In the seventh year with Elena, I went to the office to find her, but overheard her chatting with someone else. “It’s been seven years with Jacob; you must be very happy, right?” Elena Russell replied faintly, “I’ve never loved him. Do you believe that?” “Stop joking. If you never loved him, how could you be together for seven years? You’re not still thinking about Hector, are you? Elena, Hector has been abroad for years.” “Don’t say that. I and Hector have long since moved on—” There was an unspoken melancholy in Elena’s tone. Hector Elliott was Elena’s first boyfriend. I hadn’t heard that name in a long, long time. My friend fell silent, and I gradually let go of the doorknob I was gripping. The warm thermos I held was the soup I had made for her that morning. She had said she felt a bit tired and wasn’t in good spirits lately. The temperature of the thermos suddenly dropped; it felt so cold, chilling to the bone. I turned around and placed the thermos on her assistant’s desk, leaving calmly. Seven years had passed. We had been together for seven years. It’s a lie to say I wasn’t hurt to hear her say she never loved me. The so-called seven-year itch is real, but unfortunately, Elena probably never felt it. Outside, the rain began to pour, and the rumbling thunder was somewhat frightening. I curled up on the sofa, watching TV. It was one in the morning, and Elena still hadn’t returned. If it were before, I would have kept calling her, asking when she’d come back, worried about her drinking too much and harming her health. She would always impatiently ask me, “Jacob, don’t you have your own life?” In the past, I would jokingly reply, “My life is you.” Suddenly, I felt a bit pitiful. It seemed Elena was right; I didn’t have my own life anymore. It is indeed rather pathetic for a man to live this way for a woman. The television was playing a boring drama. Besides the thunder and the faint sound of the TV, the whole villa was terrifyingly silent. Around two o’clock, Elena came back. As she pushed the door open, the dampness from the rain rushed in, bringing a slight chill. Seeing me, she looked a bit surprised. “It’s so late; why aren’t you asleep?” I weakly replied, “I can’t sleep.” She didn’t say anything else, changed her shoes, and went back to her room. We slept in the same bed, back to back, with no extra words. Outside, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and countless times I replayed Elena’s words from earlier in my mind. “I feel like I’ve never loved him.” A dull pain shot through my heart; I bit my lip, and tears uncontrollably streamed down. How strange; I hadn’t cried all day, yet when Elena returned, I couldn’t help it. Elena wasn’t asleep; she turned over and hugged me. “Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary. How do you want to celebrate?” Elena’s body was hot; her warm breath brushed against my neck, tickling me a little. I had loved her embrace for seven years, but now, I felt a bit resistant. I sniffled and replied, “Anything is fine.” “I’ll be busy tomorrow and won’t have much time to spend with you. I remember there was a watch you liked; I’ll have my assistant buy it for you tomorrow.” After saying this, she let go of me and turned back to sleep. I was used to this; for so many years, I had spent our wedding anniversaries alone. I didn’t expect this time to be any different. I couldn’t sleep all night, and only fell into a deep sleep after dawn. When I woke up, Elena was not by my side. While having breakfast, the doorbell rang. It was Elena’s assistant, Mylo Lee, young and energetic. When he saw me, he offered a standard but unfriendly smile. “Mr. Green, this is Mrs. Green’s anniversary gift for you.” I reached out to take it; it was a watch I had liked before. If I hadn’t heard those words, I thought I would be happy right now. But now, my heart felt like a still pond. I took the gift and casually asked, “Who picked it?” “Mrs. Green chose it herself. Don’t you like it, Mr. Green?” Like it? How could I not? It was the same brand of watch; she had already given me three, all the same style and color. I didn’t know when it started, but Elena had long lost her patience with me. She was just going through the motions. Besides, today isn’t even our wedding anniversary; that’s next month. But I was tired; I didn’t want to fuss over it anymore. I planned to bring up divorce with Elena today. After being together for seven years, I didn’t want to make a scene. Before cooking for Elena, I called her to confirm she would be home for dinner. After three hours of effort, I made a feast. Fish and Chips, Spicy Glazed Ribs, Salad… all her favorites. Actually, I didn’t know how to cook before being with Elena. She had a sensitive stomach and would get sick from takeout, which worried me, so I started to learn. After we married, she said she didn’t want me to suffer too much and told me to enjoy life while she took care of me. I loved her too much; I became a full-time husband for love, and my friends often teased me about it. Elena had a habit of being late for our dates. I sat at the table, watching the dishes gradually cool, feeling no ripple of emotion inside. I called her. After all, I wanted to discuss the divorce face-to-face.
