- 06.
That night, my chest started to ache suddenly.
It felt like there was a piece of iron lodged in my lungs, and every breath I took sent sharp, stabbing pain through my body.
I had been living with this illness for a long time.
It all started three years ago..
That night was our seventh anniversary–mine and Tristan’s. I had been so excited, carefully preparing his favorite meal, a seafood boil, and picking out a gift just for him.
ar showed up.
But Tristan never
When I finally found him, he was at a bar, completely drunk, covered in vomit and mumbling incoherently.
Later, I learned the reason.
That night, Tristan found out that Rachel Whitmore–his first love–had started dating someone new while she was abroad.
He drank himself into oblivion after hearing the news, never even considering that I had been waiting for him, hoping to celebrate our
anniversary.
It was pouring rain that night, and the water on the street rose up to my calves.
I took off my coat and draped it over Tristan to keep him from getting sick, then carried him on my back through the flooded streets. It took me the whole night to get him home.
Tristan didn’t catch a cold that night.
But I did.
I fell into a fevered coma, lying on the couch, softly calling out Tristan’s name.
I had hoped–desperately–that he would wake up, come over to me, and hold me. Maybe bring me a cup of hot water and a few pills for the fever, maybe take me to the hospital.
But when he woke up from his drunken stupor and saw me burning with fever, he simply frowned, muttered a half–hearted “What’s wrong?”
and rushed out the door, throwing on his coat
I spent the entire day at home, sick with a high fever, all by myself.
And Tristan? He bought a plane ticket and flew overseas to find his first love.
He never even saw her.
Rachel had moved on, living a life of luxury with her new wealthy boyfriend. She didn’t even remember Tristan anymore.
It wasn’t until that night that Tristan thought to call me, asking how I was doing
How was I?
I had spent the entire night in the rain, my fever still raging, my body trembling with weakness.
At that p
point, I thought I was going to die.
I went to the hospital–alone.
Alone, I checked myself in, saw the doctor, picked up my medicine, and then slowly walked back home–alone.
<
It was in that hospital that I met Cole Hawthorne.
By then, he was already a renowned entrepreneur, a young man who had made a name for himself, successful and accomplished.
is still just a low–level employee back then, Cole shone like a beacon of success.
Compared to Tristan, who was
Cole took care of me that night. He helped me find a doctor and got me the medical attention I needed.
That was the night I was diagnosed with myocarditis.
Cole even brought me back home.
As I lay on the couch, shivering with cold and discomfort, Tristan finally came home, looking troubled.
I begged him to get me a glass of water.
But he merely glanced at my medical report, then shot me a disdainful look.
“This? It’s just a little sickness. You’re so dramatic.”
He never did bring me that glass of water.
The system’s voice echoed in my mind:
“Alright, w
we’ll do as you wish.
“In three days, you’ll die at Tristan’s wedding. The cause of death will be myocarditis, from that night three years ago when you spent all night in the rain.”
A bitter smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.
The first day had passed.
I only had two days left before I died.
I wanted to make the most of them.
I picked up the phone and dialed a number.
Cole’s number.
“Can you
you come see me?”
There was silence on the other end of the line for a long time.
I could hear Cole’s heavy breathing, and then his distinct, raspy voice:
“What’s wrong?”
His voice was deep, but gentle, just like the first time we met at the hospital.
I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. They spilled from my eyes and ran down my cheeks.
Gradually, I started crying louder, my sobs turning into uncontrollable walls.
Cole didn’t hang up. He just stayed on the line, quietly whispering, “Don’t cry…
Since Tristan had abandoned me for Rachel, I had been bottling up all my emotions.
But now, hearing Cole’s steady breathing through the phone, I let go of everything, sobbing until my voice was hoarse.
I don’t even know how long I cried for
Finally, with a cracked voice, I asked again, “Cole, can you come see me?”
There was silence on the other end.
