**Chapter 1** I sat in the hospital, listening to the doctor’s question. “Ms. Hayes, are you certain you want to donate all your organs?” “Yes, I am.” The words slipped out, followed by a faint smile, a sense of pure liberation. The doctor paused, then urged again, “Even though the cancer is in its mid-to-late stages, active treatment might prolong your life.” My smile deepened. I shook my head without hesitation. “No need, Doctor. I’ve been wishing for death every single day. I probably only have about a month left. When that day comes, I’ll notify the hospital in advance. Please donate all my organs to help more people. Thank you.” Still smiling, I rose and left. The doctor watched me go, his face full of surprise. He had never seen a patient so actively seeking death. As I stepped out of the hospital, Damon Blackwood’s call came through. His cold voice, tinged with a low rumble, asked, “Where did you take a day off to today?” My fingers, clutching the phone, stiffened slightly. I didn’t tell him the truth. “Just a cold.” The person on the other end clearly wasn’t genuinely concerned. “VIP room 314 at the Riverbend Club. Come over.” I didn’t argue. I rushed there immediately. Entering the private room, I found many of Damon’s business partners. “Ah, Assistant Scarlett is here! We’ve heard so much about you. They say you can drink anyone under the table?” “We heard you’ve closed quite a few deals just by drinking. You have to show us your skills today!” “If you can finish these ninety-nine shots on the table, today’s deal is sealed!” From the nearby sofa, Damon’s lips curved into an unreadable smile. He spoke nonchalantly, “Don’t disappoint me.” Everyone watched expectantly, and I didn’t decline. I smiled, picking up a shot glass. “Alright, here goes nothing.” One shot after another went down. A searing pain quickly spread through my stomach. For someone with stomach cancer, the pain was amplified tenfold. My face was ashen, my hands trembling. But I didn’t stop, drinking glass after glass. Damon, from start to finish, merely watched me with cold indifference. Finally, under everyone’s astonished gaze, all ninety-nine shots were gone. I finished the last one. The room erupted in applause. “Incredible! Truly incredible!” Cold sweat beaded on my forehead, but I managed a strained smile. One of the partners seemed very interested in me. “Assistant Scarlett, you’re wasting your talent with Mr. Blackwood. Look at how he treats you, no consideration for a lady. Why don’t you switch to my company?” I smiled faintly, softly declining. “Thank you for the kind offer, but Mr. Blackwood is a good boss.” “I’ll offer you triple the salary!” Yet, I shook my head, unwavering. Everyone looked puzzled. “Why won’t you leave?” My smile faded slightly. “I’m staying here to pay a debt.” The partner, assuming I owed money to the Blackwood Corporation, sighed in regret and dropped the matter. In the end, the deal was closed. The gathering dispersed, and night had fallen. The driver pulled up from a distance to pick us up. I instinctively got into the passenger seat. Damon never liked me sitting beside him. The car stopped outside my apartment building. I quietly thanked the driver and stepped out, exhausted. I was so tired that I didn’t notice Damon had followed me. He watched my stumbling steps, his dark eyes deepening. I remained oblivious until I reached my floor and fumbled with my keys at the door. Suddenly, someone grabbed my wrist, spun me around, and pinned me against the wall. The motion-activated light in the hallway flickered on. The next second, Damon seized my chin and kissed me. The kiss was intense and prolonged, leaving me breathless. After a long moment, he finally let go. He was the one who forced the kiss, yet the corners of his eyes were red, his voice trembling. “Always putting on this act, are you trying to make me feel sorry for you? Why didn’t you leave when others tried to poach you, Scarlett? Why won’t you go!” I gasped for air, trying desperately to compose myself. “I need to stay and pay for my sins.” That statement enraged Damon even further. He slammed his fist into the wall. The hatred in his eyes was like sharp blades, tearing me apart. “Then why don’t you just die? Go on, die!” I gave a bitter laugh. *As you wish. I’m already dying.