The phone rang twice, but no one picked up. I wasn’t discouraged and tried a third time. This time, she answered, and I could hear her deliberately lowered voice. “I have something to do; you don’t need to wait for me to eat.” “I—” I started to say, but a familiar male voice came through. “Elena, I’m so hungry! What do you want to eat?” That voice was Hector! He was back! A sharp pain pierced my heart; I tightened my grip on the phone. “Elena, today is our wedding anniversary.” “Does one anniversary really matter that much?” she raised her voice and questioned me. “I said I’d accompany you tomorrow. Isn’t that enough?” “Hector is more important to you than I am,” I scoffed coldly. “After all these years, you still can’t forget him, can you?” “Elena, is the steak medium-rare again?” Hector urged, and Elena hastily replied, “I’ll hang up; we can talk when I get back.” “Does that mean even the divorce can wait until tomorrow?” “Jacob, can you please stop being unreasonable?” Even with the distance between us, I could feel Elena’s patience wearing thin. “How many times have we talked about divorce, and how many times have we actually gone through with it? Fine, Jacob, happy seven-year anniversary.” Happy? I wasn’t happy at all. I listened to the busy tone on the phone, sneering. Elena, oh Elena, you won’t even give me a proper chance to say goodbye. Taking out the divorce agreement, I firmly signed my name on it. I packed up all my things and left Elena’s villa. After my parents passed away, I no longer wanted to go back to that cold home; I turned to my brother’s place instead. “Are you really going to divorce Elena?” This was the eighth time Nicolas Collins asked me today, his shock evident on his face. I nodded, packing my bags as I replied, “I’ve already signed the papers.” “Jacob, you must be sick.” He felt my forehead. “That’s Elena, the one you’ve loved for fifteen years.” Yes, I loved Elena for fifteen years. I started liking her when I was ten, and now I’m twenty-five. But Elena has never loved me; she has always loved Hector. “I don’t love her anymore.” I brushed his hand away, my tone calm. Nicolas wanted to say something else, but my phone rang. It was Elena calling. It was now 10 a.m. the next day, and she had just realized I was missing, which meant she had just come home. After a night out, it was obvious who she had been with. “Aren’t you going to answer?” Elena called five times, but I didn’t pick up. Nicolas rubbed his forehead, his eyes wide. “Jacob, are you serious?” I remained silent as Elena sent me texts. [Where are you? Are you really going to divorce me? Are you serious?] [Stop messing around; you know I won’t agree to it.] [Just because I didn’t come home on our anniversary, you’re going to divorce me? Jacob, you’re not that petty.] Three texts were sent in a row, all questioning me. Nicolas chimed in. “Over an anniversary? That’s unnecessary; you know Elena is busy.” I lifted my eyelids and said weakly, “Yesterday was not our anniversary; it’s on the fifteenth of next month.” Nicolas immediately fell silent. I wanted to bring up Hector but felt it was unnecessary. Whoever Elena was with in the future wouldn’t concern me anymore. I simply turned off my phone and continued packing my bags. Halfway through, a cold sweat broke out on my forehead, and my stomach churned violently. I rushed to the bathroom and started throwing up uncontrollably. Nicolas was startled. “Jacob, what’s wrong?” “My stomach hurts a bit—” At this point, the pain was so severe I could hardly stand. My stomach had always been a problem. Every time I was busy preparing a feast for Elena and waited for her to come home, the food would grow cold, and I would end up not eating. Gradually, my stomach began to hurt, and now, after not having eaten since yesterday, the pain was unbearable. “You idiot.” Nicolas’ voice was thick with emotion. “Why do you have to torture yourself like this? I’ll take you to the hospital.”
After I said good bye to the doctor, several hours had passed. I said it was just stomach pain, and the doctor casually prescribed some medication. After taking it, I felt much better. As Nicolas helped me walk out, he couldn’t help but speak up. “Jacob, open your phone and see; maybe Elena is looking for you. You’re in this state, and she has some responsibility too—” Ignoring my objections, Nicolas turned my phone back on. Nothing was there; besides the previous three texts, there was nothing else. Nicolas frowned, his expression darkening. I looked at the phone’s dimming screen and forced a smile. “Maybe to her, it’s the same whether I’m here or not.” I had gotten used to it by now; I didn’t even expect anything anymore. “No way, Elena must be busy.” To keep me from feeling worse, he kept making excuses for Elena, but just as he turned around, he spotted Elena walking from a distance with a man by her side. “Oh my God, who is that? Hector?! How could he come back?” Nicolas gasped, grabbing my hand and shaking it. “Jacob, your wife is going to be taken away by that man!” Taken away? Perhaps, Elena never belonged to me in the first place. I stood frozen, but Nicolas couldn’t hold back anymore. “No way, I’m going to ask Elena what this means. She should be worried since her husband is going to divorce her, yet she’s here with her first love at the hospital?” Perhaps Nicolas’ voice was too loud; the two quickly noticed us. The moment Elena looked up, I saw the surprise in her eyes. “What are you doing here?” she asked me, worry etched on her face. “Hector sprained his ankle this morning, and I brought him to the hospital.” My gaze fell on her hand; she was carefully supporting Hector, treating him as if he were a fragile treasure. “Hey, Jacob, long time no see.” Hector greeted me, smiling innocently. He was still handsome as ever. In contrast, I looked pale and unkempt. “Long