BYE BYE - ASEM FT KWABENA KWABENA

"Let's get you back to the hospital so they can treat your wound, and this time you're staying there until you're discharged," Mike said resolutely, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"I'm sorry about last night, and I promise not to initiate intimacy again, but I'm not staying at the hospital," Lily countered, her resolve matching his own.

Mike sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and concern. "Lily, I'm sure this is why they were against you leaving in the first place. Let's just stay there for one week to give your wound time to heal a bit."

"No," Lily answered simply, her tone final.

Determined to ensure his wife's well-being, Mike got dressed and headed downstairs to feed their cat, Hunter. Lily followed suit, her heart heavy with guilt for causing her husband distress.

As Mike reached for the door, ready to leave for the hospital, Lily approached him from behind and wrapped her arms around him in a tender embrace. "I'm sorry, hubby. Please don't be mad at me," she pleaded, her voice soft and filled with remorse.

"Let go," Mike responded, his tone firm yet betrayed by the underlying warmth in his voice. Despite his attempt to appear angry, Lily's touch melted away his frustration, leaving only love and concern in its wake.

"I promise I'll be good, and I'll be extra careful not to reopen my wound," Lily said earnestly, her eyes pleading for understanding.

"Lily, that's not what happened last night," Mike reminded her, his tone gentle but firm.

"I know, and I'm sorry, but I promise I won't do that again," Lily assured him, her sincerity evident in her voice.

Mike sighed, feeling torn between his desire to protect his wife and his frustration at her reckless behavior. Unable to resist her, he turned around and enveloped her in a warm hug. "You're the most important person in my life, so please take care of yourself," he murmured, his eyes softening as he gazed at his fragile wife.

Lily nodded, her heart swelling with gratitude for her husband's unwavering love and support. Their cat, Hunter, observed the scene with a skeptical look, his feline instincts sensing the complexity of human emotions.

As they prepared to leave for the hospital, Lily made a request. "Can we stop by Divine Dining? I ordered some food there, and I wanted to give it to Leslie."

Mike was surprised by the request. "I didn't know Divine Dining allowed that," he remarked, impressed by Lily's resourcefulness.

"Daddy bought it last week, so I'm allowed to do it, I guess," Lily explained.

Mike's grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly, his own resentment simmering beneath the surface.

Mike's thoughts drifted as they drove towards the hospital. He couldn't help but feel the weight of his father-in-law's disapproval, a constant shadow lurking in the background of their lives. Lily's voice broke through his reverie, offering a glimmer of light in the darkness.

"Oh, we asked if they could do deliveries so when you get to work, they could bring you lunch," Lily said, her voice filled with warmth and concern.

Mike's heart swelled with love for his wife. Despite everything, she always found ways to show her care and consideration for him. He felt a surge of gratitude and determination to be worthy of her love.

"Thank you, Lily. That's really thoughtful of you," Mike said, his voice tinged with sincerity.

Lily beamed at his response, her radiant smile washing away his doubts and insecurities. In that moment, Mike realized that their love was stronger than any external judgment or expectation.

"Yeah, I'd love that," Mike added with a genuine smile, feeling a sense of peace and contentment wash over him.

As they continued their journey, hand in hand, Mike knew that no matter what challenges they faced, as long as they had each other, they could conquer anything.

---

As Esmera applied her makeup with practiced precision, her reflection stared back at her from the cold surface of the vanity mirror. Her hazel eyes, framed by a short bob of hair, betrayed none of the turmoil brewing beneath her composed facade. The sound of the front door opening and hurried footsteps ascending the stairs failed to ruffle her calm demeanor. She knew it was her husband, Jason, returning home.

Suddenly, the bedroom door burst open, and Jason rushed in, his movements frantic as he hastily shed his work clothes. Esmera remained unperturbed, accustomed to her husband's impulsive nature. In a calm tone, she inquired, "Is something wrong?"

Jason's response shattered the tranquility of the moment. "Leslie and Lily were attacked," he blurted out, his words laden with urgency. "Leslie is badly injured. We need to go see how she's doing."

A flicker of surprise passed over Esmera's face before concern took hold. "And Lily? How is she?" she asked, her worry evident in her voice.

Jason's dismissive reply stung. "Who cares about Lily? Leslie is hurt," he retorted, his focus solely on his injured friend as he hurriedly prepared to leave.

Esmera's expression hardened at Jason's callous words. "I care. She's my best friend," she shot back, her loyalty to Lily unwavering.

But Jason remained unmoved. "That's because you don't know Leslie," he countered, his tone dismissive as he laced up his shoes, ready to rush to Leslie's side.

