Chapter 3

Arthur said it so seriously, his eyes were bright and intense.

Back then, he was so scared of losing me. He'd hold my hand everywhere we went, and if I caught a cold, he'd be running around like a headless chicken, totally freaking out.

I lay down, my head on the side of the bed he always slept on.

No matter how many times I washed them, the scent still clung to the sheets, sweet and sickly.

I closed my eyes, and that dull ache in my stomach started up again.

The report was still stuffed in my bag. I'd only read it once. It said, "Malignant tumor, advanced stage. Immediate hospitalization recommended."

The doctor said I should let my family know.

I told him I didn't have any family.

He looked at me, and I understood his expression clearly. He felt pity for me, enduring this at such a young age.

It was fine. It would all be over soon.

I curled up on the bed, forehead pressed to my knees, waiting for the pain to pass.

Strangely enough, I dreamed about the first time I met Arthur.

We first met at a friend's birthday party.

The private room was crazy loud, and I was sitting alone in the corner, spacing out.

Arthur walked over, holding a drink, and took a seat right next to me.

Arthur asked, "Why aren't you up there singing?"

I said, "I'm not really good at singing."

He laughed. "Me neither. Looks like we'll just be awkward together."

I couldn't help but laugh at that.

He barely talked to anyone else that night, just sat next to me the whole time.

When things wrapped up, he walked me downstairs.

"I'm really lucky today," he said.

I asked, "Why?"

"Because I met you," he replied.

Back then, I thought he was a smooth talker.

But later, I realized he wasn't just saying it. He genuinely believed meeting me was the best luck he'd ever had.

Arthur chased after me for three months.

When I mentioned I wasn't sleeping well, he had some aromatherapy delivered to my office to help me relax.

I asked how he even knew where I worked, and he said I'd brought it up once in conversation. He remembered.

I tried to turn him down, telling him we barely knew each other and he didn't have to go out of his way for me.

Arthur shook his head. "Whether we're close or not doesn't matter. I want to take care of you."

My friends kept telling me, "Stop stringing him along. Seriously, where are you ever gonna find a guy like this?"

I was scared it was all just a phase for him, that he was chasing the thrill, and once he finally got me, he'd lose interest.

Three months later, on a rainy day, he showed up to pick me up after work.

Arthur held the umbrella for me, but ended up getting half his shoulder soaked.

Looking at him all drenched, I knew he was it for me.

"Let's be together," I said.

He froze for a couple of seconds, then grinned like an idiot. "Hold on a sec."

He ran out into the rain and came back, water dripping off him.

He was drenched, hugging a huge bouquet of roses to his chest like they were the most precious thing in the world.

The wrapping was all wrinkled, but when he shoved the flowers into my hands, his eyes were so bright it was almost ridiculous.

"I didn't really have anything prepared, but I want you to have these," Arthur said.

I held onto those roses until they dried up and crumbled, then finally tossed them out.

Once we started dating, he kept getting sweeter.

Every morning, he'd text me the weather and remind me to grab an umbrella.

He remembered every single one of my coworkers' names. Whenever I mentioned someone, he always knew who I meant.

He pinned me to the top of his WhatsApp, with my name saved as "Tia" and a little heart emoji after it.

I teased him for being childish, but he just grinned and said, "Yeah, I'm childish. So what?"

*****

The next morning, I was woken up by a knock at the door. It was Sonia, my neighbor.

She was standing there with a bowl of soup. When she saw my face, she looked shocked.

"Tia, you look like you've wasted away! How did you get so skinny?" Sonia blurted out.

I brushed it off. "It's nothing, just trying to lose a bit of weight."

Sonia wasn't convinced. She reached out and touched my forehead. "Whoa, you're burning up! You've got a serious fever."

I shook my head. "No, really, I just woke up. My face always gets red after sleeping."

She held onto my hand, then felt my wrist. "Girl, you're all skin and bones! Why are you even dieting? Are you sick or something?"

I shook my head.

"Tell me the truth, is Arthur treating you badly?" Sonia asked.

I forced a smile. "No, he treats me well."

Sonia looked at me and didn't press any further.

She set the soup down on the table and let out a sigh.

"If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. But remember, I'm right next door. If you ever need anything, just knock," she said.

She reached the door, then turned back. "Tia, if you ever feel wronged, don't try to shoulder it alone."

I stared at the bowl of mushroom soup, steam curling up from the surface, with slices of mushroom and a swirl of cream on top.

I picked it up and took a sip. It was scalding hot.

A tear fell right into the bowl.

I crouched on the kitchen floor and cried for a long time.

I hadn't done anything wrong. I never did Arthur dirty.

When he worked late, I waited up for him. When he came home drunk from business dinners, I made him soup. When he got flirty with other women, I pretended not to notice.

I was so scared of losing him that I ended up losing myself.

And now, I was about to lose my life.