time no see,” I replied expressionlessly, not wanting to say much, and I turned to leave. Elena grabbed my arm. “Where are you going? Are you not feeling well? I’ll take you home.” “Do you have time right now?” I stopped and retorted, “Aren’t you going to take your first love home?” Hector spoke up apologetically. “I just got back and haven’t found a place to live. I stayed at Elena’s house last night. Jacob, you don’t mind, do you? By the way, you didn’t come home last night; where were you? Elena was worried about you all night.” Haha, so he went home last night; so she had known I was gone. Yet she could hold off calling me until now. Even before we were officially divorced, Elena was already so eager to bring her first love into her life. “I don’t mind; Mr. Elliott can stay as long as he wants. I’m getting a divorce from Elena.” After saying that, I turned to leave, but unexpectedly, Elena followed right behind me. Surprisingly, she left Hector standing there and ran after me. “You need to clarify your words.” At the end of the hospital corridor, Elena lit a cigarette. “Why do you want a divorce? Just because I didn’t spend our anniversary with you? Jacob, I already gave you a gift; what else do you want? You know I’m busy, remembering the date is already pretty good. Besides, I personally picked out the gift; what more do you want? You always have to make a fuss every year; aren’t you tired? If you’re not tired, I am.”
The smell of smoke was a bit overpowering, and my stomach began to feel uncomfortable again. I turned my head, not wanting to see her face; I really didn’t want to talk to her. “Elena, our anniversary is on August 15th, not July 15th.” Elena froze in her smoking motion and looked at me for a long time. “It was just a mistake about the wedding date.” She extinguished the cigarette and steadied me with her hand. “I promise I’ll remember next time, okay? Just give me one more chance; I guarantee it.” I promise—she had said that on our wedding day too. She had promised to treat me well and never betray me. Over the years, she indeed kept that promise. My friends all said Jacob is so lucky; Elena earns money outside while Jacob enjoys life at home. They envied that Elena always sent gifts and flowers right on time for every holiday. For these seven years, Elena treated me well; she would hold my hand proudly at any event, show off our love, and take care of me meticulously. But she was also a great actress, acting to the point where I almost believed she loved me. Until I heard her say that she had never loved me. She had always loved Hector. “Let it go, Elena; I’ve already made my decision.” “I won’t agree to that.” Elena was a bit irritated. “I’ll apply for separation; even if you don’t agree, we’ll still get divorced in two years.” Without saying anything further, I turned and walked away. Back at Nicolas’ house, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. When I woke up, it was already dark outside. My throat was dry, and as I opened the door, I saw Nicolas leaning over the balcony, looking down. “Jacob, you’re finally awake. If you hadn’t woken up, Elena would have turned into a stone waiting for her husband.” I poured myself a glass of water and drank it all in one go. “What?” I only heard his words after finishing the drink. “It’s Elena! She’s been waiting for you downstairs for a long time! She knocked on the door, but I didn’t let her in, so she’s just been waiting there.” Nicolas pointed to the sky, “It’s getting dark and looks like it might rain again. Should I call her up? I think she’s serious this time.” I glanced downstairs, and indeed, Elena was standing there. She looked beautiful, dressed in a professional suit, her figure slender and well-proportioned. I started to get confused about what Elena wanted. She had clearly said she didn’t love me; divorce should have been the best choice for her. Was she afraid that the divorce would affect her company shares? But with our marriage being in such a state, why was she trying to win me back? As Nicolas said, the sky began to rain, with large drops pounding on Elena, yet she showed no sign of wanting to get into her car. Soon, she was soaked through. Nicolas couldn’t bear to see it. “Let her come up, Jacob. Think about it; Elena hasn’t done anything wrong to you. Why don’t you two have a good talk?” After Elena came up, Nicolas left us alone. “Come home with me, Jacob,” Elena said as I was scrolling through my phone. Hector had tweeted a picture of a woman holding a hairdryer, captioned: [The ideal happy life; this moment I’ve waited for so long.] That hand—I recognized it. I was even more familiar with the wedding ring on it. It was Elena. After seven years of marriage, she had never once blown my hair dry. Love and indifference had always been so clear. “Are you blaming me for forgetting dates or for accompanying Hector instead of you?” Seeing that I didn’t reply, Elena continued. “He just returned to the country, with nowhere to go. Besides looking for me, he has no one else to turn to. Jacob, you know, Hector is an orphan. If I don’t take care of him, no one will.” Yes, Hector is an orphan. How did we meet? I suppose it was when he was bullied, and I stepped in to save him, later introducing him to Elena. The ten-year-old Elena fell for Hector at first sight. They grew closer, and even Elena’s father took Hector as his godson. Later, they got together, but their relationship wasn’t well-received, and Elena’s father spent a fortune sending Hector abroad. During those years when Elena was dejected, I was the one by her side. Everyone said we were a perfect match, and amid everyone’s blessings, we got married. I thought after seven years, Elena had forgotten about Hector and had fallen in love with me. But I never expected that all the sacrifices I made over those seven years were just a joke.
