Sean Quinn was signing organ donation papers when Lucy Lawson’s call came in. “Chad’s flight is at 5 PM. Make sure you’ve cleared out your stuff by 3 PM. I don’t want him to be upset.” As soon as she hung up, Lucy sent her usual money transfer notification. Sean smiled wryly. After five years, he still hadn’t managed to warm her heart. But none of that mattered now. He was dying anyway. At the hospital, the doctor explained, “Mr. Quinn, we need a direct family member to sign off on organ donation. Do you have anyone who can…?” Sean looked at where the doctor was pointing on the form, feeling a pang of bitterness. He thought back to five years ago. His parents had died in a car accident, leaving him alone in the world. Besides Lucy, he had no close family left. But he didn’t want Lucy to know about his condition. So he forced himself to ask, “If I consent myself, is that not enough?” The doctor considered for a moment before replying, “It’s hospital policy. Given your current condition, you likely only have about a month left. You really should inform your family. Especially since your records show you’re married – we can’t proceed with donation without your wife’s consent.” Although Sean didn’t want to accept that he had terminal leukemia at only 30 years old, it was his reality now. He had no choice. He thanked the doctor and left with the organ donation forms. In truth, he had decided to donate any usable parts of his body as soon as he was diagnosed. Even if there wasn’t much they could use, at least his corneas could help someone. Sean checked the time. He had two hours before Lucy’s deadline. Enough time to visit Mrs. Lee, the housekeeper who had worked for Lucy’s family for 20 years. Mrs. Lee had gone blind from corneal disease three years ago. For the past three years, the Lawson family had sent Sean as their representative to visit her. Over time, Mrs. Lee had grown very fond of Sean. She saw him as her own child and always thought of him first whenever she had anything nice to share. Sean walked in to find Mrs. Lee sitting on the couch drinking tea. Hearing his footsteps, she immediately called out, “Sean, is that you?” Sean smiled. “Your hearing is so sharp, you knew it was me right away!” Mrs. Lee laughed. “I may not recognize everyone, but I’d know your footsteps anywhere.” She handed him a small cake from beside her. “Lucy brought these earlier.” Then she asked curiously, “Why didn’t you two come together?” Sean hesitated. “When was she here?” Mrs. Lee sounded surprised. “Not long ago at all.” She took Sean’s hand. “Are you two having problems?” She didn’t voice her other thought – why had Lucy been with a strange man? Sean and Lucy’s marriage had been one of convenience, arranged when Lucy’s family was pressuring her to settle down. Although Lucy had a boyfriend at the time, he was from a poor background. Under relentless pressure from the Lawsons, he had eventually been forced to move abroad. Lucy had spiraled into depression afterwards, losing herself in partying and drinking. Worried, her family had hired a therapist for her – Sean. Sean had fallen for Lucy the moment he saw her. But Lucy despised Sean, saying he reeked of bookishness and wasn’t manly at all. Sean didn’t let it bother him. He patiently tried to counsel Lucy each day, telling her stories to cheer her up. Even when she covered her ears and turned her back, Sean never got angry. He understood that people who’d been hurt were often emotionally volatile – especially someone like Lucy. Over time, Lucy seemed to dislike Sean less. She started to accept his guidance. Later, when the Lawsons again pressured Lucy to go on arranged dates, she had suddenly grabbed Sean’s hand and declared, “Fine, I’ll get married – but I choose him!” Sean had been stunned. He thought Lucy had genuinely changed her mind about him and developed feelings. But then Lucy presented him with a marriage contract, and he realized she was just using him to avoid the arranged dates. Thinking of all this, Sean took a deep breath and reassured Mrs. Lee with a smile. “No, everything’s fine. She’s just busy with work and our schedules don’t line up, so we couldn’t come together.” Sean then slipped a bank card into Mrs. Lee’s hand. “My job situation is changing, so I may not be able to visit for a long time. Please keep this card and use it for anything you need. Don’t deprive yourself.” Sean glanced at the time. Before Mrs. Lee could respond, he was already heading out. He needed to get back to the mansion before Lucy’s deadline. After five years, he knew Lucy’s temper all too well – if he didn’t do as she said today, she’d surely throw a fit and trash the place again. More importantly, he still hoped to get Lucy to sign the forms. With her signature, he could go through with the donation process and help restore Mrs. Lee’s sight. So he had to hurry back. Sean arrived at the mansion at 2:30 PM. The yard was as quiet as ever. He took out his key, but before he could open the door, Lucy yanked it open from inside.
