Chapter 3

I didn't get why Curtis changed so much until that day when my favorite celebrity was coming to town for a concert. I was freaking out, screaming, and out of nowhere, Curtis yanked me back, his eyes all red and desperate.

"I changed everything about myself just to be the guy you like. Can't you even like me, not even a little?" he blurted out.

Those words hit me like a sledgehammer to the chest.

Even though we went to different colleges, I kept hearing all the hype about Curtis. He was a tech genius, just a freshman and already repping his school in competitions, taking home the national title.

By sophomore year, he was getting headhunted by big tech firms, all because of his killer coding skills.

And thanks to his sudden glow-up, a bunch of fangirls even started a forum thread just to document Curtis's transformation story.

I always thought there was an ocean between us, that we'd never be anything more than just friends. But then Curtis actually told me he liked me.

I, never one to hold back, didn't even hesitate. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him right then and there.

After we got together, my whole vibe was basically stuffing Curtis with all my favorite cola and desserts.

I had zero life plans, and literally spent every day just obsessing over what snacks to get him, what drinks to try, or what fun stuff we could do next.

Curtis's life was like he'd been blessed by the universe. Everything just kept going his way.

He kicked off his own startup while still in grad school, scored a bunch of funding the moment he graduated, and by the time he wrapped up his PhD, his tech company had already rocketed into the industry's top 10.

But while Curtis's life kept soaring, mine was like someone put a hex on me.

I failed again and again at the grad school I had applied to. After graduation, I was living off Curtis's support.

Even my parents, who'd always doted on me, got into a car crash and died together, just two years after I graduated, when they rushed to see me because I was hospitalized with pneumonia.

Left an orphan, I clung to their bodies, crying my eyes out, soaking them with my tears.

Curtis sat beside them and vowed that he'd look after me for the rest of his life, even as his mom glared at us with that cold, disgusted stare.

Curtis and I got married.

I kept having miscarriages. Every single time I got pregnant, I lost the baby.

Then Curtis met Jessica, and that's when things flipped. He started acting like I was just some airhead with nothing going on beneath the surface.

It was like all I ever did was fuss over what snacks or drinks he wanted.

Jessica, though, could chat with him about world-famous art or where tech was headed, stuff I could never compete with.

When I dreamed about these, my eyes were brimming with tears, and when I finally opened them, the sun was already up.

Just like in my previous life, I'd cried so much that my pillow was drenched.

Right then, Curtis texted me. [We're going to the nursing home to see my mom this afternoon.]

Staring at Curtis's message, I replied calmly, [I'm busy today, not free.]

Curtis called me immediately, "What's up today? Cecilia, how many times do I have to say it? There's nothing between Jessica and me. Why can't you just let this go?"

Hearing Curtis bring up Jessica again, I curled a mocking smirk.

Ever since Curtis made it big with his startup, he'd always been straight to the point. This was the first time he'd ever dwelled on something and just couldn't let it go.

Was he trying to convince himself he didn't have feelings for Jessica, or was he just trying to make himself feel less guilty about me?

My chest tightened with pain, but I kept my tone calm as I told Curtis again, "Curtis, I'm not feeling well. I need to get checked at the hospital. I really can't go with you to visit your mom today.

"Besides, your mom has a heart problem, and she's never liked me anyway. Wouldn't it be better if I just stay away and don't risk upsetting her?

"Plus, isn't she always saying how much she likes Jessica? That with your status, only someone like Jessica is good enough for you? Why not just have her go with you instead?"

I was honestly just trying to help Curtis out, but I never thought he'd lose his temper with me again.

"Cecilia Hardy, just keep being dramatic," he snapped. With that, he hung up on me.

Listening to him hang up, I couldn't help but let out another sarcastic smirk.

See? That's the real difference between loving and not.

Back when Curtis actually cared about me, even the slightest hint of sadness on my face would make him freak out and ask if he'd done something wrong to upset me.

But now, when he didn't love me anymore, even if I was honestly trying to give him advice, he just thought I was making a fuss.

My heart ached again, but I just ignored it and headed straight to the hospital.

I was worried that even a single call might mess with my mood, so I didn't bring my phone at all.

This checkup was crucial. It could decide whether I'd end up walking the same path as I did in my previous life.

So, for the next seven days, I was holed up in the hospital, getting all sorts of biopsies and having tubes and tubes of blood drawn every single day.

I could only get this kind of thorough checkup thanks to Curtis's connections and his money.

Just dropping Curtis's name was enough. That top doctor I'd spent a whole month trying to see in my previous life? Now, every morning, he made me his very first stop.

Back in my previous life, I didn't get a single cent from the divorce, so I had to sell my bags and jewelry to get by.

There was no special treatment for me. Every time I needed a checkup, I had to make a trip to the hospital. Waiting two weeks in line for a blood draw was normal, and getting a CT scan meant waiting a whole month.

But now that Curtis was backing me, I just had to chill in my VIP suite, and the nurses came running whenever I needed anything.

Lucky for me, the results weren't all bad. I did have cancer, but it was still in the early stages. The doctor looked at me with pity written all over his face, but I broke down, shaking and crying uncontrollably.

Everyone assumed I was terrified by the diagnosis, but deep down, I was actually relieved.

Because now, I finally had a chance to survive.