“Jacob, talk to me!” Elena finally lost her temper. “Do you think this is funny? Isn’t it enough that I’m groveling for you?” I slowly lifted my gaze. “Why did you come to find me? Elena, did you ever love me?” Perhaps she didn’t expect me to ask such a deep question; Elena was stunned and didn’t answer for a long time. “What about Hector? Do you love him?” “He’s different from you; Hector needs me—” Elena answered quickly, looking serious. I laughed self-deprecatingly; love can really take shape at certain moments. For example, when Elena called my name, there was always anger in her voice. But when she called Hector, it was so gentle. I tiredly rubbed my temples, ready to speak when her phone rang. “Hector, what’s wrong?” “Elena, where are you? When are you coming back? I’m hungry.” “I’m dealing with some things; wait for me. I’ll be back soon to cook for you.” Elena hung up the phone and looked at me expressionlessly. “You can stay as long as you want. As for the divorce, I won’t agree. You can live here at Nicolas’ place for as long as you need.” Elena left in a hurry. She had to return to cook for Hector because he was hungry. I watched Jacob’s back, my eyes inexplicably turning red. After seven years of marriage, she had never cooked for me. She said she couldn’t cook, but when Hector said he was hungry, she would rush back to make him food without hesitation. I pressed my dry lips together. “Forget it, I will no longer have any hope for you, Elena.” In the following days, I could barely eat anything. My stomach hurt more and more, and I vomited increasingly often. Nicolas was worried and insisted on taking me to the hospital for a check-up. When Nicolas was registering me, I felt weak all over and staggered back a few steps. Fortunately, someone caught me. “Jacob?” A gentle voice reached my ears. I looked up and saw a warm face. A glimmer of joy flashed in my eyes as I managed to stand upright. “Chloe, you’re back?” Chloe Shaw was a friend who grew up with Elena and me; she was a doctor who had been studying abroad for several years. I didn’t expect her to appear at the hospital. “I’ve been back for a while; what’s wrong with you?” she asked. Sitting in her office and seeing how mature Chloe had become, I couldn’t help but exclaim, “You’ve turned into a big beauty now, Chloe!” “You’ve changed a lot too.” She was looking at my medical report, and her expression didn’t look good. “Your face looks so bad; what’s wrong? Do I have a terminal illness?” “Jacob, your health isn’t good. What about Elena? Call her; I need to talk to both of you.” Chloe tightly held the report and didn’t give it to me. “Late-stage stomach cancer, Jacob. I will do my best to ensure you have a comfortable time, and there are now effective special medicines abroad. You still have a lot of time…” I was stunned, unable to hear what Chloe said afterward, staying silent for a long time. I have stomach cancer? Late stage? “Does Elena know? You need to call her immediately; she needs to know this.” Chloe picked up her phone. “I’ll call her and ask her to come.” “No!” I pressed her hand down. “Don’t tell her; we’re in the process of getting a divorce, so don’t tell her about my illness.” Chloe frowned. “Why? Don’t you love her very much?” See, in everyone’s eyes, I was the one who loved Elena the most. I would never divorce her. “Then—” Chloe hesitated to speak. “Let me think about it.” I picked up the report and stood up from the chair. “Please help me keep this a secret, don’t tell anyone, especially Elena.” The person who would be most heartbroken to know I was sick was Nicolas. “Jacob, I just looked it up online and consulted authoritative doctors at Riverstone Medical Center. With proper treatment, you still have a long life ahead—three years, five years. We can definitely wait for a cure to be found, so don’t lose heart!” Nicolas has been comforting me all the way; it seems he has forgotten that I’m planning to divorce Elena.
