My cancer came back. I begged my husband, Ethan, to take me to the hospital. Instead, he went to be with Sophia, his old flame. His parting words were cruel. “Your acting is getting way too convincing.” Ten years of devotion, and all I got was scars. Later, Sophia needed an emergency heart transplant. To give them their happily ever after, I gave Sophia my heart. But then… Ethan lost his mind. 1 Late at night, clutching my stomach where a dull ache pulsed, I struggled out of bed. Cold sweat beaded on my forehead from the pain. I needed to get to the hospital, but waves of sharp pain made me unsteady on my feet. Familiar footsteps approached the door—Ethan. I don’t know where I found the strength, but I gripped the doorknob tightly and opened the door. “Ethan.” Just saying his name felt like a knife twisting in my chest. Ethan stopped, turned, and looked at me with cold indifference. “You’re back. Have you eaten?” My voice was hesitant, trying to sound gentle, pleading without begging. But Ethan’s expression remained distant, cold, as if he hadn’t heard me. He turned to walk away. His dismissal pierced my heart. I stumbled after him, grabbing his sleeve. I bit my lip so hard I nearly drew blood. The sharp pains in my abdomen made it hard to breathe. “Let go!” Ethan’s eyes flashed with anger. I loosened my grip, daring only to hold onto the very edge of his cuff. My voice trembled. “Ethan, my stomach… it hurts really bad. It’s so late, can you please take me to the hospital?” If it had been daytime, I wouldn’t have bothered him. Ethan turned back, looking down at me intently. Suddenly, he let out a cold laugh. “Lauren, you’ve really perfected this act, haven’t you? How long did you rehearse this little scene?” He slowly pulled his sleeve from my grasp. He reached out, tilting my chin up. “From the day you betrayed me, I swore I’d never forgive you. Unless…” A cruel smile touched Ethan’s lips. “Unless you die.” It felt like all the blood in my body froze. I couldn’t stop shaking. Ethan didn’t look at me again. He went straight to his room and slammed the door shut with a resounding bang. It felt like a knife was twisting inside me. The pain forced me to my knees. Trembling, I fumbled for my phone and dialed 911. … Downtown General Hospital. The entrance bustled with cars and people hurrying by. I sat on a bench in the hallway, staring blankly ahead, clutching my test results. The results were in. Late-stage colon cancer. I couldn’t believe it. I went to find my friend, Mark Evans. He’d been a senior when I was in college, now a specialist in gastroenterology. My eyes were red-rimmed, but I managed a weak smile. “Mark.” I gripped the report tightly. “The doctor said… it’s late-stage colon cancer…” I looked at him pleadingly. “Can you check again? Maybe… maybe they made a mistake?” Mark quickly took the results, scanning them carefully while gently reassuring me. “Okay, Lauren, calm down first. Let me run some more tests, we’ll double-check everything. Don’t panic. Even if… even if the results aren’t good, I’m here for you. Just breathe.” Soon, I was wheeled back into an examination room. The new results came back the same. Late-stage colon cancer. I sat there stunned, my lips moving slightly. “How long… how long do I have?” Mark crouched down, meeting my gaze. His steady hand rested on my shoulder. “Lauren, I’ll do everything I can to save you.” His eyes were full of determination, but tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. “Cancer… it’s cancer, Mark.” I buried my face in my hands, sobbing quietly. Mark gently stroked my hair, offering silent comfort. This disease… it was like my marriage to Ethan. Rotted to the core, with no chance of getting better. 2 The room was dim. I sat alone on the sofa, not wanting to turn on the lights. Around midnight, I heard a car pull into the driveway. Soon, the front door opened, and Ethan walked in. He fumbled for the light switch. The sudden brightness revealed me sitting silently on the sofa, like a statue. He glanced away indifferently, loosening his tie as he headed upstairs. “Ethan.” I called out to him. He didn’t stop. My fingers clenched, nails digging into my palms. Watching his familiar back, I forced a smile. “Ethan, let’s get a divorce.” Finally, he stopped, just as I’d hoped. He stood silhouetted against the light, appearing even more remote. I couldn’t quite make out his face. My eyes traced the lines of his features. This was the man I had loved for ten years. Ten years of love that only earned his disgust and left me covered in wounds. I thought, maybe I shouldn’t drag him down anymore. “Can’t you go one day