The day we were supposed to get our marriage license, Chloe Baker abandoned me to take care of her childhood sweetheart, Zack, who had threatened to slit his wrists. I called her to say I was feeling awful, but she was only impatient with me: “Zack is seriously hurt. Why don’t you have any sympathy? Why don’t you just say you’re dying too!” I didn’t argue against these venomous words, Because I really didn’t have much time left. I was planning to tell her today, But now I suddenly don’t want to. I will continue to be good to her, And then die in front of her on the day she loves me the most. On the day I was diagnosed with stomach cancer, I waited all morning outside city hall for Chloe Baker’s call. “Mia, let’s get our marriage license another day.” “Zack is really sick, he can’t be without me.” I sat numbly on the steps outside city hall, staring at the medical report in my hand. “Can’t someone else take care of him? A nurse, a part-time caregiver? Doesn’t he have any family?” I couldn’t help but feel anxious. I would never have asked such direct questions before. Sure enough, there was silence on the other end of the phone. The next second, a weak male voice suddenly appeared in my ear. “Chloe, can you feel my forehead? Do I have a fever?” The rustling sound of clothes rubbing against each other pierced my ears like needles. I couldn’t help but shout loudly, “Chloe Baker, do you still want to get married or not?” After a moment of confusion on the other end of the phone, she spoke with impatience. “I’m just checking Zack’s temperature, don’t overthink it.” My stomach suddenly burned with pain, “Chloe, I’m sick too. I need you too.” Her voice was very low, accompanied by footsteps and the sound of a door closing, tinged with irritation. “Zack is seriously hurt. Why don’t you have any sympathy? Why don’t you just say you’re dying too.” My body couldn’t help but tremble. I couldn’t hold back anymore. Covering the mouthpiece, I hugged the trash can by the roadside and threw up. I vomited until I was shaking, until there was nothing left to throw up. Maybe I was silent for too long. Her voice became shrill. “Mia Gray, I hate the silent treatment the most. If you’re going to be like this, I need to reconsider whether we should get married.” Before I passed out, I wanted to explain something. But the phone went dead with a beep. I collapsed next to the flower bed.
In my hazy state, I returned to the days I used to spend with Chloe Baker. I thought Chloe was my salvation. We were indeed very sweet once. When I worked overtime, she would keep me company in the office. When she started her company, I provided funding and office space. As her work got busier, I put aside my own work to be her temporary nanny and assistant. Two years after graduation, I thought everything was falling into place naturally, and I proposed to her for the first time. I spent three months preparing for this proposal. It ended in failure just because of Zack’s one sentence, “I’m back.” It was then that I learned Chloe had a childhood sweetheart, who was also her first love.
When I woke up, I was in the hospital. A kind person had sent me here and thoughtfully called my top contact. So when I opened my eyes, I saw Chloe Baker. She was frowning, with a hint of worry. Zack was right next to her. “Thank goodness, Mia, you’re finally awake. Chloe and I were so worried about you.” He stepped forward, thoughtfully blocking Chloe’s view of me. “But, I heard Chloe say you were the 2-mile run champion in college. How did you suddenly faint! And coincidentally, the person who saved you happened to call Chloe.” I glanced at Chloe, and a flicker of suspicion also passed through her eyes. I laughed self-mockingly. After all these years of giving my all to this relationship, I hadn’t even earned a shred of her trust. My tone was cold, “I heard you faint at the sight of blood, so is that why there’s conveniently only such a small wound on your wrist?” When Chloe was on the phone with me, I thought it was a serious injury. Now looking at it, there was just a small scrape on his wrist, not even a scar, just a red mark. Chloe rolled her eyes at me. “Zack is different from you. He’s an artist and values his hands the most. Even a small injury would affect his performance.” For the first time, I felt like Chloe had become someone I didn’t recognize. “Is it as serious as when I broke my hand for you?” He’s an artist, but I used to be one too. She used to say my hands were precious too. But to me, she was the most precious. In our junior year, we went on a plein air painting trip. She encountered a criminal in the middle of the night, and I stepped forward, holding onto the criminal without letting go, allowing her to escape. But my hand was broken as a result, leaving me with aftereffects, unable to feel the delicacy of a brush in my hand anymore. At that time, she was full of guilt towards me. She told me that no matter whether I could create good artwork in the future, I would always be the greatest artist in her heart. I remember every word she said. But her? She’s probably forgotten.
Chloe’s face turned ugly, “Everything you did for me was voluntary. I just said a few words, and you want to bring up old scores to emotionally blackmail me?” I suddenly felt very tired. When she scolded me in front of others, saying I was reaching above my station, I thought if only I tried a little harder. When she flirted with other guys, I thought it was because I wasn’t capable enough to make her look up to me. Later, when my career took off and I finally had the qualifications to be with her, she was sometimes aloof, sometimes sweet-talking. I thought it was because I hadn’t given her enough sense of security, so I wanted to give her everything I had. In the past, no matter how she treated me, I could always find a reason. But this time. I couldn’t find one. If she knew I was going to die, what would her attitude be? Would she have even a hint of regret? How long would she regret? After the regret, would she think she could finally be with her childhood sweetheart openly? My stomach hurt badly. I wasn’t resigned to dying like this. Even if just for a moment, I wanted her to feel the same pain I felt.