There hasn’t been any progress on the divorce, and soon it will be Elena’s grandfather’s 80th birthday. No one in the Russell family knows about our plans to divorce. Early in the morning, Elena appeared downstairs at Nicolas’ house. “It’s Grandpa’s birthday; he really wants to see you. Let’s go back together,” Elena said, her tone more like a command. Elena’s grandfather has always treated me well, and I didn’t want to disappoint him. After buying a gift, I went back to Russell Manor with Elena. The Russell family was happy to see me, and Elena’s grandfather held my hand, asking when Elena and I planned to have a child, saying he had been looking forward to it for a long time. I felt a mix of emotions; Elena didn’t love me at all, let alone want to have a child with me. Elena seized my hand and said, “Don’t worry, Grandpa. Jacob and I won’t use contraception anymore; we’ll try to conceive a chubby grandson by the end of this year.” Under the lights, Elena’s beautiful profile still shone brightly, just as it did when I first saw her. “You shouldn’t always prioritize your career. Over the years, you’ve shouldered the Russell Group alone and fulfilled your parents’ wishes. You should take better care of your family and treat Jacob well so that your marriage can last. All I want is for you to be happy. If you and Jacob are doing well, I’ll be content,” her grandfather said. “Grandpa, I’m good to him! I promise I’ll always treat him well.” Elena reassured him again, her demeanor making me feel somewhat sick. Overcome by nausea, I couldn’t hold back and pushed past Elena to rush to the bathroom to vomit. Afterward, I felt much better. As I was washing my hands, Elena caught up to me and handed me a tissue. “What’s wrong? I saw you were sick last time I was at the hospital!” I ignored her, taking out my own tissue to wipe my mouth. I felt a strong aversion to Elena—her acting and even her scent began to irritate me. “How long are you going to keep this up?” Sensing my rejection, Elena took a step closer, but I quickly backed away to create distance between us. “Elena, you’re a great actress,” I mocked, and she clearly heard me. “I’m not acting; I haven’t treated you poorly all these years, have I?” With that, she turned and left, her face cold. Watching her back, I felt a chill in my heart. She was right; she hadn’t treated me poorly, but it was never genuine. Standing in front of the mirror, I managed a weak smile. How pathetic I look. I used to be the heartthrob of Astoria University’s finance department; how did I end up like this? Since falling ill, I’ve been vomiting almost every day and barely eating anything. I’ve also been sleepless at night, which has worsened my health. How did I let myself get like this? I mocked myself. I’m a man, yet I’ve let myself become like this for a woman. “What’s wrong? Not feeling well?” A familiar voice came from behind—it was Hector. He turned on the faucet while smiling at me, but that smile felt unsettling. I ignored him and turned to leave, but he called me back. “You’re quite self-aware, mentioning divorce, Jacob. You’ve known all along that in Elena’s heart, you’re just my substitute.” Hector smirked. “Now that I’m back, you should step aside.” “Even if I step aside, it doesn’t mean Elena will be with you.” I looked up, glaring at him coldly. “Hector, Elena’s grandpa Marcus doesn’t like you; his family won’t allow him to marry an orphan. If it weren’t for that, you would’ve been together seven years ago, right?” Hector was furious, glaring at me with rage. “Do you think you’re something special? You’re just slightly better off than me, Jacob! Let me tell you, the person I hate the most these years is you! Why should your background be better than mine? Why do Mr. Qin and Marcus like you but not me? Why was I forced to go abroad while you stayed by Elena’s side?” I scoffed. “Why? Because, except for Elena, everyone else isn’t blind! Everyone knows what kind of person you are!”
Hector isn’t a good person; throughout his life, he has done many bad things to win Elena’s affection. In front of her, he pretends to be a harmless little rabbit. I almost saved him, changing his life, yet he repeatedly destroys everything important in mine, continuing to act in front of Elena. He presents himself as an innocent girl while making me out to be a heartless villain. He has done almost everything that the vicious male antagonist in novels would do. Yet, Elena remains blind to it. After all these years, she hasn’t gotten better; in fact, she seems even more blind. “I’m betting Elena is blind, Jacob. I’ve come back this time to be Elena’s husband; I want you to know I’m no longer that Hector who could be pushed around!” As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand to slap me. I was quick to react, blocking his hand and then slapping him back. “You hit me?” Hector was stunned, covering his swollen face as tears began to flow. Those tears were worthy of a Best Actor award at the Unicorn Awards. “Jacob, believe me, I came back with no other intentions; I just wanted to see you guys. I won’t ruin your relationship with Elena, I promise!” “What are you doing?” Before I could process it, Elena rushed over. She supported Hector’s arm and glared at me fiercely. “Jacob, what did you do to Hector?” Looking at the two in front of me, I found it amusing. “Can’t you see? He tried to hit me, and I fought back.” “Hit you? How could Hector hit you? Jacob, you bullied Hector since childhood; now that he’s back, you treat him like this. How could you be so heartless?” In Elena’s eyes, I’ve always been the bully, and now it’s no different. I bit my lip and said nothing, only feeling pain in my stomach. It hurt so much that I started to bend over. Hector rushed over. “What’s wrong? You look terrible!” He feigned concern, then whispered into my ear, “See? In Elena’s heart, there’s only me! I can tell you’re not well; if we both felt unwell at the same time, who do you think Elena would take to the hospital?” My stomach was cramping painfully, and I didn’t want to respond to Hector’s words at all. At that moment, Hector fell to the ground. “Ah, it hurts! Elena, my stomach hurts!” I didn’t have time to care about his poor acting. The pain in my stomach became unbearable, and the next moment, I felt a wave of nausea; I vomited blood. The air filled with a strong metallic scent. “Elena—” I struggled to reach out to her, wanting to tell her my stomach hurt and that I might die. But Elena couldn’t hear me at all; she just panicked and held Hector in her arms. “What’s wrong, Hector? Where do you feel sick? I’ll take you to the hospital right away!” As she tried to leave with Hector, I reached out and grabbed the corner of her clothes. “Elena, my stomach hurts so much. Can you—” Elena violently shook off my arm without looking at me. “Can’t you understand? You can’t compete with Hector at a time like this! Jacob, can’t you see Hector is suffering?” The force with which she pushed me made my already agonizing pain worse, and I fell to the ground. Elena turned her back on me, taking Hector away. Throughout it all, she never acknowledged me; she didn’t even glance at me. If she had looked, she would have seen the blood on me, so shocking! But she didn’t see anything! A chill spread from deep within my heart to every corner of my body. I clenched my fists tightly, my sharp nails digging into my palms. It hurt so much, my entire body ached, yet there was no pain in my heart. “Jacob!” Chloe’s terrified voice rang in my ears as she saw me vomiting blood. “What happened? How did this happen? Where’s Elena?” “Take me—to the hospital!” I couldn’t say anything else; the pain made me black out.