without causing drama? Is this some new game? Playing hard to get?” I stood up and took the divorce papers out of my bag. My hand brushed against the bottle of painkillers inside, and I paused for a second. Then, silently, I closed the bag. I walked over to Ethan and handed him the papers. “I’ve already signed it.” I tried hard to hide my emotions. “You want to marry Sophia, don’t you?” I forced another smile. “I’m setting you free.” If I had known earlier that he loved Sophia, I would never have married him, no matter what. Our marriage, born from my deepest hopes, had twisted into something unavoidable, something sustained only by my one-sided devotion. Ethan took the papers, glancing at my signature. He pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek, then tapped the papers against my shoulder. “Lauren Hayes, you should have gone into finance, not medicine.” He leaned closer, his eyes cold. “Divorcing me… how much of the Cole fortune are you planning to take?” I froze for a moment, my lips pressed tight. “I never wanted your money,” I whispered. Ethan stared at me, his eyes sharp like a hawk’s. A cruel smirk played on his lips. “Lauren, oh Lauren,” he said casually, “you’ve always been the type to do whatever it takes to get what you want.” “All your little underhanded tricks… they’re just an act to stay in the Cole family, to keep living comfortably under our roof, especially now that the Hayes family is going bankrupt.” “Right? Besides, a woman like you, who dropped me the second things got tough and latched onto someone else… how could you possibly stand living a hard life?” Hearing his harsh words, my body trembled uncontrollably. Ethan’s eyes were filled with ice. He turned to leave, but I spread my arms to block his path. “You love Sophia, don’t you? I’m letting you go! I’ll sign anything, I swear I won’t take a dime!” “Yeah, I love Sophia,” Ethan’s eyes narrowed, a tight smile on his lips. “And I’ll make sure she walks into this house as my wife, with all the respect she deserves.” He turned and left, the slam of the door echoing behind him. I turned and picked up the divorce papers from the floor, only bitterness remaining in my heart. A long while later, my phone rang. My mother, Linda, was crying on the other end. My father had collapsed from a severe illness and was rushed to the hospital. I hurried over. Only then did my mother tell me that Hayes Industries was on the verge of bankruptcy. The stress had triggered my father’s collapse. Suddenly, Ethan’s words echoed in my mind. Divorcing him, how much of the Cole fortune… No wonder. He must have known about my family’s troubles all along. My mother grabbed my thin arm as if clutching a lifeline. “Lauren, you have to ask Ethan for money! With his help, your father’s company can survive! You’re his wife, he won’t refuse you!” “He hates me,” I forced a bitter smile, my expression dim. “Why would he give me money?” My mother slapped me across the face. “Are you going to just stand by and watch your father die? Why are you so useless?!” My lips trembled. Looking at my mother, a chill went through me. Some mothers truly don’t love their children. She never cared about my feelings, only saw me as a meal ticket. Back when the Cole family business was in trouble, Rick Marshall somehow found where I was living. He showed me compromising photos of my mother with another man, Vince. He told me to go away with him for three days, out on his yacht, just to 'relax'. He said if I went, he'd keep the photos secret. He also promised that if I dumped Ethan, he'd give Ethan a huge sum of money to pay off his debts and get through the crisis. Seeing Ethan so overwhelmed, stressed out, I felt helpless. Back then, I thought, if I could just help Ethan, what did it matter if he misunderstood me? So, I took the money from Rick and used it to secretly plug the holes in the Cole family finances. I said cruel things, broke Ethan’s heart. I never thought our paths would cross again. Until Ethan’s frail, bedridden father, Robert, asked to speak with me. He wanted me to marry Ethan. He said he knew what I’d been through, knew I had helped the family. At the time, I didn't agree. But the very next day, my mother accepted a huge sum of money from the Cole family – essentially, sealing the deal. Robert Cole threatened Ethan with his own failing health until Ethan agreed to marry me. From that moment on, Ethan hated my guts. 3 Leaving the hospital room, I swallowed another painkiller. Turning, I saw a woman in a patient gown nearby. Her skin was pale, her eyes large and round, features delicate, figure slender. Sophia Bell. The