He Chose Her, The Desert Chose Me - Chapter 4: Chapter 4
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The doctor's words were clinical, but they hit like a sledgehammer.
"Her muscles and skin have suffered severe deterioration—her body now resembles that of a sixty-year-old. Rehabilitation might help, but full recovery isn't guaranteed. We'll do everything we can, but I won't make promises I can't keep."
As the doctor's voice faded, I watched Arthur's composure crumble. His face twisted in disbelief before he lunged forward, grabbing the doctor's collar like a man possessed.
"How the hell is that possible?!" he roared, his voice cracking. "She was only in the desert for a month! She survived—how could it be this bad?"
The doctor didn't flinch. With a cold glare, he shook Arthur off and snapped, "Mr. Arthur, do you think you'd last a month in the desert without food, water, or shelter? Try it yourself and see."
The room went dead silent. Arthur froze, his hand still hanging in the air like he was grasping for words that wouldn't come. When he finally turned to me, his eyes were heavy with guilt.
"Lilly," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, "I'm sorry. I didn't know it was this bad. I'll get you the best doctors, the best specialists—whatever it takes."
Before I could respond, Bella stepped forward, her delicate face the picture of sympathy. She took my hand, her touch sickeningly gentle.
"Arthur," she said, her voice trembling with fake sincerity, "I know a specialist—Dr. Mike. He's an expert in rehabilitation. I studied under him overseas. I could reach out."
Arthur's face lit up with gratitude as he squeezed her shoulder. "Thank you, Bella. You're always so thoughtful. If Lilly had even half your kindness, none of this would've happened."
His words cut deeper than any blade. Understanding? The audacity—him praising her while she stood there, wrapped in her perfect little act. I bit my tongue, choking back the fury boiling inside me. He didn't know the truth—or maybe he just didn't want to.
That day in Dungeness played in my mind like a nightmare. I'd been sitting alone on the dunes, watching the sun bleed into the horizon, desperate for a moment of peace.
But Bella had other plans. She sidled up beside me, her smile sweet, her eyes venomous.
"Lilly," she purred, "you really think Arthur is yours, don't you?"
I stayed silent, but she leaned in, her voice dropping to a poisonous whisper.
"I'm not afraid to tell you this—now that I'm back, I'm taking him from you. For good."
My fists clenched, but she wasn't done.
"You know what happened the night I returned?" she continued, her lips curling. "We spent the whole night together. He couldn't keep his hands off me. Said I was the only one who truly understood him."
Rage burned through me, but she delivered the final blow with a mocking laugh.
"Oh, and he told me something else—he never wanted to marry you. Said you forced him into this engagement. Pathetic, really."
I snapped. I shot to my feet, ready to storm off and demand the truth from Arthur—but before I could move, Bella let out a sharp scream.
She stumbled backward, tumbling down the dune like some tragic heroine. By the time she hit the bottom, a thin trickle of blood ran down her forehead, and she was wailing like she'd been stabbed.
Arthur came running.
"Lilly! What the hell did you do?!" he shouted, his eyes wild with fury.
I tried to explain, but he wasn't listening. His world had narrowed to her.
That night, he packed her into the car and left—abandoning me in the middle of nowhere without a second glance.
I ran after them, screaming his name, my voice raw.
"Arthur! Don't leave me here!"
I tripped in the sand, fell, scrambled back up—but he didn't stop.
I saw him glance at me in the rearview mirror.
And then he drove away.
When I woke up in the hospital, my parents were there—my father's face white with rage. The second he saw Arthur, he hauled back and slapped him hard enough to echo down the hallway.
"Arthur!" he bellowed. "Do you have any idea how precious my daughter is to me? You left her to die! If I don't get answers, I swear your family will regret it!"
Arthur just stood there, his cheek red, his head bowed.
Finally, he spoke—his voice hollow. "Uncle Lawson, I messed up. I'll cover all of Lilly's medical costs. And as compensation… the Findley Family will reduce this year's profits from our deal by 20%."
As if money could fix what he'd done.
I watched him, the man I'd loved—now nothing but a stranger who'd betrayed me in the worst way possible.