I don’t know how long I slept, but when I woke up again, I heard someone talking beside me. “Is she out of her mind? Jacob is terminally ill, and she’s still with another man! No way, I need to go confront her!” “He said he didn’t want to tell Elena he was sick,” Chloe stopped Nicolas. “Since they’ve already decided to get divorced, not knowing about this might be better for them.” Nicolas’ voice was choked with tears; I could tell he was very sad. Chloe sighed. “When he wakes up, I believe Jacob will make his own judgment.” Nicolas’ voice grew quieter. “But he doesn’t have much time left.” My heart tightened, and my closed eyes trembled. Time is running out? I haven’t figured out what to do yet. I haven’t even decided whether to accept treatment, and now I’m told I don’t have much time? In a daze, I seemed to hear Elena’s voice calling me. “Jacob, we want to have a child.” Once upon a time, we were in love; why has it come to this? Since it’s like this, then so be it. Nicolas stopped talking, and Chloe fell silent too. The ward was terrifyingly quiet; I clenched my fists and slowly opened my eyes. “Jacob, you’re awake,” Nicolas rushed over, grabbing my hand, his eyes red. “I didn’t tell Elena about your situation.” I blinked and weakly nodded. “Yeah, there’s no need to tell her.” My parents had poor health and passed away a few years ago, which is good; now I don’t have to worry about them being upset. As for Elena, she probably wishes I were dead so that Hector could have his spot. “How do you feel now?” Chloe asked me, “Do you feel uncomfortable?” I shook my head. “No.” I raised my hand to my abdomen, deep in thought. Chloe opened her mouth, unsure of what to say. Just then, my phone rang. Nicolas hesitated for a moment after picking it up but didn’t hand it to me. “Is it Elena?” I licked my dry lips. “Give it to me.” When the call connected, Elena’s cold voice came through. “Where are you?” “At the hospital.” “Why did you go to the hospital again?” Elena said in a deep voice, “Grandpa called us for breakfast; I’m here to pick you up.” Her tone was the same as usual, as if she had forgotten everything that happened yesterday. She never cared about why I was in the hospital. “I’m busy,” I replied flatly. I really don’t want to see her anymore. My love for Elena has gradually faded away in just a few days. I don’t have much time left, and I don’t want any relationship with her anymore. Since that’s the case, there’s no need to meet again. “If it weren’t for Grandpa wanting to see you, do you think I would want to see you right now? Jacob, I haven’t let you off the hook for hitting Hector yesterday!” I realized that Elena’s attitude toward me had already changed significantly since Hector returned. She didn’t even want to pretend anymore. “Jacob,” she added, “don’t think I don’t know; it was entirely your idea for my dad to send Hector abroad!” My grip on the phone tightened, as if I had been discovered, my heart racing. “Okay, I’ll be there soon.” I hung up the phone and threw back the covers to get out of bed. Nicolas supported me. “What are you doing? Are you really going? Are you trying to kill yourself?” I grasped Nicolas’ hand; his palm was warm, slowly warming my icy heart. “I’m going, Chloe; this time I need to make it clear to Elena that I never want to have anything to do with her again.” Maybe my gaze was too determined; Nicolas nodded slowly. Chloe took her coat and draped it over me. “I’ll go with you; if anything happens, I can help you.” I nodded. “Thank you.”
