the bed. "It was... intense, Mom," I replied, my voice heavy with the emotions that had passed between James and me. "I confronted him about everything, and he didn't show an ounce of remorse. All he did was blame me and threaten me."

Rosie, always quick to add her own sharpness to the conversation, chimed in with a touch of sarcasm. "Let him keep on. One of those plugs might conveniently come undone!" her voice filled with bitterness towards James.

"Oh, you have no idea," I replied, exhausted. "He's convinced it's my fault and that I'm his for all eternity."

"How can he be so callous, so devoid of any compassion?" Mama exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief. "After all he's done to you, to us, he has the nerve to play the victim."

"I don't understand it either, Mama," I admitted, my voice filled with frustration.

Rosie nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with a fiery determination. "What a wet nut."

The emotions that I had tried to suppress came crashing down upon me like a tidal wave, overwhelming my senses. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I could feel my chest tightening with anguish.

Unable to hold back any longer, I collapsed, my body shaking with sobs. "Mom, Rosie," I choked out between broken breaths, my voice filled with a raw vulnerability. "I... I loved James, with all my heart. I'm still so afraid of what he will try to do to me."

Silence hung in the air, heavy with our collective pain. "Oh, Jasper," she whispered, her voice not denying her own sorrow. "I know, my dear. I know how much it hurts."

Rosie spoke up. "Jasper, this hurts me too," she confessed, her voice cracking with the strain of her own anguish. "But he ain't getting nowhere near you."

I looked at Rosie through tear-filled eyes, my voice choked with disappointment. "I had hoped for so much more, Rosie. I had envisioned a future where James and I built a beautiful life together, where we shared our love and created a family. But now... now it feels like all those dreams have been shattered."

My mother reached out to wipe away my tears. "Jasper you deserve so much more than this," she said, her voice filled with a fierce protectiveness. "You deserve a love that uplifts you, that brings you joy and peace. James's actions have caused so much hurt, but we will help you heal."

"We won't let him continue to hurt you, Jasper." Rosie promised. Seeing a glimmering opportunity to tease me and lighten the mood, she said. "I'd bet Edward would be some nice honey sauce on your little buttered biscuits."

I managed a laugh through my tears. I could only wish. That man would never go for somebody as jacked up as me. I probably wouldn't even know what to do or how to act. James got me so fucked up. It will be hard for me to trust again.

In that moment as we huddled together, seeking peace and comfort in each other's embrace, a familiar figure quietly entered the hospital room. It was my father, his presence a silent reassurance that we were not alone in our pain. He didn't say a word at first, understanding the intensity of the moment. Instead, he simply joined us on the bed, enveloping us in his strong arms. We formed a tight-knit circle, united in our love and determination to weather the storm.

We were a small, but formidable force, standing strong against the challenges that life had thrown our way. My father's touch, his steady presence, brought a sense of calm amidst the storm of emotions that swirled within me. His silent support spoke volumes, reassuring me that no matter what, we would face this together. The room was filled with a mixture of tears, shared sorrow, and a newfound resilience.

And then, with a whisper that carried a world of reassurance, my father uttered the words that eased our troubled hearts, "It's alright now. Daddy's here."

That was the last thing I remembered before falling into a deep sleep.