“Do you have no sense of time? Or are you doing this on purpose?” Lucy snapped. Sean replied calmly, “Of course not. Didn’t we agree on 3 PM? I didn’t expect you back so soon.” Lucy retorted, “The flight was moved up. Is that not allowed?!” Sean said nothing. Lucy had always treated him this way, with her naturally volatile temper. So for the five years of their marriage, Sean had gone along with her wishes in everything, afraid of upsetting her. Because he loved her. But Lucy was different. Whenever something made her happy, she would transfer money to Sean, wanting to make it clear that he only got paid if he kept her happy. Sean went to the bedroom to pack his things. Lucy had told him yesterday that once her ex-boyfriend Chad returned, their marriage of convenience would be over. So he was being considerate by packing up now. As he reached the stairs, Chad emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel. Their eyes met, and Sean felt a stab of pain in his heart. “What are you staring at? Do you want Chad to keep looking at you?” Lucy’s harsh words came from behind. Sean’s hands instinctively clenched. Of course he wanted to leave quickly, but Chad was blocking his path with his arm, clearly not intending to let Sean pass. Sean started up the stairs, but Chad still didn’t move. “Mr. Quinn, you haven’t changed your shoes. Aren’t you worried about tracking germs into the room?” Chad’s provocation was blatant, but Lucy saw nothing wrong with it. She grabbed Sean’s shirt and ordered in an icy tone, “Didn’t you hear what Chad said? What are you waiting for?” Sean changed into disposable slippers. Lucy had said before that Chad was a germaphobe who didn’t like others using his things. Before coming back, Sean had slipped the organ donation form into the divorce papers. Lucy had never paid much attention to Sean, so when he handed her the documents, she barely glanced at them. Seeing “Divorce Agreement” at the top, she immediately signed. Sean flipped to the next page – the organ donation form. He only exposed the signature line. Lucy signed without looking, just as carelessly. With everything settled, Sean let out a small sigh. He finished packing and was about to leave when Chad suddenly stepped in front of him. “This mansion is so big, and Lucy’s family has so many valuables. You’re not…” Chad was clearly accusing Sean of theft. Sean ignored him, but Chad continued questioning and wouldn’t let him pass. By chance, Chad bumped into the door frame. When Lucy entered, Chad was crouched on the ground holding his forehead. Sean stood nearby, his face expressionless. Lucy rushed over and shoved Sean aside. “Are you insane?! Why would you do that to Chad?!” Lucy pushed Sean hard. He lost his balance and hit his head on the bookshelf. Blood immediately began seeping from the wound. Sean quickly pressed a tissue to the injury. With leukemia, any bleeding was dangerous. Even a small cut could lead to uncontrolled bleeding or infection.
But Lucy didn’t know and didn’t care. She threw Sean’s suitcase out the door and warned him, “Get out of my sight. Now.” Sean hadn’t eaten all day due to his medical tests that morning. Weakness from hunger left him barely able to stand. Seeing this, Chad grabbed Lucy’s hand. “Baby, it hurts so much. Can you take me to see a doctor? It really hurts…” Lucy glared at Sean one last time. “You’d better be gone before I get back. Otherwise, don’t blame me for what happens.” With that, she left supporting Chad, completely ignoring Sean who was still bleeding. Sean slumped in the corner, gasping for breath. He had still held out hope for Lucy before, but now he was utterly disappointed. He thought of how busy and tiring his days had been, always running around for Lucy. But he had been happy then, because he loved her. Now, he didn’t want that anymore. His life was counting down, but he still wanted to cherish the time he had left. Sean forced himself up and stumbled outside to hail a taxi. He leaned his whole body against the seat, trying to keep his forehead flat to slow the bleeding. By the time he reached the hospital, Sean was deathly pale. His weakness caused him to stumble and fall several times. Finally, a kind stranger helped him into the emergency room. Sean lay on the bed, his consciousness fading. But he could still feel the doctors and nurses working frantically to stop the bleeding. The pain made him forget that Lucy and Chad were there too. As Lucy passed by the ER, a nurse called out Sean’s name. Lucy paused and asked, “Which Sean Quinn?” Chad pulled her arm. “It’s a common name. Isn’t your Sean Quinn at home?” Lucy instinctively looked back, but seeing Chad’s jealous expression, she quickly let go of the nurse. The couple disappeared down the hallway. Meanwhile, Sean had been moved to intensive care due to excessive blood loss. Fortunately, the hospital had Sean’s emergency contact information. Otherwise, he might have died there without any family present. Mrs. Lee rushed to the hospital. After hearing the doctor’s explanation and plea, she collapsed to the ground. She couldn’t believe that Sean, who had seemed perfectly healthy, now had terminal leukemia. And he only had about a month left. It was even more painful than when she had learned she was going blind. Mrs. Lee stood in front of the ICU with tears streaming down her face. The beeping of the machines made her heart clench with worry. As time ticked by, nurses began filing out of the room. Mrs. Lee hurried to ask about Sean’s condition, only to be sternly reprimanded: “What kind of family are you? You knew the patient couldn’t be injured at this stage. How could you be so careless? It’s lucky we were able to stop the bleeding in time. If we couldn’t control it, it could have been life-threatening!” Mrs. Lee stood there in shock, not knowing how to respond to the nurse’s accusations. But she knew Sean’s injury must have something to do with Lucy. Before Mrs. Lee could say anything, the doctor announced: “The patient is awake. You can go in now!”
