Chapter 1: The Cruel Diagnosis

The office door creaked open. The moment I stepped inside, a rush of cold air struck my face, sending shivers down my spine. The pungent sting of disinfectant clung to my throat, choking me. The fluorescent lights glared harshly against the white-tiled floor, so bright and sterile that each footstep echoed with a hollow sharpness. Every scrape of the doctor’s shoes against the ground sounded like a funeral bell in my head.

On the desk, among stacks of medical files, I glimpsed a folder turned face-down, the patient’s name concealed. Before I could look closer, the doctor’s hand swiftly slid it aside, guarded, as though hiding something.

He sat down, back straight, face drawn with heaviness.

“Miss Elysa, please sit.”

That composed calm only made my heart pound faster. I sat, my hands clenching against my thighs until my knuckles whitened.

“After thoroughly reviewing your medical results…”—he paused, his gaze flicking briefly toward the half-closed door as if wary of eavesdroppers—“…I regret to inform you that your body is showing severe abnormalities.”

“Abnormalities?” My brows furrowed, breath short. “Doctor, please don’t go in circles. I don’t have time. What’s going on?”

He removed his glasses, his hand trembling faintly. The papers crumpled under his grip with a dry rustle. After a long hesitation, his voice fell heavy:

“You… have stomach cancer.”

A laugh burst out of me, sharp and broken. My ears rang, as though I were drowning in a roaring sea. In a flash, fragments of memory flickered: careful meals of plain vegetables, mornings filled with fresh air and exercise, meticulous attempts at “healthy living.” All of it now mocked me—cruel jokes played by fate.

“Doctor, you must be mistaken. I’ve lived so carefully—balanced meals, regular workouts… How could it possibly be cancer?”

He slid the test results and scans across the desk. Black blotches spread across the images, colder than any words.

“Miss Elysa, I understand your reaction. But the results are accurate. This illness isn’t only about lifestyle. It can come from many causes.”

My hand trembled as I touched the icy film. For a moment, an image flared—my wedding dress, pure white, the ceremony, the blessings… all now shattered beneath this death sentence.

“…Fine.” I lifted my head, eyes red but gaze firm. “Give me the treatment plan. Whatever the cost, I will pay. Just cure me.”

The doctor froze. His fingers tapped the desk, once, twice, then stilled. At last, he sighed.

“…The cancer is in its final stage. Your body won’t respond to treatment anymore.”

Air drained from my lungs. Everything blurred and broke apart before me.

“No… no, this can’t be. I still have so much left. I’m about to marry… I—”

My voice cracked, tears spilling down uncontrollably. My body shook as I whispered:

“How long… do I have?”

He closed his eyes, shoulders slumping.

“…Two months.”

I froze. Then a dry, bitter laugh scraped from my throat.

“Two months… less than the time it takes to plan a wedding. What a cruel joke.”

“Miss Elysa…” The doctor leaned closer, lowering his voice. “There are things… not that I want to hide, but things I cannot say. Do you understand?”

His eyes met mine for a fleeting second. I sensed something veiled, but the tidal wave of despair drowned it all.

I shot to my feet. The chair screeched harshly across the floor. Tears fell heavy. Without another word, I pushed the door open and walked out like a hollow shell.

The moment my hand touched the doorknob, a memory struck. My father’s voice, low yet firm:

“Elysa, take care of your health. You’re about to be married. Don’t make us worry.”

A thorn drove deep into my chest. Yet the despair was already too vast, swallowing everything whole.

…

Three months earlier. My 26th birthday. Kael suddenly knelt before me, bathed in glittering lights and thunderous applause. A ring gleamed in his hand. Tears streamed down my face as I nodded. The hall erupted with blessings, voices urging us to bear children soon. From that day on, the Dawson family insisted we undergo full health examinations before the wedding.

I remember the night so clearly. Leaving the Dawson estate, the city bathed in the golden glow of street lamps. Kael draped his coat over my shoulders, his arm holding me tight as we strolled slowly down the quiet street.

“Let’s… go for the checkup this weekend,” I murmured softly.

Kael glanced down, a tender smile tugging at his lips. His hand pressed gently against my shoulder.

“I had my company’s medical checkup just last week,” his deep voice rumbled. After a pause, he lowered his head, pressing a kiss to my hair. “But this weekend… I’ll go with you anyway.”

I laughed, joy spilling out of me, wrapping my arms around the tall man before me. In that instant, the world shrank to just the two of us.

“I love you, Kael.”

Kael pressed his forehead against mine, his gaze unwavering.

“And I love you… my future wife.”

That night, the hall echoed with laughter and cheer. Now, my heart was nothing but an empty shell—so empty that even the sound of rain outside became a dirge. Kael once whispered: “This ring will be the eternal proof of our love.” But fate, merciless and cold, had betrayed us.

Outside the hospital, rain poured in torrents, striking my skin like a thousand needles. Behind me, the building blazed with light, yet that light was nothing but frozen glass. I was small, adrift, like a shadow about to dissolve into the downpour.

The ambulance sirens wailed through the night, a sharp scream against the storm. The PA system blared urgent announcements. Every sound pierced me, a cruel reminder that life and death were only a breath apart.

I walked through the bustling crowd. Everyone else clutched umbrellas, rushing past. Only I wandered bare, lost, drenched in the storm.

Pain twisted deep in my stomach, mingling with the frantic pounding of my heart. My knees nearly gave way. My trembling hand clenched tight—until, in a fleeting slip, the engagement ring slid from my finger and dropped into a puddle.

Clink.

The sound rang out, clear and merciless, echoing into the night. I stood frozen, rain and tears streaming together down my face.

And in that instant… I felt as though my very soul had fallen with it.