Chapter 4

This was the price I paid for love.

The System said my body would decay within three days; the pain was natural. In a way, it was good. It would serve as a lasting lesson.

"It's nothing. I'm just a little tired," I said.

I lay exhausted on the bed, closed my eyes, and gradually drifted into sleep.

Suddenly, frantic shouting erupted outside.

Just as I was about to open the door, Gloria suddenly burst in, holding a broken clay sculpture covered in dirt. The sculpture was something our family of three had made together.

It still bore our fingerprints and handprints, a cherished family keepsake.

"Lorelai, I'm so sorry. I just wanted to get familiar with the place, but I accidentally tripped in the room. My hand swung and hit the sculpture..."

Her voice trembled, and her face was full of regret. "I really didn't mean to. I have no idea how this happened. I tried to catch it, but I couldn't."

She stood there with tears brimming in her eyes, as if she were about to break down at any moment.

"I'm sorry. You can punish me however you see fit," she said.

At that moment, Morgan rushed in anxiously. Seeing Gloria in such a state, he quickly ran to my side to plead for her.

"Mom, it's not Gloria's fault. She didn't mean it," he said.

I was still not fully awake, staring blankly at the pieces on the floor. I had placed this clay sculpture in a high spot; it was impossible to have knocked it down by accident.

I remembered Morgan clapping his little hands in excitement and shouting, "So beautiful! We're holding hands."

At this moment, I felt dizzy and lightheaded, my pale lips trembling slightly.

I said, "Morgan, we made this clay sculpture together. Back then, you said it was your favorite…"

Gloria suddenly knelt down and said, "Lorelai, if you're angry, then let me make it up to you. Whatever it takes. I won't stop until you forgive me."

When Morgan saw this, he hurriedly grabbed her hand, trying to pull her up, and cried out, "Mom, don't make things difficult for Gloria…"

Just then, Jairo had just returned home.

Jairo saw Gloria kneeling in front of a broken clay sculpture, looking confused for a moment, but then his expression turned furious. He had someone send Gloria away, and Morgan left with her.

Jairo walked up to me, his voice cold. "It's just a clay sculpture. If it's broken, make another one. Is it really such a big deal?"

It felt like a hammer had slammed into my chest. I stared at him blankly, eyes hollow.

Only after a long silence did I force myself to speak through the pain, my voice hoarse and trembling. "But it carries the happiness and memories of our family.

"The Jairo from before would never have treated it as something insignificant."

Jairo seemed struck by my words. His face suddenly turned pale, and he avoided my gaze.

"But the clay sculpture is already broken and cannot be restored. Are you really going to make Gloria kneel and atone for a clay sculpture?"

He wanted to take those fragments. "There is still time ahead. We can make a new clay sculpture and create new memories."

"That's not necessary." I avoided his hand, my voice low and firm. "Once it's broken, it's gone. It will never come back."

There wasn't much time left to come.

I picked up the pieces and walked under the sycamore tree in the garden. This was where the three of us used to play together.

Jairo stood quietly behind me, as if something had just been taken from his heart. He watched me closely and told Hope to keep an eye on me, afraid I would leave.

At night, I sat under the sycamore tree to rest, and Hope watched over me nearby.

She said, "Mrs. Harmon, even if you have an argument with Mr. Harmon, don't keep it bottled up. Holding it in could be bad for your health."

"Did I argue with Jairo?"

I paused, unable to remember.

It seemed I was close to losing my memory completely.

Upon hearing this, Hope was shocked, mouth agape. After a moment of silence, she spoke carefully. "Gloria will be moving in tomorrow."

"That's good."

I managed a faint smile.

Tomorrow, he brought another woman home to care for her for a lifetime. The System took me home too. In a way, it wasn't such a bad thing—both of us had a place to return to.

Hope thought I was just pretending to smile and grew teary-eyed.

"Mrs. Harmon... If you need to cry, go ahead," she said.

But I didn't shed tears. It was not a pretence. After thinking it over, I still couldn't figure out why I ever fell for Jairo.

I had forgotten all about our promises.

I tossed and turned all night from the pain, enduring until the crackling of fireworks began the next morning.

Soon after, the System alert I'd been waiting for finally sounded.

"Host, welcome home. A friendly reminder. the moment of death is very painful."

I smiled. "It's alright. I'm not afraid of pain."

In the next second, a splitting headache hit me, and I couldn't breathe no matter how wide I opened my mouth.

I was overwhelmed by a suffocating despair, helplessly twisting and turning in bed like I was drowning.

It hurt—just as much as I feared.

Hope, startled by the commotion, rushed in, frightened, and hurriedly dialed the phone while heading out.

She said, "Mrs. Harmon, what's wrong? I'll call an ambulance right away!"

"No need, thank... thank you." Despite the unbearable pain, I couldn't help but smile contentedly and said sincerely, "Hope, I... I'm going home."

She looked at me in shock, as if she understood something, tears streaming down her face.

Hope said, "Mrs. Harmon, take care."

At that moment, lively voices echoed from the villa entrance, along with a familiar, sweet voice. "Gloria, I'll care for you just as my cousin cares for you; from now on, this will be your home."

Amid warm wishes, I slowly took my final breath on the bed, fading into silence.