Chapter 2

After leaving the bridal boutique, I went to the hospital and returned the medical records to my attending physician. "Thanks for your help, but I won't be needing these records anymore. I won't be continuing treatment."

The office instantly fell silent. The doctor looked surprised as he set down the pen he was holding.

"Are you sure? Your condition is already very critical. If you continue treatment, we may be able to buy you more time. But if you give up now, you may only have a few days left to live."

I put on a forced smile. At this point, I didn't see much of a difference between a few days and a few months.

The doctor gazed at my pale face. He sounded like he still couldn't bear to give up as he said, "There's one more thing you should know. This illness can be extremely painful in its later stages. Many patients didn't succumb to the illness itself.

"Instead, they were tortured to death by the pain. The painkillers I prescribed for you are specially controlled drugs. They don't get prescribed easily, so please be sure to keep them safe.

"When the illness actually flares up, they'll help you get through it."

I nodded. The painkillers were still in the bedroom closet at the manor.

After leaving the hospital, I returned to Albini Manor. But as soon as I reached the entrance, I froze.

My suitcase, clothes, and even the flowers I was taking care of were all moved out of the manor and dumped on the ground like trash.

Alessio happened to be going out. When he saw me, he seemed a little uncomfortable. "The wedding is just around the corner. It wouldn't be appropriate for you to stay here. Camelia will move into the master bedroom, so you should stay somewhere else for the time being."

I felt a pang in my heart. For the past seven years, I had lived in Albini Manor. Alessio even said to me in person, "Wherever I am, it will always be your home. I am your closest family, after all."

But now, he had personally kicked me out.

I probably had a foul look on my face, for Alessio sighed and explained with unusual patience, "Estella, please be more understanding about this. This is only temporary. When the wedding is over, and everything is settled, I'll come back for you, okay?"

I silently bent down and started gathering my things, but soon enough, I froze. Then, I quickly flipped open my suitcase.

The pillbox was gone.

I broke out in a cold sweat. Those were the only painkillers I had.

I shouted, "Where's my medicine? Where are the pills I kept in the bedroom closet?"

I rushed into the bedroom and anxiously rummaged through the closet.

Camelia was sitting on the bed that originally belonged to me. She was wearing a revealing nightgown and had been screaming ever since I entered the room. "This is my room! How could you…"

Alessio had arrived behind us. Camelia threw herself into his arms and sobbed pitifully.

Alessio's expression darkened, and in a displeased tone, he asked, "Estella, what are you doing?"

I couldn't be bothered to explain the details as I continued searching the drawers. "My medicine is missing. I had a box of pills in the closet. I've always kept it here."

Camelia cowered in Alessio's arms, and her eyes reddened. "Estella, are you suspecting me? I swear, I don't know anything."

Her sobs grew even more dramatic as if she had suffered a terrible injustice.

I helplessly explained, "I didn't mean it like that, but if you saw it, please give it back. It's really important to me—"

"Enough. It's just some medicine," Alessio interrupted me, his expression livid. "If you can't find it, just buy it again. There's no need to trouble Camelia over something like that."

If it were before, he would've helped me look for it right away. But now, he wouldn't even bother to ask more questions.

Suppressing my emotions, I explained to him, "Alessio, the medicine is really important to me. I—"

"Estella," he cut me off again in an exhausted tone, "Stop messing around. Camelia is pregnant, so she can't handle too much stress. Just leave the manor for now. We'll talk another day, okay?"

With that, he summoned the bodyguards and had them escort me out of the manor.

With all my belongings thrown out of the manor, I stood in the darkness of the night, chilled to the bone.

Camelia slowly approached me with a look of unmistakable smugness on her face. "I was the one who threw the medicine away. It actually went straight into the garbage truck, so it's probably gone for good."

I clenched my fists tightly. "I'll die of pain without that medicine."

When Camelia heard that, her smile only widened. "Even better. Estella, this is the price you pay for having Alessio all to yourself for seven years. It's your fault for going after my man."

She laughed as she walked away, leaving me completely shut out of the manor.