* Just as I was about to speak, Damon’s phone rang. I looked down and saw the name on the screen: Serena. His current fiancée. Seeing Serena’s call, Damon’s breathing hitched. He turned his back, seemingly composing himself. When he answered, his voice was deep and gentle, as if he had reverted to the refined Mr. Blackwood everyone knew. “Serena.” I don’t know what she said, but his expression shifted. The next second, he released me, said nothing, and walked away. I leaned against the wall, and once his silhouette vanished, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I unlocked the door, rushed into the bathroom, and began to vomit violently. I vomited until I felt faint, and when I finally looked up, the toilet bowl was filled with my own blood. Large, dark patches… a horrifying red. Numbly, I flushed the toilet. I tried to stand but collapsed from exhaustion, passing out completely. I had a dream. I dreamt of college, under the sycamore trees, walking with Damon and Cassie. Cassie tugged at my arm, whining, “Scarlett, my department has a mixer with the law faculty this weekend. Will you come with me?” Damon’s face darkened slightly. He immediately pulled me closer. “Cassie, did I say you could borrow my girlfriend?” “Oh, come on, big brother, you’re so stingy!” Those were… such beautiful times. I was an orphan from a young age. I met Cassie in college, and we became best friends. Damon was Cassie’s older brother, the notoriously unattainable heartthrob of the school, distant, elegant, and famously aloof. He’d toss out stacks of love letters every day. At first, I was even afraid to talk to him. But Damon always seemed to appear in my sight. He’d organize my notes, accompany me to the library, and drive me home. Once, he braved a heavy rainstorm to pick me up when I didn’t have an umbrella. Standing together under a single umbrella, I finally couldn’t help but ask, “Damon, are you only this nice to me because of Cassie?” The young man, his face stern, cornered me against the wall. “Scarlett, you’re incredibly dense. I’ll tell you right now why I’m so good to you!” With that, he cupped the back of my head and kissed me. After that day, we were together. Until five years ago, right before our wedding. Cassie and I went to see a movie. It was late, and we walked down an alley, where we ran into a few drunk thugs. They were clearly intoxicated, spouting obscene words, and blocked our way, refusing to let us leave. We were just two young girls, trembling with fear. Finally, Cassie used all her strength to hold back the thugs, screaming, “Scarlett, run! Run!” I knew we were no match for those drunkards, so I ran. I ran to the street across to call for help. But when I returned with people, the alley was eerily silent. The drunkards had long gone, leaving behind a chaotic scene. Cassie lay on the ground, brutally assaulted, covered in blood, and no longer breathing. When Damon arrived, he saw his sister’s mangled body. In that state, anyone could tell what kind of torment she had endured. His mind went blank. He grabbed my hands, his voice filled with pain and despair, “Why did you run? Why did you leave her alone? Scarlett, why did you run!” I couldn’t answer. I hated myself more than anyone. Later, the Blackwood family refused to forgive me. I lost my best friend and turned the man I loved into an enemy. Thankfully, now I’m dying. I can go and personally apologize to Cassie, and Damon can finally be free. **Chapter 2** “No! Cassie! Run!” I woke up, my face drenched in tears, to find myself lying in my own bed. My blood-stained clothes had been changed. Someone was sitting by the bed – it was Ryan Thompson. Ryan was my college classmate. He had been in love with me for years, but with Damon in the picture, he never dared to confess his feelings, quietly taking care of me instead. Now, he held my crumpled lab report, reading each word over and over. Ryan was a doctor; he knew what that test result meant. His eyes were red, and he asked tremblingly, “You have stomach cancer?” I emerged from the abyss, gradually regaining my composure. I took a deep breath, slowly wiped away my tears, and nodded. Ryan abruptly stood up. “Then why were you still drinking? Damon forced you, didn’t he?” I lowered my gaze, remaining silent. But Ryan could easily guess. His heart ached. He immediately grabbed my hand. “You can’t go on like this. You have to leave him now and get admitted for treatment!” However, I pulled my hand back. I forced a smile. “It’s not that serious. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of myself.” “Do you know this is cancer…” “I don’t want to be hospitalized, Ryan. Just let me decide for myself.” Seeing my determined expression, Ryan knew he couldn’t persuade me. He also knew that Cassie’s death five years ago was a hurdle I couldn’t overcome. That’s why I became Damon’s personal assistant as a form of atonement. That’s why, no matter what Damon did to me, I wouldn’t refuse. Ryan couldn’t change my mind. He stayed to take care of me all night, returning to the hospital early the next morning. I, too, hurried to work. Today, I was to accompany Damon to an important event. But I wasn’t his date; I was just his assistant. Serena was his date. Seeing me, Serena’s face was full of scorn. “Scarlett, I truly admire you. How can you still shamelessly cling to Damon’s side?” Serena was their high school classmate, and she had liked Damon since childhood. But she lost to me, someone with nothing. Serena had always been jealous of me. After becoming Damon’s fiancée, she could finally torment me without restraint. I didn’t argue, simply standing quietly to the side. At that moment, Damon walked over. Serena intimately hooked her arm through his. “Damon.” Damon didn’t resist, but when he looked at me, his eyes turned colder. “Who told you to come into the ballroom? Go wait outside.” Silverwood City had already entered winter. There was no heating outside, only the biting cold wind. Yet, I merely nodded. “Alright.” I turned and walked out of the ballroom. Outside was an open-air garden, without even a single tile for shelter. I stood in the cold wind, my thin, frail body trembling. A server, taking pity, asked if I wanted to rest in the lounge. I silently shook my head. I stood there until dark, until the event ended. Serena walked out, wrapped in Damon’s jacket. Both saw me still standing outside. His throat moved, his voice somehow hoarse. “What are you doing standing here? Let’s go.” He led Serena away, and I followed behind them. As we passed the artificial lake in the garden, Serena’s lips curled into a smile. She stumbled a few steps forward, acting as if she’d been pushed. “Oh no! My bracelet fell into the lake!” She turned to me, furious. “Who told you to push me!” I instinctively retorted, “I didn’t…” “Still denying it!” Serena clung to Damon, whining, “Damon, that was my favorite bracelet.” Damon’s gaze fell on me. After several seconds, he said in a low voice, “Jump in and get it.” Without even asking, he had already condemned me. I glanced at the lake, a chilling cold permeating from its surface. But I silently entered the water anyway. The lake wasn’t deep, reaching just above my knees. But the winter water was bone-chilling. Every step felt like walking barefoot on razor-sharp ice. I was already weak, and as I searched, my body began to sway violently. Damon watched for only a few seconds before turning his back, leaving me with a single sentence: “If you can’t find it, don’t bother coming in tomorrow.” With that, he took Serena and left. **Chapter 3** I stood alone in the lake, an indescribable desolation welling up inside me. I bent over, searching the entire night, until I finally found that bracelet. At dawn, I trembled as I stood, my whole body already frozen purple. But I couldn’t care less about that. I rushed back to the Blackwood Corporation building with the bracelet. Serena was in Damon’s office. She took the bracelet, but only glanced at it with disgust. “It’s all muddy, completely dirty! I don’t want it anymore!” With that, she broke the bracelet and threw it into the trash can. Damon merely swept his gaze over it, saying nonchalantly, “If you don’t like it, then don’t keep it. I’ll buy you a new one.” Serena smiled brightly. “You’re so good to me.” I walked out, looking utterly disheveled. The employees in the executive office were already used to seeing me like this; I had endured countless hardships over the past few years. They all wondered why I still insisted on staying. I didn’t even take a single day off. I simply took two flu pills and then accompanied Damon on another inspection tour. It was already evening by the time the inspection finished. Serena came to meet Damon for dinner. “Scarlett, you join us too,” she said, feigning enthusiasm. But it wasn’t until the food was served that I understood why she had invited me. The table was almost entirely covered with spicy dishes. The only dessert was mango ice cream, but I was allergic to mangoes. In the past, if there was even a hint of chili in the food, Damon would meticulously pick it out for me. But now, he seemed to have completely forgotten. Damon didn’t even glance at me, instead, he poured water and served food for Serena the entire time. Serena intentionally asked me, “Scarlett, why aren’t you eating?” Damon also looked up at me, a flicker of coldness in his brows. “Why are you sitting here if you’re not eating?” I had no choice but to pick up my fork, take a piece of spicy chicken, and put it into my mouth. After I finished, Damon left with Serena. I went back alone, my