Mrs. Lee hurried inside. Sean lay weakly on the bed. Seeing Mrs. Lee, his heart ached. When the hospital had insisted on an emergency contact, he hadn’t thought much of it. He assumed that by being careful, he wouldn’t have any emergencies. Under pressure from the hospital, he had reluctantly given Mrs. Lee’s number. He hadn’t wanted Mrs. Lee to know, worried it would be too much for her health. But now, there was no way to hide it. “Sean…” Mrs. Lee choked out. Sean raised his arm with effort and softly called, “Mrs. Lee…” Their hands clasped tightly. Mrs. Lee fought back tears as she held Sean’s hand to her cheek. “How could you be so foolish? Getting sick without anyone by your side – how can I not worry about you?” Sean’s throat tightened, but he still forced a smile to reassure her. “It’s okay, I’m much better now!” Though Mrs. Lee couldn’t see, her heart wasn’t blind. She guessed that Sean hadn’t told Lucy about his illness. She also guessed that Lucy and Sean’s problems must be because of that man. But she couldn’t ask or say anything. With Lucy’s temper, confronting her now would only result in her blaming everything on Sean. Besides, Mrs. Lee wanted to respect Sean’s decision. If he chose not to tell Lucy, he must have his reasons. Mrs. Lee wiped away her tears and turned to instruct Fiona to prepare some light food for Sean. Though she couldn’t see, she could sense how weak Sean was right now. Fiona was the caretaker Sean had found for Mrs. Lee. She quickly ran out of the hospital. When Fiona first came to work for Mrs. Lee, it was Sean who taught her about the local foods and Mrs. Lee’s preferences. Whenever Fiona accidentally broke something, Sean never scolded her. Instead, he would reassure her, “Don’t be afraid. Mrs. Lee won’t be angry. I’ll get her new ones.” He treated Fiona like his own little sister. When Fiona was upset about something, she would always go to Sean to talk. They could discuss anything. But now Sean was sick, and Fiona felt like her world was crumbling. She was terrified of losing Sean – of losing the person who had protected her, taught her, and guided her for the past three years. She walked along crying, too caught up in her sad thoughts to notice Lucy approaching. The two collided and fell to the ground. Lucy immediately lashed out, “Are you blind?! Can’t you watch where you’re going?!” It took Fiona a moment to come to her senses. When she saw Lucy in Chad’s arms, her expression changed. “What are you doing here?” she asked in surprise. Lucy’s eyes widened. “Is Mrs. Lee not feeling well?!” Fiona was about to answer when Chad let out a pained cry, clutching his forehead. Lucy forgot everything else and rushed to support Chad. By the time she looked back, Fiona had vanished into the crowd. In the hospital room, Sean seemed to sense something was wrong. He gritted his teeth and reached for his phone. Before he could touch it, Lucy’s call came through. Sean glanced at Mrs. Lee, then turned the volume down low before answering. “Sean Quinn, what the hell are you doing? Do you know I just saw Mrs. Lee’s caretaker at the hospital? If anything’s happened to Mrs. Lee, you’re in big trouble!” Lucy’s angry words exploded in Sean’s ear. He swallowed painfully before replying, “I understand. She’s fine, just picking up some medication.” Sean felt awful and had no energy to argue with Lucy. He also didn’t want her to know he was sick. He didn’t want her pitiful sympathy, and he knew that even if she found out, she wouldn’t feel sorry for him. She would just blame him for being careless. So this time, he chose to stay silent. Lucy paused, sensing something odd about Sean today. Usually when she lost her temper, Sean would immediately apologize. But this time, he didn’t say anything to placate her. He was clearly brushing her off. Before she could say more, Sean hung up. This was the final straw for Lucy. She quickly started the car, ignoring Chad’s reaction beside her, and floored the gas pedal. Throwing open the mansion doors, she screamed Sean’s name in a shrill voice. But the house was eerily quiet. Even the magpies that usually chattered in the trees were silent. Lucy grew angrier. She stormed upstairs and kicked open the study door. But the room was empty except for a pool of blood on the floor. There was no sign of Sean. Lucy’s brow furrowed as she approached the blood. After confirming it was human blood, Lucy’s heart began to race. She took out her phone and called Sean. The call rang for a few seconds before being rejected. A text message quickly followed: “Emergency at work. Will get my luggage soon.” Lucy’s heart sank like a stone. She felt oppressed