woman Ethan loved now. My former best friend. I looked away, turning to leave. “Lauren Hayes.” Sophia called my name. Smiling, she walked up to me, looking down her nose at me. “I heard the Hayes family is finished. Look at you now. You were just taking medicine, are you sick? Wow, when it rains, it pours, huh?” I stared at her coldly. “Get lost.” Sophia didn’t get angry. She casually said, “You’re pathetic, you know that? Ethan doesn’t even want you, but you still cling to him.” Her eyes gleamed with triumph. “Did you know? Ethan’s been with me constantly these past few days, taking care of my every need.” “You want to be Mrs. Cole, is that it?” My lips tightened. “Tell him to come talk to me about the divorce.” Sophia’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t actually think he still loves you, that that’s why he won’t divorce you, do you?” She burst out laughing. “So naive.” “He’s just getting revenge on you.” “When he gets tired of playing with you, you’ll be nothing more than trash.” Sophia leaned closer to my ear, whispering disdainfully, “Oh, by the way, he’s never even touched you, has he?” My fingers trembled. I lifted my eyes, staring coldly at Sophia. “Know why?” Sophia’s fingernail slowly traced a line down my cheek. “Because he thinks you’re dirty. That money you used to bail out his family… Rick Marshall gave it to you, didn’t he?” “Are you finished?” I pushed her hand away. “If you’re done, then get lost.” Unexpectedly, Sophia suddenly crumpled, falling heavily to the floor. Footsteps hurried from behind her, and then Ethan was there, scooping Sophia into his arms. He lifted her up, then glanced back at me, still stunned. That one look sent ice through my veins. Sophia had been injured because of Ethan before; her bones were brittle. This fall caused another fracture or dislocation. Ethan didn’t say much, just picked her up and carried her towards the emergency room. 4 Late night, at the Cole estate. Ethan kicked open the bedroom door, ripped the covers off, and dragged me out of bed. “How could you be so vicious?” “How am I vicious?” I stared steadily at the man before me, tears welling in my eyes. “Ethan Cole, if you have the guts, then just kill me!” Tears blurred my vision, but my gaze remained defiant. “I never betrayed you! I never slept with Rick Marshall!” A sharp pain shot through my abdomen, and my body started shaking. Ethan stared at me with dark eyes. After a long moment, he laughed. “You think I’m as easy to fool as I was back then?” His eyes looked predatory. “Rick Marshall? Who is he? He tells everyone he likes you. You think he’d give you money if you didn’t sleep with him? None of the Marshalls are any good.” The pain made it hard to speak. I took a deep, ragged breath. I knew Ethan wouldn’t believe me. Finally, I forced a smile. “Fine. Think whatever you want.” I tried to push Ethan away, to get up, to leave this suffocating room. But Ethan pressed down on me. I struggled. “Ethan, let me go.” He leaned close to my ear, his hot breath fanning my skin. “You think I want to touch you? You make me sick.” He started unbuttoning his shirt, revealing his toned chest. “But didn't you say you didn't do anything?” His smile seemed to come from hell itself. “Let me check.” A violent shiver ran through me. I beat wildly against Ethan’s shoulders. But I was no match for his strength. A wave of sickening dread washed over me, and the pain in my abdomen intensified, feeling like a knife twisting. It was so intense I involuntarily curled up, cold sweat pouring down my forehead. “Stop pretending!” Ethan sneered. “I haven’t even touched you yet.” “Pain,” I gasped, shaking violently. “My stomach hurts.” Painkillers, painkillers. My mind screamed for them. I struggled, shoving Ethan away. Caught off guard, Ethan stumbled back, his leg hitting the nightstand. My bag, which had been sitting on it, fell to the floor. Pill bottles rolled out. My face tightened with panic as I scrambled to grab them, but Ethan snatched up a folded piece of paper first. His eyes scanned it, landing on the final words: LATE-STAGE COLON CANCER. His expression grew complicated as he looked at me. I was curled up on the bed like a fish out of water. Ethan bent down, picked up one of the pill bottles, and examined it. After a long pause, he scoffed, throwing the report and the bottle onto the floor. “Always coming up with new tricks.” He curled his lip coldly. “You think faking this stuff will make me feel sorry for you?” Ethan leaned down, gently wiping the sweat from my forehead. “You’re not Sophia. Don’t try to imitate her! Even if you died right now, I wouldn’t feel a damn thing.” Ethan left. I lay on the bed, picked up the bottle he’d thrown down, and swallowed a pill dry. An hour later, the pain gradually subsided. I stared at the plain white ceiling, and suddenly I started laughing. Laughing until tears streamed down my face. My phone rang. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I pressed the phone to my ear and answered. “Lauren, did you ask Ethan for the money?” It was my mother, Linda, again. I whispered weakly, “I’m not asking him for money.” “Then go ask Rick Marshall! Hasn’t he always liked you?” Linda grew frantic, her voice suddenly sharp. My fingers clenched the fabric of my clothes. My tone turned icy. “Anyone listening would think you were deeply devoted to Dad.” Linda paused. “What do you mean?” Remembering the photos Rick had, I rubbed my red eyes. “Vince.” That was the name of my mother’s lover. Silence on the other end. A few seconds later, she hung up. … 5 Mark Evans urged me to check into the hospital, but I refused. I got a large supply of medication, enough to last me a while. As I arrived home, I saw Ethan rushing out of the house. I rarely saw him look so anxious. The housekeeper told me something had happened to Sophia. Apparently, tests showed she had severe heart failure. An idea sparked in my mind. I followed him. In the hospital corridor, I saw Ethan pacing back and forth. He wore a black shirt and black pants, his hair slightly messy, eyes red-rimmed, lips pressed tightly together. He must be so worried, so heartbroken. After all, he loved Sophia so much. I thought, since I’m dying anyway, maybe I can do one last thing for Ethan. Hopefully, after I’m gone, he won’t hate me so much anymore. And hopefully, if there’s a next life, I won’t ever meet him again. Ethan’s team was frantically searching for a heart donor; the doctors said Sophia couldn’t wait long. And me? I signed the organ donation papers and secretly got tested for compatibility. Leaving the hospital, I took the pills out of my bag and dropped them into a trash can. I didn’t need them anymore. “Lauren.” Hearing the familiar voice, my body stiffened. Then, a large hand with well-defined knuckles rested on my shoulder. The man stepped in front of me. He had sharp features, a tall frame, and often smiled, but his smile always sent chills down my spine. I noticed a jagged scar on his neck. “Rick Marshall.” I closed my eyes, whispering his name wearily. Rick smiled at me, pointing to the scar on his neck. “Ethan did this. Tell me, how should I get back at him?” I suddenly remembered Rick saying something similar three years ago. “If you don’t come with me, tell me, how should I destroy Ethan Cole?” If Ethan’s family hadn’t been in trouble back then, I wouldn’t have been afraid. But at that time, the Marshall family was powerful, while the Cole corporation had suddenly collapsed. A single word from the Marshalls could have crushed Ethan, ensuring he never recovered. I laughed softly. “Rick, you deserved it.” Rick stared at me thoughtfully. “So you’re relying on Ethan now? I heard he’s gotten very close to your good friend, Sophia.” I didn’t want to talk to him anymore. But as I turned, dizziness washed over me. My body went limp, and I lost consciousness. … The Cole Estate, front gate. When I regained consciousness, the dull ache in my abdomen was still there. I felt exhausted, not wanting to open my eyes, but I could hear Ethan and Rick talking. Ethan’s voice was devoid of emotion. “Mr. Marshall, you’ve got some nerve coming here directly. What do you want?” “I’m bringing Lauren back. She fell asleep,” Rick replied cockily. “Oh? If she’s asleep, you could have taken her home. Why bring her here? What is she to me? I have somewhere to be, excuse me.” Ethan’s indifferent voice reached me, followed by the sound of a car engine starting. I slowly opened my eyes, staring blankly in the direction the car disappeared, my eyes stinging. I unbuckled my seatbelt to get out, but Rick pressed my hand down, turning to look at me. “You’re sick. Come with me.” His voice surprisingly held a hint of pleading. I didn’t want to speak. I pushed his hand away and got out of the car. Rick lowered the Bentley’s window. “Lauren, he doesn’t care about you at all. He’s definitely going to the hospital to see Sophia right now. If you don’t believe me, get in, I’ll take you there.” “It has nothing to do with me.” My back straight, I walked step by step into the Cole estate. Behind me, I heard Rick’s frustrated curses and the thud of him hitting the steering wheel. Night fell. In the hazy state between sleep and wakefulness, I heard the bedroom door open. Groggy, I