forehead sweating from the spiciness, my stomach churning with excruciating pain. I lay numbly on the bed. No matter how much it hurt, my eyes were dry, unable to shed a single tear. All the suffering these years was atonement for Cassie. Every extra bit of pain felt like a mountain lifting off my chest, allowing me a brief moment of respite. I was in so much pain that my consciousness blurred, yet a silent smile still graced my lips. … A few days later. Because I hadn’t been undergoing treatment and regularly irritating my stomach with alcohol, my condition worsened significantly. Yet, each time, I just hastily took two pills to cope. This day was a weekend. I lay on the sofa, in too much pain to even move. Just then, Damon’s call came. “Serena wants some savory dumplings from the famous little dumpling place. Go get her a serving.” As Damon’s assistant, I never had a day off. Whenever he needed something, I had to be at work immediately. But today, I was genuinely too weak to get up. “Could Assistant Mike go today? I…” But before I could finish, Damon coldly cut me off. “Scarlett, did I give you a choice?” My breath hitched. I couldn’t say another word. “Either go, or never show up again.” With that, he hung up. I could only force myself to get up, swaying, and head out the door, suppressing the pain. The famous little dumpling place was on a very secluded street, yet it was incredibly popular. I queued for a full three hours before finally buying a single serving. But by the time I rushed to Damon’s place and handed him the dumplings, Serena’s face had turned cold. “Who told you to put chili in it?” I was in so much pain that breathing was difficult. “Don’t you like spicy food?” Serena angrily dumped the dumplings out. “I don’t like spicy food anymore.” Damon looked at me, his gaze heavy. “Go buy another one.” I could only rush out again. The second time I returned, Serena complained it had shrimp. Damon seemed to not notice she was deliberately tormenting me, merely stating blandly, “Go buy it again.” And so, I ran back and forth several times. By the time I returned with the last batch, it was already dark. I held the packaged dumplings, weakly hurrying back. A sharp pain tore through my stomach, and my steps were unsteady. My head was dizzy, and I didn’t see the road ahead clearly. Suddenly, a piercing horn blared in my ears— A van sped toward me, slamming into me! *Bang!!!* I was violently knocked to the ground, rolling several times. Under the impact, I couldn’t hold back, and a large mouthful of fresh blood gushed out. The scent of the spilled dumplings wafted up to my nose. Everything before my eyes turned into a chaotic blur. *Finally… I can die. Can I go see Cassie now?* A tear of relief escaped the corner of my eye, and then I completely lost consciousness. The hospital. Ryan saw the person being wheeled in on the ambulance, and his eyes widened in shock – it was me! “Scarlett! Scarlett!” He called out several times, but the person on the bed showed no response. But I kept spitting up blood. Even the chief physician was alarmed. “Could it be organ rupture?” Ryan’s expression was horrified. “She has stomach cancer!” The doctor’s face instantly changed. He quickly rushed me into the operating room for emergency treatment. Hours later, the surgery ended, but it was only to stop the bleeding from my accident injuries. All the instruments showed my vital signs dropping! Ryan was frantic. “Professor, what’s wrong with her!” The professor shook his head. “Late-stage stomach cancer. Her body was already very weak, and the car accident triggered premature organ failure.” On the hospital bed, I hadn’t woken up. I was just coughing up blood, unconsciously repeating a name. “Damon… Damon Blackwood…” I looked like I was about to breathe my last. Ryan’s eyes were bloodshot as he gripped my hand, his voice choked. “Scarlett, hold on, please hold on.” “I’ll go get him to see you. Just wait a little longer, a little longer!” With that, he tremblingly pulled out my phone. He dialed Damon’s number. When the call connected, Damon’s cold voice came through. “Scarlett, I asked you to buy some dumplings. Are you not coming back?” Ryan clenched his hands. “It’s me, Ryan.” The person on the other end fell silent. After a few seconds, he spoke in a deep voice, “Why do you have her phone?” Ryan looked at the heart rate on the cardiac monitor, slowly flatlining, and said, his voice trembling, each word heavy: “Come to the hospital. See Scarlett one last time.”
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299027”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn
Leave a Reply