When I arrived, Elena was standing at the entrance of the antique-style restaurant. She was dressed in a chic outfit, her figure appearing extremely cold under the sunlight. Seeing me, Elena squinted her eyes. “You just throw on a coat to see me? You look terrible; are you trying to make Grandpa think I’ve wronged you?” After finishing, she noticed Chloe beside me, and her expression turned even colder. “Chloe, I’ve heard you were back for a long time; I didn’t expect it to be true.” She glanced at me and Chloe. “Still the same as when we were kids, always wanting to follow me and Jacob.” Her words dripped with sarcasm, but Chloe didn’t mind; she just leaned close to my ear and softly said, “I’ll wait for you in the car. If anything happens, call me, and I’ll come right away.” Chloe’s gentle tone was a long-lost warmth that made my heart feel a bit warmer. I nodded, tightening the coat belonging to Chloe. “What are you wearing?” Elena’s gaze finally landed on the coat; before I could answer, she took it off and threw it into Chloe’s arms. “Take your stuff away!” “Jacob is unwell and shouldn’t be in the wind,” Chloe frowned, wanting to help me put the coat back on, but Elena’s face darkened further. “I can take care of my husband myself; you don’t need to interfere!” Elena directly took off her own coat and forcefully draped it over me. Her movements were somewhat rough, causing me some pain. I was about to refuse when she tightened her grip on my arm. “Don’t move around if you don’t want me to get angry.” Not wanting to have any more arguments with Elena, I stopped struggling and followed her into the restaurant. Inside the peaceful private room, Marcus was sitting upright, his white hair particularly conspicuous under the light. Upon seeing me, the old man was very happy. “Jacob is here; come sit by Grandpa!” He even got up to help me sit in the chair beside him. Noticing my pale face, he immediately grew concerned, “Why does your face look so bad? You’ve lost a lot of weight; is it because Elena has treated you poorly? If she has, you tell me, and I’ll help you! Elena has managed the group for many years; she’s used to being strong, but she’s a good person; you should be more tolerant of her. Also, why didn’t you say goodbye to me before leaving last night?” Last night, Chloe had taken me out of the back door of Russell Manor, and there were not many people who saw us. Naturally, Marcus didn’t know, and I’m afraid that until now, no one in Russell Manor knows that the blood in the bathroom was mine. “Grandpa, let’s eat first; we arrived early.” Elena, too lazy to watch me talk to her grandfather, urged while constantly looking at her watch. After all, her white moonlight was still waiting in the hospital. If it weren’t for handling her grandpa, she wouldn’t have come at all. “Here, Jacob, your favorite Eggs Benedict; Grandpa specially ordered it for you.” Grandpa Elena placed a piece of shumai into my plate, and looking at that piece of shumai, my eyes gradually watered. Among the entire Russell family, Marcus is the one I miss the most. But today, I didn’t come here to eat. I didn’t touch my fork. I only looked up at Elena. “Elena, I have something to say to you.” Elena raised her eyes, her cold gaze sweeping over me. “What is it?” Her eyes carried a warning; I knew she didn’t want to mention anything in front of Grandpa. But if I didn’t bring it up today, the divorce would likely be postponed indefinitely. I pressed my lips together and said lightly, “Let’s talk about the time Hector went abroad to study.” “Shut up!” As expected, Elena exploded in anger. “It’s not the time for you to bring this up!” “Elena, what’s your attitude?” Marcus raised his hand and slapped Elena on the head.
I looked at the two in front of me, my expression blank, and said, “Seven years ago, I overheard Dad saying he didn’t like Hector. He said the best way to make you two break up was to send Hector away. I knew Hector had always wanted to study design, so I encouraged Dad to send him abroad for further studies.” As I saw the flames igniting in Elena’s eyes, I slowly continued. “After Hector left, I deliberately stayed by your side, helping you through that difficult time, and then got Dad to allow us to marry. Elena, our marriage was actually something I forced.” As soon as I finished speaking, Elena picked up a cup from the table and threw it straight at me. “I told you to shut up! Don’t say these things in front of Grandpa!” Her speed was too fast; I slightly turned my head, and the cup grazed my cheek before smashing against the wall behind me. The sound exploded in the air, glass shards flying everywhere, yet I remained unharmed. Marcus didn’t know what I had said today, but seeing Elena like this, he still furiously intervened. “What a terrible temper! How can you lay a hand on Jacob? No matter what he did, you know how he has treated you all these years! What is so good about that man that you’ve been so devoted for all these years? Don’t think Grandpa is blind; last night at my birthday party, you left with that man. Did you think I wouldn’t know?” “Grandpa, this is between Jacob and me.” Elena calmed down and sat back in her chair, looking coldly at me. “Don’t think that saying this in front of Grandpa will make me forgive you.” “I don’t want your forgiveness.” I smiled and pulled a divorce agreement from my bag. The last signed copy was left at Elena’s house. But she probably hadn’t signed it; knowing Elena, she likely threw it away long ago. “Elena, I want a divorce. This time it’s real, not a threat or a joke.” I handed her the pen, saying, “I’ve already signed. Once you sign, we’ll have nothing to do with each other anymore.” Looking at my serious expression, Elena’s face grew colder. “Jacob, don’t think I won’t sign!” she said, almost through gritted teeth. I nodded. “I know. Go ahead and sign. Once you do, you can be with Hector. You can marry him or let him move in with you, so he can openly be by your side. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?” Throughout this, my tone remained flat, as if I were discussing something unrelated. Marcus tried to speak several times but hesitated. I knew he respected me; he had always respected me. So even though he wanted to intervene, he never spoke up. I was grateful for him and the care he had shown me over the years. In the Russell family, the only warmth I felt came from him. Elena stared at me but refused to take the pen. I stood up and forced the pen into her hand. “You should hate me, Elena. I used tricks to send your beloved man abroad, and I tried every means to marry you. A man as manipulative as me doesn’t deserve you, right? If you can endure all this, then you’re really useless.” I used my words to provoke her; this was how Elena reacted best. She gripped the pen tightly as if to crush it. “Jacob, remember, everything today is what you asked for. Don’t regret it!” “Hmm.” I nodded vigorously. “I won’t regret it, not ever.” “Don’t come crying to me to stop the divorce like before! I won’t agree again!” I continued to nod. “Hmm, don’t worry, I won’t, Elena.” In the past, I had no self-respect; my life revolved around her. But from this moment on, Jacob was a new Jacob. I wanted to live for myself; I no longer wanted to care about Elena.