"Her muscles and skin have suffered severe deterioration—her body now resembles that of a sixty-year-old. Rehabilitation might help, but full recovery isn't guaranteed. We'll do everything we can, but I won't make promises I can't keep."
As the doctor's voice faded, I watched Arthur's composure crumble. His face twisted in disbelief before he lunged forward, grabbing the doctor's collar like a man possessed.
"How the hell is that possible?!" he roared, his voice cracking. "She was only in the desert for a month! She survived—how could it be this bad?"
The doctor didn't flinch. With a cold glare, he shook Arthur off and snapped, "Mr. Arthur, do you think you'd last a month in the desert without food, water, or shelter? Try it yourself and see."
The room went dead silent. Arthur froze, his hand still hanging in the air like he was grasping for words that wouldn't come. When he finally turned to me, his eyes were heavy with guilt.
"Lilly," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, "I'm sorry. I didn't know it was this bad. I'll get you the best doctors, the best specialists—whatever it takes."
Before I could respond, Bella stepped forward, her delicate face the picture of sympathy. She took my hand, her touch sickeningly gentle.
"Arthur," she said, her voice trembling with fake sincerity, "I know a specialist—Dr. Mike. He's an expert in rehabilitation. I studied under him overseas. I could reach out."
Arthur's face lit up with gratitude as he squeezed her shoulder. "Thank you, Bella. You're always so thoughtful. If Lilly had even half your kindness, none of this would've happened."
His words cut deeper than any blade. Understanding? The audacity—him praising her while she stood there, wrapped in her perfect little act. I bit my tongue, choking back the fury boiling inside me. He didn't know the truth—or maybe he just didn't want to.
That day in Dungeness played in my mind like a nightmare. I'd been sitting alone on the dunes, watching the sun bleed into the horizon, desperate for a moment of peace.
But Bella had other plans. She sidled up beside me, her smile sweet, her eyes venomous.
"Lilly," she purred, "you really think Arthur is yours, don't you?"
I stayed silent, but she leaned in, her voice dropping to a poisonous whisper.
"I'm not afraid to tell you this—now that I'm back, I'm taking him from you. For good."
My fists clenched, but she wasn't done.
"You know what happened the night I returned?" she continued, her lips curling. "We spent the whole night together. He couldn't keep his hands off me. Said I was the only one who truly understood him."
Rage burned through me, but she delivered the final blow with a mocking laugh.
"Oh, and he told me something else—he never wanted to marry you. Said you forced him into this engagement. Pathetic, really."
I snapped. I shot to my feet, ready to storm off and demand the truth from Arthur—but before I could move, Bella let out a sharp scream.
She stumbled backward, tumbling down the dune like some tragic heroine. By the time she hit the bottom, a thin trickle of blood ran down her forehead, and she was wailing like she'd been stabbed.
Arthur came running.
"Lilly! What the hell did you do?!" he shouted, his eyes wild with fury.
I tried to explain, but he wasn't listening. His world had narrowed to her.
That night, he packed her into the car and left—abandoning me in the middle of nowhere without a second glance.
I ran after them, screaming his name, my voice raw.
"Arthur! Don't leave me here!"
I tripped in the sand, fell, scrambled back up—but he didn't stop.
I saw him glance at me in the rearview mirror.
And then he drove away.
When I woke up in the hospital, my parents were there—my father's face white with rage. The second he saw Arthur, he hauled back and slapped him hard enough to echo down the hallway.
"Arthur!" he bellowed. "Do you have any idea how precious my daughter is to me? You left her to die! If I don't get answers, I swear your family will regret it!"
Arthur just stood there, his cheek red, his head bowed.
Finally, he spoke—his voice hollow. "Uncle Lawson, I messed up. I'll cover all of Lilly's medical costs. And as compensation… the Findley Family will reduce this year's profits from our deal by 20%."
As if money could fix what he'd done.
I watched him, the man I'd loved—now nothing but a stranger who'd betrayed me in the worst way possible.
End of He Chose Her, The Desert Chose Me Chapter 4. Continue reading Chapter 5 or return to He Chose Her, The Desert Chose Me book page.