and irritated. Sean had never refused her calls before. No matter how busy he was, he would always answer just before the last ring. But this time… She glanced at the suitcase by the door, suddenly feeling dissatisfied. What work emergency? And that pool of blood – this was clearly intentional, an excuse to avoid moving out. With that thought, she headed for the door. She wanted to confront Sean face-to-face about this childish trick. Did he have no shame? But she had only taken a few steps when Chad stopped her. “Lucy, my injury really hurts. Can you help me treat it again? You know how much I hate pain…” Lucy’s outstretched foot retracted. She looked at the suitcase outside, then back at the weak Chad. That’s right, he had always hated pain. Even for small bumps and scrapes, he would dramatically grab her arm and beg her to kiss it better. Let alone now. Lucy helped Chad up and got some cotton swabs to gently dab at his forehead. At that moment, everything else was forgotten, replaced by Chad’s cries of pain.
Three days later, Sean was discharged from the hospital. His first priority was to go to the mansion to retrieve his luggage. However, the door code had been changed. Lucy and Chad weren’t home, so Sean couldn’t get in. He checked the time. Waiting indefinitely wasn’t an option. Reluctantly, he called Lucy. When the call connected, Chad’s cold, mocking voice came through: “Lucy and I are on vacation in the Gold Mountain district. If Mr. Quinn isn’t in a hurry, perhaps he could wait for us outside the door for a while?” Sean paused. There was an important patient list in his suitcase. Plus, his body was growing weaker by the day. If he couldn’t get it today, who knew when the next chance would come. So he asked meekly, “About how long will it be?” Chad sneered, “That depends on my mood.” Sean glanced at the time. “I’m afraid I can’t wait that long. Could you send me the door code? I’ll just grab my luggage and go.” Chad suddenly laughed loudly. “How can I do that? With no one home, if you leave with your suitcase and something goes missing, how would we know?” Sean’s throat tightened, but before he could say anything, Chad hung up. Sean huddled by the mansion door, silently waiting for Lucy’s return. Time ticked by slowly. The cold seeped into his bones, but there was still no sign of Lucy. Just as the sun was setting, a black Rolls-Royce slowly pulled into the driveway. Seeing Sean curled up by the door, Lucy’s eyes instantly darkened. She quickly opened the car door and walked over to Sean. “What are you doing here? It’s freezing – couldn’t you find somewhere to take shelter?” Sean opened his eyes. Seeing Lucy’s angry expression, he swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue and simply said, “I came to get my suitcase.” Lucy’s face immediately darkened. “You’re that eager to leave? In such a rush to move out?” Sean said nothing, just stood silently by the door waiting for Lucy to open it. “The old lock broke. I wasn’t home during the day, so I changed it for safety,” Lucy explained. Sean was momentarily surprised. Was she actually explaining herself to him? The door opened. Sean didn’t go in, since only Lucy and Chad’s slippers were by the entrance. “Could you bring it out for me please?” Lucy glanced inside reflexively. “Chad doesn’t like disposable slippers, so we threw them out.” Her eyes flickered slightly as she spoke. “Why don’t you come in? After waiting so long, you could at least have some hot water.” Sean gave a small smile. “I have other things to do. I won’t intrude.” As he spoke, Chad brought the suitcase out. Lucy seemed to want to say something more, but Sean took the suitcase and left. Snow was falling heavily. Sean’s figure looked lonely and desolate as he walked away. For some reason, in that moment, Lucy felt Sean had changed. He seemed thinner, more silent. In any case, he was completely different from before. Sean rushed to his workplace with the suitcase. He handed over the patient list and his resignation letter to the director, Dr. Li Changshan. In his five years as a psychotherapist, Sean had cured numerous patients with mental illnesses. But when it came to himself, he was helpless. Dr. Li’s face was filled with worry and regret. “Actually, with current medical technology, there have been cases of leukemia being cured. Your father-in-law…” “That won’t be necessary,” Sean said with a smile. “I’ve already been examined. The time I have left is limited. I don’t want to waste it on treatment, especially for an incurable disease.” Dr. Li sighed. “If you need anything in the future, just let me know. I’ll do whatever I can to help.” Hearing