Chapter 4
Lily's hysterical, almost crazed outburst sent a jolt of panic through Jason.
He had never seen her push back this hard before.
He swallowed his irritation and a flicker of unease, reaching out to wipe the tears from her face, his voice softening. "Why are you crying like you used to? If you don't want it, tell me. I could never bring myself to force you."
Normally, that teasing, smirking tenderness would have melted Lily in an instant.
But now, knowing the truth, Lily found his smirk disgustingly fake. Even glancing at him made her feel sick.
Jason saw Lily turn her head away, refusing to acknowledge him, and thought she was throwing a little tantrum. He leaned in, wanting to kiss her forehead like he used to, hoping to calm her down.
But Lily suddenly dodged, and his lips only grazed her hair.
Jason stiffened, a flash of irritation in his eyes, but he quickly covered it up.
He remembered what he really wanted to say, deliberately making his voice sound heavy. "Honey, my condition's gotten worse.
"The doctor says the kidney transplant has to be moved up. It's scheduled for three days from now."
He took Lily's cold hand in his, his voice full of dreams for their future together. "Once the surgery goes well, I'll finally be able to grow old with you. Honey, I love you so much."
Lily bit down hard on her lip, turning her head away. Tears streamed silently from the corners of her eyes, soaking a large patch of the pillow in an instant.
She knew it wasn't Jason who was running out of time—it was Sophie. All his sweet words and fake promises were meant to trick Lily into handing over her kidney to Sophie.
Too bad, this time Jason was going to be truly disappointed.
By the day after tomorrow, Lily'd already be gone from Sagrity, leaving behind this heart-shattering hell for good.
The first thing Lily had to do before leaving was to hand over the shop she'd poured her heart and soul into.
It was meant to be proof of all the hardships she and Jason had faced together, but now, looking back, it felt like nothing but a cruel joke.
*****
Squished in the crowded bus, Lily couldn't help but open Sophie's social feed again. It was like she was punishing herself, wanting to see how shameless Sophie and Jason could really get.
The latest post was a photo.
In the background, a table was loaded with all kinds of fancy, artfully arranged health food. Up close, an elegant, well-manicured hand, clearly belonging to someone used to luxury, was holding out a spoon.
The caption read: [I'm so sick of this imported bird's nest. I could puke. It's honestly torture.
[Someone actually hired ten top chefs to take turns cooking for me just so I could eat properly. Honestly, what am I supposed to do with him?]
Lily knew that hand all too well.
It was Jason's.
He'd used those hands to wipe her sweat, to cook meals that tasted awful but still touched her, and so many times, when she was tired, he'd awkwardly but gently pat her hair.
Autumn was here, and it was freezing. The bus windows were all fogged up, making the city outside a blur.
Lily stared at Jason's hand in the photo, her eyes getting wet again. It was not because she was moved, but because of the sheer irony and heartbreak.
Lily still remembered how, a couple years back, that viral strawberry milkshake took the city by storm.
At the time, she'd poured every penny she had into her pastry shop. Every day, she'd walk past that fancy milkshake store, her mouth watering. She'd linger for a moment, but she never let herself splurge.
That milkshake was a sweetness she never dared to dream of in her bleak, barren life.
On her birthday, Jason crept up behind Lily, playfully covering her eyes, then set a small, exquisitely wrapped box in front of her. His voice was bubbling with excitement and surprise.
"Honey, surprise. I know you've been wanting this milkshake for a long time!" Jason said.
The cake was cheap, but to Lily, it was more precious than anything else in the world.
Lily's eyes instantly welled up with tears, completely overwhelmed. She couldn't bear to take the first sip herself, so she offered it to Jason. "Honey, you go first."
But Jason shook his head, gazing at her softly. "Honey, you eat it. I'm not really into sweets."
Back then, Lily thought he was being sweet, saving the best for her. Her heart was overflowing with happiness.
But now, it finally dawned on her that what flashed in his eyes wasn't a polite excuse, but a subconscious disdain.
Jason, the spoiled heir of the Johnson family, used to gourmet food and luxury, would never touch anything from a cheap milkshake shop.