Chapter 1
The hospital had finally found a bone marrow donor who was a perfect match for me.
They were pressuring me to pay a 600-thousand-dollar deposit for the surgery and the isolation ward.
When I swiped my card, it showed insufficient funds.
That was the money I'd been saving for ten years to stay alive.
I called my fiancé, Richard Grant.
On the other end, I heard a playful, girlish laugh from a 19-year-old. "Richard, this gaming streamer sounds amazing. Can you send him another 600 thousand dollars?"
It was Yvonne Stone, the younger sister of the girl Richard always loved.
I was shaking all over. "Richard, that's my surgery money."
Richard's voice was ice-cold. "Yvonne's only 19. She's never had a hard day in her life.
"600 thousand dollars? It's no big deal. The company pulled in a few hundred million. As my fiancée, are you seriously nitpicking with Yvonne over a bit of pocket money?
"Quit faking being sick. It's honestly disgusting."
He hung up on me without another word.
I stared at the terminal diagnosis on the medical report.
Glancing at the terminal diagnosis on the medical report, I pulled out the IV drip from the back of my hand and called the funeral home. "Hi, I'd like to book the cheapest urn you have. Please arrange to collect the body tomorrow."
*****
The funeral home staff on the other end sounded very professional. "Got it, ma'am. The cheapest urn is 60 dollars."
"The address is Room 703, Building B, Circlewave Hospital," I said.
"And whose name should we put on the urn?" the staff asked.
I paused for a moment, then said, "Anna Carter, Richard Grant's fiancée."
After hanging up, I slumped against the cold wall and slid down to the floor.
A faint beam of light filtered in from the window at the end of the hallway, but it couldn't touch me at all.
The nurse hurried over and let out a gasp when she saw blood seeping from the IV mark on my hand. "Anna, why did you pull out the needle? That's dangerous."
She helped me up, her voice trembling with worry and care. "Are you short on money again? I've got some on me. Take it for now."
I shook my head and forced a bitter smile. "No, thank you."
*****
Back in my hospital room, I had lain down when the door was suddenly slammed open.
Richard stood in the doorway, icy from head to toe.
He threw his black card at me hard. "Anna, what are you up to now?"
The hard edge of the card slashed across my cheek, leaving a sharp, burning pain.
I didn't touch it.
"There's 30 thousand dollars on the card. That should cover your drama. Don't call me again," he snapped.
I met his gaze, speaking calmly. "600 thousand dollars. That's what I need for the surgery."
Richard scoffed, looking at her with obvious disdain, "600 thousand dollars? Anna, my patience is running thin.
"Your looks are the only reason I put up with you. Don't test my limits."
He was right. I looked like the one he could never let go of, his eternal first crush, Sophia Stone, Yvonne's older sister, who died young.
I was a knockoff, really, a stand-in he paid for, a living relic to mourn the one he lost.
I closed my eyes. "Richard, I'm not pretending. I'm really sick. I have acute myeloid leukemia. It's late-stage.
"The doctor said if I don't get a bone marrow transplant, I won't make it past a month."
The room was so quiet that it was almost scary.
A few seconds later, Richard scoffed, "You think I'd believe you? Three years ago, you used the same excuse. You said your mother was seriously ill and needed money.
"But your mother, a gambler, took the money straight to the casino.
"Besides, last month, Yvonne took you for a full check-up, and the report clearly showed all indicators were normal.
"Now you get a fake late-stage diagnosis to ask for money? Anna, do you really think I'm stupid?"
My heart clenched painfully. It hit me that he didn't believe me because of the health check report all along.
Last month, Yvonne claimed it was a company perk and forced me to go to a private hospital she chose.
It turned out she'd already sealed my fate back then.
It felt like someone punched me right in the heart.
Three years ago, he was standing right here too, eyes red-rimmed as he ran his fingers through my hair. "Anna, don't be afraid. I'll always be here for you. I'll make sure you never have to suffer, not a little."
But now, every word he said cut deeper than a knife.
Ever since that day, he stopped believing in me for good. "600 thousand dollars? Please. Even if it was 30 million, as long as Yvonne wants it, I'd hand it over without a second thought.
"But you? Don't dream of getting a single dollar from me."
He pushed me aside and strode out.
He walked away without a shred of hesitation, not glancing back.
The door slammed so hard that it echoed through the hospital room.
I slumped over the edge of the bed, hacking up a mouthful of blood.
The vivid red quickly spread across the pristine white sheets.
I let out a bitter laugh.
I wanted to tell Richard I was really sick, so sick that I was almost dead. But he would never realize it.