Broken Promises

Chapter 17: A Family Divided

Haein's hospital room was enveloped in a heavy silence, interrupted only by the steady beep of the heart monitor beside her bed. The air was thick with the sterile scent of antiseptic, but the tension among the family members gathered there was even more suffocating. Haein lay unconscious, her face a mask of calmness, unaware of the discord around her.

Seon-hwa sat at the edge of Haein's bed, her eyes red from tears she had tried to hide. The once-cold distance between mother and daughter had melted away in the heat of guilt and regret. She gently brushed a strand of hair away from Haein’s face, whispering under her breath, “I’m here, Haein. I’m right here.”

Beom-jun, Haein's father, stood near the window, his face set in a hard line, though his eyes betrayed the worry gnawing at his heart. At the foot of the bed, Man-dae, the patriarch of the family, remained still, leaning heavily on his cane, his face inscrutable as ever.

Soo-cheol, Haein’s younger brother, was the first to break the silence, his tone impatient and matter-of-fact. "Grandpa, we should stop waiting" he said, his gaze shifting towards Man-dae. "You should just announce that I'm the new heir. What's the point of holding out hope when we don't know if she'll ever wake up?"

Seon-hwa turned sharply, her voice tinged with anger. "Soo-cheol, this is not the time to be discussing such things! Your sister is still here, still fighting. Show some respect."

Soo-cheol shrugged, unbothered by her reproach. "I'm being practical, Mom. Haein’s been in a coma for six months, and we don’t know if she’ll ever come back. The company needs stability, and we need to start thinking about what happens next."

Beom-jun glanced at Man-dae, who had remained silent throughout. “Father, perhaps we should focus on what’s best for Haein’s recovery” he suggested carefully, his tone uncertain.

Man-dae finally spoke, his voice deep and measured. “Soo-cheol, we must not rush these things. Haein is still my granddaughter, your sister. As long as there is a chance, we will hope.”

Soo-cheol scoffed, frustration evident in his voice. "Hope isn’t a strategy, Grandpa. If Haein wakes up, fine. But we need to prepare for the worst. If we wait too long, we risk losing everything."

Seon-hwa’s eyes welled with fresh tears, her voice trembling. "How can you talk like this, Soo-cheol? This is your sister! She's not gone yet!" She turned to Man-dae, pleading. “Father, please... give her more time.”

Man-dae nodded slowly, his face softening just a little. "We’ll give her time. But, Soo-cheol, remember this: if you wish to lead, you must learn to put family above all else. Even your ambition."

The room fell silent again, the weight of Man-dae’s words hanging in the air. Soo-cheol, however, seemed unconvinced, his eyes narrowing as he looked at his sister’s still form. “Fine,” he muttered. “But don’t blame me when it’s too late.”

Seon-hwa reached for Haein’s hand, squeezing it tightly as if her touch alone could will her daughter back to consciousness. “Don't you dare give up on me” she whispered softly, more to herself than to anyone else.

---

The room was thick with tension, only broken by the soft rustle of the hospital sheets as Seon-hwa adjusted herself, still gripping Haein’s hand. Just then, the door creaked open, and a doctor stepped in, his expression grave. Everyone turned their attention to him, the weight of his presence sinking into their bones.

"Dr. Kim," Seon-hwa said anxiously, rising from the bed "Is there any news?"

Dr. Kim nodded, his eyes scanning the faces around him. “Yes, there is news. Haein’s white blood cell count has finally risen high enough for us to consider the surgery to remove the tumour,l” he announced, a flicker of hope passing through the room.