started to sit up, but the smell of alcohol hit me. The scent was strong on the man, but not unpleasant. Moonlight filtered into the room, illuminating his face. “Ethan.” My eyes cleared. Ethan buried his face in my neck, his hand resting on my trembling shoulder. Tentatively, I wrapped my arms around his neck. Ethan didn’t pull away. My lips pressed together as I endured it. “Lauren.” The man’s hoarse voice calling my name made me waver. “Mm.” I smiled and responded. I cupped his face. This was my love, my Ethan. Ethan lowered his head, leaning closer. I could see his deep pupils, long lashes, and the faint crease of his eyelids. Ethan’s lips parted slightly, his eyes distant. “Lauren Hayes, why isn’t it you who’s sick?” “Why isn’t it you who’s dying?” “Stop it.” I froze, the clarity in my eyes dimming. My voice trembled as I begged him. Ethan’s eyes were hollow. He nestled beside me, whispering softly, “That rainy night three years ago, when you broke up with me over the phone… I went looking for you. I almost got hit by a car. Sophia pushed me out of the way, but she… she was hit instead. Her whole body was crushed, she barely survived after three days of emergency surgery… Lauren Hayes, how could you do this to me? How could you…” His words, though spoken softly, felt like a thousand arrows piercing my heart, leaving me utterly devastated. 6 There wasn't deep hatred in his eyes, but that made me feel even colder. Not even hatred… how little did he care? I closed my eyes, a single tear tracing a path down my cheek. Ethan, did you know? I don't have long to live either. I can give you what you want, disappear from your world forever. Then your world will brighten up, won't it? Ethan was extremely drunk. He rolled over and fell into a deep sleep. I sat hugging my knees, awake all night. Only when a ray of sunlight peeked through the white curtains did I drag my stiff body up and quietly leave the room before Ethan woke up. I crouched in the laundry room, watching the washing machine spin, lost in thought. Hearing footsteps behind me, I immediately stood up. A strong arm wrapped around my waist, hot breath tickled my ear. His large hand tilted my chin up, forcing me to meet his somewhat hazy, flushed eyes. His cheeks were slightly pink. "Last night..." I gave him an awkward smile, pulling my arm from his embrace. "You drank too much. You threw up all over the bed." Ethan's lips tightened, and he dropped his hand. "Do you want some breakfast? I..." I lowered my head, hiding my thoughts. Ethan waved his hand dismissively. "I'm going to the hospital to see Sophia." The smile froze on my face. "Go ahead. Goodbye." My phone pinged. I looked down, avoiding his gaze, and saw the message. It was the compatibility test results. I could donate my heart to Sophia. I looked up, rubbing my stinging nose, and called out to Ethan as he was leaving. "Wait." Ethan turned back. I gave him a faint smile. "Wait for me a second!" With that, I ran upstairs, grabbed a small, elegant gift box, and rushed back down. "This is for you. It's a tie." My stomach churned violently, but I kept my expression neutral. Ethan glanced at it. "The suit I'm wearing today doesn't match this tie." I shook my head. "It's okay. You can wear it later. Later... maybe... I won't have many chances to give you things anymore." Ethan froze for a moment. Before, he would have tossed it aside without hesitation. But today, he slowly took the gift box. His deep eyes looked into mine until I lowered my gaze, breaking eye contact. Only then did he turn and leave. Third Street Hospital. I lay in the hospital bed. In just two short weeks, I had become frighteningly thin. My phone rang. A nurse handed it to me. Seeing the name on the screen, a smile touched my eyes. This was the first time in over three years that Ethan had called me voluntarily. My hands trembled as I reached to remove my oxygen mask, wanting to answer, just to hear his voice. … The call ended. The phone slipped from my hand. Nurses scrambled to replace my oxygen mask. My vision blurred. Looking at Dr. Mark Evans beside my bed, gripping my hand tightly, tears welling in his eyes, I managed a bitter smile. "Mark, I wish I could see tomorrow's sunrise. I wish I could get another call from him. I..." But I knew it was impossible. Then, I felt my body become light. My soul seemed to detach, floating up towards the ceiling. I watched as Mark lifted my skeletal frame, crying out, "Lauren, don't go! Lauren, please don't go... I never told you, I..." Then, other doctors rushed in, pulling Mark away. They urgently wheeled me towards the operating room. Sophia