Chapter 1: The Second Relapse

Eva Cooper sat still, her fingers trembling as she clutched the paper on her lap.

The doctor’s office was too quiet, yet his words kept echoing in her head like a broken record. “Ms. Cooper, this is already your second relapse. You’re diagnosed with terminal leukemia.”

Her lips quivered, her throat dry. “How long do I have left?” she asked, the words escaping as barely a whisper.

Dr. Andrew Li sighed, folding his hands on the table. “If you undergo surgery immediately, you might have around a ten percent chance of survival. But looking at your current condition…”

He paused, his eyes softening. “It doesn’t look good. I’ll advise you to discuss with your family. The cost of surgery is also quite high.”

Eva blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears burning her eyes.

Family? What family? She rose weakly, clutching the report close to her chest.

The doctor stood up too, fearing he hadn’t been too direct with her. “Ms. Cooper, are you okay? Do you want me to call someone for you?” He asked, his hands stretched out as if to hold her.

Eva looked up at him, faked a smile. “I’m fine, doctor,” she lied.

As she stepped out of the hospital building, the evening breeze brushed against her damp cheeks. She didn’t even notice how people turned to look at her.

All she could feel was the weight of her world crumbling.

Her fingers fumbled through her phone until she found his number.

Bradley Cooper. Her husband.

The man she had loved for more than she could remember, and married for four years and suffered silently for.

She pressed the call button and lifted the phone to her ear, her breathing uneven.

“What is it?” Bradley’s harsh voice snapped through the receiver.

Eva bit her lip, her voice shaky. “Honey, today’s our fourth wedding anniversary. Can you come home and stay with me?”

“I’m busy right now. Don’t call me unless you have something important,” he replied flatly.

“Wait!” she gasped, her chest tightening. “Please, just listen—” She sniffed, glancing again at the report. “I’m actually diagnosed with—”

Her words froze as loud cheers and music echoed from the background of the call. Confusion flashed across her face. “Aren’t you working? Why does it sound like you’re in a party?”

Bradley’s tone grew defensive. “There’s no noise here. You must be hearing things.”

“Please, I need to talk to you,” she pleaded, her voice trembling. “I need money for treatment. I’m sick and it’s been—”

The line went dead.

For a long moment, Eva just stared at her phone. The silence mocked her.

Slowly, she sank onto the hospital bench, shaking her head as hot tears spilled freely.

The only man she’d known and loved all through her life didn’t care if she live or die.

She pressed the medical report against her chest and broke down completely.

*******************************

Bradley Cooper sat at a corner table in a luxury club, dim lights glinting off the glass in his hand.

Music roared around him, but his expression was blank, as though he wasn’t really there.

Across from him, Amira Finley, his secretary, leaned forward with a seductive smile.

“Bradley, I’m so excited to be here with you,” she said softly, her eyes lingering on his face. “Thanks for having this sweet moment with me.”

She reached for his hand, but he withdrew it almost instantly, forcing a polite smile.

The rejection was clear. Amira’s smile faltered for a second before she masked it with another fake grin, pretending not to notice his disinterest.

Bradley looked away, staring at the dancers moving under the colored lights.

For reasons he couldn’t explain, Eva’s voice still echoed faintly in his ears.

Outside the hospital, Eva tried to steady herself. Her whole body felt weak. She stood up to leave, but before she could take another step, a sharp pain tore through her abdomen.

Her knees buckled. The world tilted. The report slipped from her fingers and fluttered to the ground as she collapsed.

“Ms. Cooper! Ms. Cooper!” a nurse shouted from behind her. Two nurses rushed forward, pushing a wheel bed. “Quick! She’s losing consciousness!”

Eva tried to open her mouth, but no sound came out. The hospital lights blurred into a soft haze, voices fading as darkness closed in.

**********************

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, an entirely different tension hung over a private hospital suite. The beeping machines were the only sounds that filled the luxurious, dimly lit room.

Bernard Oslo Mills, the richest man in the United America and the chairman of Mills Corporation, lay frail on the hospital bed. Tubes ran across his arms, his breathing shallow.

His health had thrown the entire business world into panic.

Kenny Scott, the current CEO of Mills Corp, leaned closer to the old man, his voice low and earnest. “Sir, please hang in there. We’ll find her. You need to get better so you can see Eva again.”

Beside him stood Felix Quinn, the company’s lead lawyer, his expression equally grave. “Yes, sir. We’ve traced some clues. We’re close to finding your granddaughter. Just hold on a little longer.”

But Bernard Mills didn’t stir. His chest rose and fell weakly, his eyes closed. Kenny and Felix exchanged worried glances.

Then, suddenly, the old man coughed violently. Both men jerked forward instantly.

“Sir Mills!” Kenny called, rushing to his side. “He’s awake!” Felix exclaimed, barely able to hide his relief.

Bernard’s eyelids fluttered open, his gaze dim but filled with determination.

Slowly, with trembling fingers, he lifted a white pendant that hung from his neck - a smooth, shiny piece that glimmered faintly under the fluorescent light.

“I designed this pendant myself seventeen years ago,” he said, his voice hoarse but steady. “There’s only one pair of it. One is with me, and the other is with my granddaughter, Eva.”

He paused to catch his breath, his hand shaking as he stretched the pendant toward Kenny. His voice softened. “The future of Mills Corporation lies on her shoulders. Promise me you’ll find her and bring her home.”

Both men looked at each other, the weight of his words sinking deep. Kenny swallowed hard, nodding slowly.

“I promise.”