Chapter 1 She's Dying

"Ms. Stone,didn't your family come with you?"

Eleanor Stone was confused. Wasn't it just a medical report? Did she need someone to accompany her?

She had no family. Her mother died in childbirth,her father treated her as a money-making tool,and her brother blamed her for their mother's death and hated her to death. As for the lover...she snatched him away. If the doctor hadn't mentioned "family," she would have almost forgotten what it meant.

"Just me."

The doctor looked at Eleanor with pity and helplessness in his eyes as he handed over a stack of test reports on the table.

"Ms. Stone,the results are out-advanced gastric cancer."

He seemed to sympathize with this young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness so early in life; his words and actions were both careful.

Eleanor held her breath as she took the test report from him,frowning at the various indicators on it. She wasn't a medical student but could tell how serious her condition was.

In fact,during the gastroscopy procedure,she vaguely sensed something was wrong but dared not think about it.

Pointing to an image,the doctor explained everything to Eleanor one by one while she listened absent-mindedly;

half understanding and half missing out on some parts of what he said before concluding that time was running out for her and that she needed chemotherapy treatment immediately after being admitted into hospital.

How long can someone live with advanced gastric cancer? Eleanor knew better than anyone else because it was exactly what killed off her grandfather after two years of struggling in bed.

The doctor kindly suggested: "Ms. Stone,I suggest you check into a hospital for treatment as soon as possible."

"But will I be cured if I go to hospital?" Eleanor asked hoarsely,like talking to herself while looking numb.

The doctor didn't say anything more,just shook his head helplessly.

Then there was no hope. Eleanor licked her dry lips and stood up,stuffing the diagnosis report into her bag.

She said thank you and left the consultation room without looking back at the doctor.

When she came out of the hospital,it was raining outside; fine rain mixed with cold wind that felt like a knife cutting through her face. Eleanor opened her bag to take out an umbrella,but even with one,she couldn't keep warm in this chilly weather.

Although it wasn't very cold outside,Eleanor felt freezing as if endless chilliness had spread throughout every part of her body along with blood circulation.

Her fingers turned red from being frozen stiff; holding an umbrella in one hand while clenching a fist tightly inside her pocket on the other side still failed to make them feel any warmer.

Eleanor walked aimlessly down the street while turning around the ring on her ring finger absent-mindedly.

Looking up at Los Angeles' cloudy sky,she realized how fast time flew by - before she knew it spring had arrived. Spring should have been a season full of vitality for all living things but why did she have to die?

Standing by the roadside,Eleanor hailed a taxi and got into it after opening its door slowly when it pulled over beside her.

"Where are you going?" The driver turned his head to ask her.

"Eastern District." She replied softly while bowing down. After driving for a while,Eleanor couldn't help but open her bag and take another look at the pictures in the diagnosis report. The twisted and ugly stomach in the picture was hard to believe that it belonged to her body. Her stomach cancer was caused by starvation.

In the four years of marriage with Sebastian,she had been trying her best to cook dishes according to his taste,hoping that he would be moved and fall in love with her. However,Sebastian never wanted or liked having a meal with her. She cooked every day and waited for him on time,which eventually damaged her health.