“Fine! Jacob, I’ll grant your wish.” Elena picked up the pen and signed her name on the divorce agreement. Her handwriting was still beautiful, just like the day we got our marriage certificate. I thought this would probably be the last time our names appeared together. After she signed her name, the load in my heart finally got lifted. I grabbed the agreement, and as I stood up, I stumbled slightly, nearly losing my balance. My head spun, and my body felt weak; even Elena’s face began to blur. I steadied myself by holding onto the table, shoved the agreement into my bag, and called Chloe to come pick me up. After doing all this, I had no more strength left. Supporting myself on the table, I took a few steps towards the exit and glanced back at Marcus. He looked at me with concern, his face etched with sadness. “Grandpa, I’ll come visit you when I have time.” After saying that, I turned to walk away, but I stumbled and fell to the ground, dropping my bag. I had rushed too much; my bag was unzipped, and its contents scattered everywhere. Among them was my medical record. When I saw that medical record fall to the ground, my heart tightened. I reached out to grab it, but someone beat me to it. Elena asked, “What is this?” I reached out to snatch it back. “Give it back to me; it’s none of your business!” But it was too late. Elena opened the medical record. She was incredulous. “Late-stage cancer? You’re actually sick? Why didn’t you tell me?” I bit my lip, my body swaying, and weakly said, “It’s none of your concern. Give me back my things, Elena; we’re no longer related!” “Late-stage cancer? What’s going on?” Marcus approached, but Elena grabbed my wrist and whispered angrily, “Jacob, I want you to clarify, do you have late-stage cancer, or did you forge this medical record to deceive me?” She pointed toward the door, where Chloe had just appeared. Seeing me, Chloe quickly came over, pulling me away from Elena’s grip and looking down with concern. “How are you, Jacob? Are you okay? I’ll take you away.” “Haha, no wonder you want a divorce; you’ve been with her all along?” Elena threw the medical record in front of me. “Jacob, are you really that despicable?” “Yes, I am despicable.” I tilted my head, calmly looking her in the eye. “Aren’t you despicable too? You can flirt with Hector; why can’t I?” Elena was silent for a long time, then stared at me, saying each word slowly, “Tell me, do you really have late-stage stomach cancer?” “Yes.” I chose not to hide it; at this point, there was no need for secrecy. “I don’t have much time left.” “Why didn’t you tell me?” Elena shook her head, her face showing rare anger and sadness. “To be with Chloe, to completely cut ties with me, are you willing to give up your life?” “Life? Elena, don’t you know about my illness? To cook for you, to wait for you to come home, I hardly ate regularly these seven years. Can you say this illness has nothing to do with you?” I scoffed. “Last night, I told you I had a stomach ache; you didn’t care, did you? Your eyes were only for Hector; you never saw me!” Elena looked at me, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. “Last night, weren’t you arguing with Hector—” “Yes, in your eyes, I’m always causing trouble. I’m never as good as Hector; I’m the worst one. He’s always the most important one in your heart. So even if I stand before you, covered in blood, you wouldn’t notice me! Elena, remember, my illness is your doing! Last night, you ignored my plea for help; you were indifferent! My time is running out.” As I spoke, I broke down in tears, screaming. Isn’t it heartbreaking? How could it not be? I’m so young, and I should be enjoying life, yet everything is ruined. I’m going to die. I closed my eyes, tears streaming down my face. My heart ached so much it felt like I was dying. “Elena, I really never want to see you again.”
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