was wheeled towards another OR. The bright surgical lights flickered on. Sigh. It's time for me to go. This life was such a failure. I wasn't a good daughter or a good wife. I didn't even love myself properly. I had hoped Ethan and I could build a small family together, have two adorable children, explore the Rockies together, watch our kids grow up as they watched us grow old... I hope with my departure, Ethan gets his wish, grows old with the one he loves. I hope… in the next life, I never meet Ethan Cole again… 7 I am Ethan Cole, CEO of Summit Corp. The first time I saw Lauren Hayes, amidst blooming flowers at the equestrian center, my heart was lost. Her every smile, every glance, everything about her was perfect. I swore I would love her until death. Until Summit Corp nearly collapsed. The woman who swore she loved me turned around and left with Rick Marshall – the man who helped ruin my family – sailing off into the sunset. Although later, for various reasons, I still married her. But I buried my love for Lauren deep down, hurting each other constantly. Yet I knew, I couldn't forget the depth of feeling from our youth. Love takes root, grows into a towering tree… Just when Sophia’s health seemed about to give out completely, I suddenly received a call from the hospital. A terminally ill patient was a perfect match for Sophia and willing to donate their heart. I was overjoyed. Sophia could be saved! I wanted to thank this person profusely, but the hospital said the donor wished to remain anonymous. I didn't push it, just waited patiently. As long as there was a heart to save Sophia, that was enough. It would lessen the guilt I carried. I knew I didn’t love Sophia, but she ended up like this because of me. I had to take responsibility. As for Lauren… her betrayal, I couldn't forgive it. … A problem with the European operations required me to fly out for a month to handle it personally. I left Sophia’s matters in the hands of my assistant, Alex. … “Mr. Cole, Mrs. Hayes's father’s condition isn't good.” I had just stepped out of a meeting when Alex approached me with the update. “How much do they need?” I asked impatiently. Alex stated plainly, “The hospital estimates around fifty thousand dollars.” “Wire the money to the hospital.” Back at the hotel, I lay on the sofa, resting. I felt like something was missing. I opened my messaging app and scrolled to my chat with Lauren. This entire trip to France, Lauren hadn’t sent me a single message. I scrolled up, reading through old messages. Mostly Lauren’s daily chatter, which I rarely replied to. Even with her father critically ill, she hadn’t told me. I frowned, closed the chat, and called home. “Where’s Lauren?” The housekeeper answered respectfully, “Madam went back to her mother’s a few days ago. She said she’d move back when you returned.” I breathed a sigh of relief. Lauren was easily scared – thunderstorms, the dark, pain. She wouldn’t want to be alone in that big house. On my fifteenth day in France, the hospital finalized the surgical plan. Sophia underwent several more tests and was cleared for the operation. I also heard that the person donating the heart to Sophia wasn’t doing well, likely wouldn't live more than two weeks. I inquired casually. The doctor mentioned the donor had very advanced colon cancer. Hearing that, my heart skipped a beat. Colon cancer… Lauren’s report had also said colon cancer. The coincidence worried me. I immediately dialed Lauren’s number. The phone rang several times before she picked up. After a brief silence, I said quietly, “I’ll be back on the 7th of next month. Make sure you’re home on the 7th… uh, we need to go to the courthouse and finalize the papers.” “Okay.” Lauren agreed so quickly, it felt wrong. “Ethan, I’m so tired. Can I sleep a little longer?” Her voice sounded weak, drained. I glanced at the clock. It should be around 7 AM back home. I just assumed she wasn't fully awake yet. Acting on impulse, for once I didn’t snap at her or make a sarcastic remark. Maybe because our marriage was finally ending. I said, “Okay. I’ll call you back later.” Unease lingered. Work that should have taken another two weeks, I finished in one. I booked the earliest flight back home. Before heading to the airport, something made me retrieve the tie Lauren had given me from my suitcase. The sapphire blue tie matched my suit perfectly today. I boarded the plane. Just before turning off my phone, I received a message from the hospital. “Mr. Cole, the donor is in critical condition. Ms. Bell’s heart transplant surgery is about to begin.”
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