With a scoff, Esmera rose from her vanity, her resolve unwavering. "I know Leslie better than you do. I'm going to see Lily," she declared, grabbing her purse and striding purposefully towards the door.

Jason's anger boiled over as Esmera defended Lily, his frustration palpable in his words. "Are you really going to defend that bitch even now? Lily has Mike, but Leslie is all alone in the hospital," he spat out, his resentment towards Lily evident.

Esmera's demeanor remained composed, but her eyes flashed with simmering fury as she turned to face her husband. "You know what I hate about you? I never insult your friends, or even Leslie, but you always despise mine. If you care about Leslie so much, you should have married her. I am so sick of you behaving like a child who lost his toy," she retorted, her words laced with anger.

Jason's response was laden with bitterness. "Firstly, you have no taste in friends. If you did, you wouldn't be friends with that two-faced bitch," he shot back, his frustration evident in his tone. "And secondly, I wanted to marry her, but she was already taken," he added, the words slipping out in the heat of the moment.

Esmera froze, her heart sinking at Jason's words. Though she knew he was lashing out in anger, the hurtful truth behind his statement struck her to the core. Without a word, she removed her wedding ring, the symbol of their fractured union, and flung it at Jason with a cold look of resignation.

"Fine, go pursue your true love. I'm done trying to make this marriage work out," Esmera declared, her voice devoid of emotion as she turned and strode out of the room, leaving Jason behind in stunned silence.

As Jason watched his wife's retreating figure, a wave of panic washed over him. He scrambled to his feet, reaching out desperately as if to stop her from leaving. "Esme," he called out, his voice cracking with emotion, but it was too late. Esmera was gone, leaving Jason alone with the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air. With a heavy heart, he picked up the discarded wedding ring, his mind racing with regret as he realized the magnitude of his actions. He couldn't bear the thought of losing Esmera, the woman he loved more than anything in the world. Determined to make things right, he dashed out of the house in pursuit of his wife, praying it wasn't too late to salvage their shattered marriage.

---

Mike waited outside the treatment room, his heart sinking with every gasp of pain he heard from Lily. He couldn't bear to see or hear her in pain, which was why he had always been against the idea of having children. The thought of Lily enduring the agony of childbirth terrified him, so when she mentioned she wasn't ready for children early in their marriage, he was immensely relieved.

Lost in his thoughts, Mike was brought back to reality when Lily emerged from the treatment room. "Let's go see Leslie," she said, breaking the silence. Mike smiled warmly, grateful for the distraction, and the two made their way to Leslie's private ward.

"Hey," Leslie greeted them as they entered, her voice weak but filled with warmth. "We came to see how you were doing. We also brought food," Mike said, placing the packed lunch on the table beside Leslie's bed.

Lily leaned in with concern, her eyes fixed on Leslie. "How are you feeling, Leslie?" she asked gently. Leslie's reaction was unexpected; she flinched at Lily's voice, her gaze intense as she stared at Lily as if searching for something in her face.

Lily, puzzled by Leslie's reaction, reached up to touch her own face, wondering if there was something amiss. "Is there something on my face?" she asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Nope, you look gorgeous," Mike reassured Lily, his eyes filled with adoration. Lily returned his smile, her heart fluttering at his affectionate words.

Meanwhile, Leslie looked away, feeling a wave of discomfort wash over her. "Nothing is wrong, but I wanted to say thanks for saving me," Leslie said, her voice tinged with exhaustion.

Ever since Leslie started having those strange dreams, she couldn't shake off the feeling of suspicion towards Lily, even though she knew it was irrational. Lily had always been kind and sweet, but something deep inside Leslie urged her to be cautious around her friend.

"It's no problem, Leslie. You're my sister and friend," Lily replied with a warm smile, her eyes radiating sincerity.

Leslie managed a tired smile in return. "I hope you get better soon. Oh, and if you remember anything, you can come to me," Lily offered.

Leslie's suspicion peaked at Lily's words. "How do you know I don't remember anything?" she asked, her tone sharp with suspicion.

"I told her. I didn't think it was a big deal," Mike interjected, trying to diffuse the tension. Leslie shot him a glare, clearly not pleased with his revelation.

"It doesn't matter how I found out. What matters is that when you remember or you're scared, you can come to me. We can be there for each other," Lily said in a soft, comforting tone.

Leslie wanted to smile and agree, but an uneasy feeling lingered in her gut. Despite Mike's presence, she couldn't shake off the sense of unease around Lily. It was like tiptoeing around a sleeping lion, and Leslie couldn't help but feel wary in Lily's presence.