My Husband Cheated for Six Years. I Did Nothing—Until He Collapsed and I Said One Sentence Russell Mercer collapsed beside the dining table six years after Leona discovered his affair, and the first name he tried to say was not his mistress’s.

Dr. Vance looked between the two women, sensing the sudden spike of tension in the small room.

"Excuse me," Dr. Vance said cautiously. "Are you a family member?"

Valerie took a step forward, her chin raised, though her hands were shaking violently as she clutched her handbag.

"I am his partner," Valerie said loudly, looking directly at Leona as if waiting for a scream or a slap. "I have been his partner for six years. I need to see him right now."

Leona did not flinch. She did not raise her voice. She simply looked at Valerie’s polished boots, wet from the rain, and then raised her eyes to meet Valerie’s gaze with icy calm.

"You are his mistress," Leona said, her tone as flat as a ledger balance. "And this is a private medical consultation."

Valerie’s face flushed a deep crimson. "Don't play games with me, Leona! I know everything about his life! He spends half his week with me! I have a right to know what's happening!"

"You have no legal standing in this hospital," Leona replied, stepping closer to Dr. Vance. "You have no right to his medical records, no right to make decisions for his care, and no right to be in his room."

"Russell wouldn't want you making decisions for him!" Valerie shouted, her composure cracking completely. "He doesn't love you! He hasn't loved you in years!"

"That may be true," Leona said softly, her composure unshakeable. "But when his heart stopped beating properly on my floor tonight, he didn't call your name. He called mine."

Valerie gasped, taking a half-step back as if she had been struck.

Leona turned her back on the woman and looked at the physician.