But this time, Liam didn't pull his hand away.
Instead, he held it gently.
Then he began clipping Yuni's nails one by one.
Click.
The faint snip of the nail clippers rang clearly through the silence of the room.
When he was done, Liam took a small plastic comb from his bag.
He stood a little closer.
Slowly, he combed Yuni's long hair.
Strand by strand.
He smoothed it behind her ear so it wouldn't cover the pale face of the woman.
“Sorry if I'm a little clumsy at this.”
Liam gave a faint smile.
“I've never combed a woman's hair before.”
He fell silent for a moment.
“Mom usually combs her own hair.”
There was no answer.
Only the monitor's steady beeping filled the room.
But Liam remembered Doctor Arman's message.
Don't treat her like a lifeless object.
So from that night on, something changed.
The days that followed slowly became a new routine for Liam Adiprana.
Every evening at seven, Liam went to RS Medika Nusantara after finishing work.
He didn't go straight home to the rented house.
He came to Room 701.
Sat beside Yuni's bed.
Clipped her nails.
Smoothed her hair.
Changed the water in the vase of lilies.
Wiped her fingers with a warm towel.
And most importantly.
Liam began to talk.
At first, he felt like a madman.
Talking to someone who never answered.
But as time passed, that awkwardness gradually disappeared.
The things he'd kept bottled up for so long began spilling out.
“Yun.”
One night, Liam held Yuni's hand.
“I'm actually a coward.”
His gaze dropped.
“I feel ashamed every time I look at Mom and Dad.”
His fingers gently stroked the back of Yuni's hand.
“I accepted your father's offer not because I was brave.”
Liam drew a long breath.
“I was just desperate.”
His voice began to tremble.
“That night, I didn't have one hundred million rupiah. If I hadn't signed our marriage certificate, Dad might have already died in the ICU.”
Liam lowered his head.
His forehead slowly touched the edge of the bed.
“I know this is wrong.”
His voice grew softer.
“This marriage began as a transaction. I feel like a con man who took advantage of your situation to save my own family.”
The room remained silent.
Liam closed his eyes.
“But I swear to God, Yun. I never meant you any harm.”
He squeezed Yuni's hand a little tighter.
“I don't care about Wijaya Group's wealth.”
“I just want Dad to get better.”
Liam drew a long breath.
“Once Dad recovers and I have the means, I'll give it all back.”
“Every last rupiah.”
There was no answer.
Only the soft hiss of the ventilator.
Liam lifted his face.
He looked at Yuni.
He didn't know when it had happened, but feelings that had never existed before had begun to grow inside him.
Yuni was no longer merely the conglomerate heiress lying in a coma.
No longer merely a name written on a marriage agreement.
Yuni was his wife.
A young woman who had lost her youth.
Trapped inside her own body.
Alone.
Cold.
Unable to ask anyone to stay.
That night, the wall clock showed eleven.
Liam rose from his chair.
He had to go home.
He still had to work the next morning.
But before leaving, Liam looked at Yuni's face again.
A strange feeling held him back.
He bent down slowly.
Very carefully.
Then he gently kissed Yuni's forehead.
“Good night, Yun.”
His voice was barely audible.
“I'll come again tomorrow.”
Liam picked up his jacket.
He turned around.
Walked toward the door.
Then closed it slowly.
Click.
Room 701 fell silent again.
But a few seconds later.
Yuni's eyelids trembled.
Very faintly.
Then more violently.
The line on the heart monitor began moving a little faster.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
At the corner of her left eye, a clear drop of liquid slowly appeared.
It slid past her temple.
One drop.
Then fell onto the pillow.
Yuni still didn't move.
She still didn't open her eyes.
But for the first time in months.
her body gave an answer.
As if saying that none of the things Liam had done all this time had truly been in vain.
Because as it turned out.
Yuni had heard everything.