this, Sean said: “Nothing else, just one thing – please don’t tell the Lawson family about my illness and resignation.” “I’m afraid they couldn’t handle it.” His confident tone and serious expression didn’t arouse any suspicion from Dr. Li. On the contrary, the director reluctantly agreed. Sean left the hospital with his suitcase. He had promised Mrs. Lee he would stay with her for his remaining time, so he headed straight for her house. Halfway there, Sean suddenly stopped. Whether from the day’s exhaustion or the cold weather, his nose had started bleeding again. He tilted his head back, using his hand to wipe away the blood while trying to let it flow back down his nose. The strong iron taste spread through his throat, making him cough violently. Just then, his phone rang. Sean kept his head tilted back, not looking at the caller ID. When he answered, Lucy’s voice came through: “Do you cook white fungus soup with cold water or hot water? Chad is sick and I’m not sure how to make it. Could you…” “Cold water,” Sean interrupted before she could finish. “Add the ingredients once the water boils. Cook it as long as you think is needed.” Sean’s voice was hoarse with exhaustion, sounding somewhat detached. But to Lucy, it seemed deliberately cold. “You don’t have to be like this. I only asked you to move out temporarily. I didn’t say you could never come back. Why are you making such a big deal of it and giving me the cold shoulder?” Sean suddenly laughed. Him giving her the cold shoulder? She only asked him to “move out temporarily”? Their contract had expired. They had both signed the papers. She had been so quick to sign. Now everything was settled. Sean said nothing and hung up. He was in pain and had no energy to argue with her. But Lucy reacted as if severely provoked. She began calling Sean’s number over and over. Sean carried his suitcase with one hand while covering his bleeding nose with the other. By the time his phone died and he stepped into Mrs. Lee’s house, the ringing in his pocket had finally stopped. Fiona quickly brought a basin of hot water and carefully helped Sean clean up. Blood trickled down from his nose, staining the front of his shirt red. Fiona immediately burst into tears. Her voice shook as she choked out, “Does it hurt…?” Sean smiled and shook his head. “It’s just a nosebleed. Even healthy people get them sometimes. It doesn’t hurt.” But Fiona knew Sean was just trying to reassure her. How could bleeding from leukemia be the same as a normal nosebleed? Sean was propped up on pillows. He had just closed his eyes when urgent knocking came from the door. Fiona hurried to answer. As soon as she opened it, her throat tightened instinctively. “Is Sean Quinn here?” Lucy demanded aggressively. Fiona was momentarily stunned by Lucy’s forceful tone. Lucy pushed past her and strode inside. Seeing Sean lying on the couch covered in blood, her eyes instantly darkened. “What happened to you?” Sean was taken aback. This was the first time in five years she had asked about his wellbeing. It almost gave him the illusion that she cared. But illusions are just illusions. Just as Sean was about to speak, Lucy’s phone rang. He didn’t need to guess to know who was on the other end. “Lucy, where are you? I feel so awful. Please don’t leave me, okay?” Chad’s voice came through. Hearing Chad, Lucy seemed to snap out of a trance. She stared directly at Sean. “Chad is sick. He wants the white fungus soup you make. Come back with me. I’ll pay you for your work.” Hearing this, Sean’s chest began to heave violently. So this was how little she thought of him. Before Sean could respond, Fiona angrily cut in: “Your boyfriend is feeling unwell, so why do you need Sean to serve him? Sean is unwell too! If you want to take care of someone, do it yourself!” She planted herself firmly in front of Sean. This scene instantly ignited Lucy’s already foul mood. She roughly shoved Fiona aside, then grabbed Sean’s arm to pull him out. Sean’s nosebleed had just stopped, but the weakness in his body lingered. He pulled his arm free and told Lucy in an extremely faint voice, “I can’t go. I’m not feeling well.” But Lucy acted as if she hadn’t heard. “You just have a nosebleed. Chad has a fever. It’s just one bowl of soup. I’ll pay you, isn’t that enough?” She kept trying to drag Sean out as she spoke. In their struggle, Sean accidentally tripped on a stone by the doorway. Fresh blood immediately covered his face. Lucy flailed her hands helplessly. “Why is there so much blood?” Fiona ran over screaming, “Lucy Lawson, haven’t you hurt Sean enough?!” “He’s dying!”
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