I lowered my eyelashes slightly, my voice low, showing a vulnerable appearance. “I’m sorry, you know I love you, that’s why I don’t want you to leave me.” There were feelings between Chloe and me. Not just because I was devoted enough to her, but also because my looks were good enough. I had the kind of appearance she liked, neither too dark nor too fair, with a good balance of gentleness and masculinity. Sure enough, her expression softened a bit. I seized the opportunity to add fuel to the fire, almost on the verge of tears. “We were so close to getting married.” “I don’t want to force you, but if you don’t have me in your heart, then let’s just go our separate ways, and I’ll never bother you again.” Humans. A species that likes to take advantage but will tell everyone they don’t care. Chloe obviously couldn’t escape this trait. She enjoyed my gentleness and possessed my emotions. She liked the sense of achievement of being unique in my world. But she was unwilling to admit this. However, she wouldn’t be willing to let me give up my investment in her either. Moreover, she had also invested some feelings in our relationship, more or less. Even if not much. She also felt she had given something. Sunk cost would make everyone feel they had lost out. She panicked. For a moment, I couldn’t tell if she was sincere or not. Her eyes were red, and she angrily rebuked my words, “What do you mean? Who said you could go your own way and leave me?!” I stared at her unblinkingly, took a deep breath, and turned to look out the window. My stomach was throbbing with pain. So was my heart. For a moment, I couldn’t distinguish between my own sincerity and pretense. “Chloe Baker, I’ve waited too long, I don’t want to wait anymore.”
Chloe eventually said some nice words to me. She said it was just bad timing before, and when she had time, she would go get our marriage license with me. Before she could finish speaking. Zack suddenly fainted. I watched his eyelashes flutter slightly as he closed his eyes, wanting to say something. The woman who had just made promises to me a second ago was now anxiously holding another man. She was shouting, “Doctor, help…” I couldn’t say anything anymore. Zack was carried away by the doctors. Chloe followed closely behind, pausing at the door and turning back. I unconsciously gripped the bedsheet tightly. Had she decided to stay and keep me company? Her voice was dry, “Mia, you probably just have low blood sugar. Now that you’re awake, go home early. Zack hasn’t been well these past few days, and only I understand his physical condition. I’m not comfortable with others taking care of him.” I see. I nodded understandingly. Hearing my voice, word by word. “Mm, this is just a minor illness for me. You go ahead, I’ll wait for you at home.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “I knew you would understand me.” With that, she left without looking back. Soon, I also got up to leave. The doctor stopped me, looking left and right. “You’re already in the late stages of stomach cancer, you must be hospitalized immediately. Where’s the family member who was just beside you?” I looked at him calmly. “That was her, my soon-to-be wife. She’s gone to take care of her ex-boyfriend.” The doctor looked embarrassed, but I didn’t care. “Doctor, I understand that this disease can’t be cured even if I try. Forget it.”
I went to the jewelry store to pick up the custom-made ring I had ordered. This ring was designed by Chloe and me together. It even had the initials of our names “MG&CB” engraved on it. Chloe didn’t like those rings that the store clerks said were uniquely designed by designers. She dragged me along to design it, and the jewelry store crafted it. Her eyes reflected my image, her smile dazzling, “This isn’t just a wedding ring we exchange at our ceremony, more importantly, when we wear this ring in the future, we’ll be able to think of and feel each other’s presence.” “After we’re married, wearing the ring will mean we won’t be lonely whether we’re by each other’s side or not, so it can’t be casual.” She held my hand as we drew designs, again and again. At that time, I thought her so-called childhood sweetheart wasn’t really important. Otherwise, why would she accept my proposal in the second week after my failed attempt? I was about to call a ride-share to go home. While waiting for the car, Zack and Chloe entered the jewelry store next door. He was teasing her, and her face was flushed. It seems the doctors at the hospital I went to were really skilled, there wasn’t a trace of illness on him. I was frozen, unable to move. It wasn’t until the ride-share driver called that I suddenly came back to my senses. “I’m sorry, something came up. I won’t be going.” Like a thief peeking at others’ happiness, I hid in a corner outside the window where they couldn’t see me. I found a store clerk at the entrance and gave her $50. After they came out of the store, I went in. She looked me up and down sympathetically. “Are you that woman’s boyfriend? That guy brought the woman to pick up a ring, said it was designed when they broke up.” “The woman was so touched she cried, she said she always knew he had designed a ring for her back then, it’s a rose, with their name initials.” “The woman asked the man if it was because she accepted Mia Gray’s proposal that he was stimulated into taking action…” I listened to this entire $50 worth of conversation like a wooden puppet. So, the idea for the ring came from Zack. She must have calculated it all when designing the ring. Even if Zack didn’t react after the proposal. One day, this ring would also stimulate Zack, reminding him of their loving relationship. She had always hoped Zack would never forget her, hoped Zack would regret. Accepting my proposal was just part of her plan to win Zack back. My heart turned to ashes. The last bit of love I had for Chloe Baker disappeared.
I made dinner at home and waited for her to return. As usual, I wore a gentle smile. I put Chloe’s bag on the rack. “You must be tired from accompanying your friend. I’ve made your favorite dishes.” She half-closed her eyes, enjoying my shoulder massage. On the dining table, the dishes were arranged neatly and cleanly. I smiled with narrowed eyes. “Chloe, do you remember what I said to you when I proposed the second time?” “How could I forget, you said you would never let me down, or else you’d die. You were too harsh.” “Then do you remember what you promised me?” “Huh?” “You said very seriously that if you ever let me down, you would never have peace for the rest of your life.” She seemed a bit dazed, avoiding my eyes. “Really? Did I say that? I can’t seem to remember clearly.” I chewed the meat bite by bite, smiling broadly. “It’s okay if you forgot, as long as I remember.” “Why are you bringing this up?” “Nothing, I was just thinking, you’ll definitely love me for a lifetime, right?”
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