5. First Wish: Done

I didn't know how long I had been lying on the floor.

When I woke up, my head was throbbing and my entire body ached. Slowly, I pushed myself upright and rubbed my face. When I looked down, I found several dried drops of blood on the floor.

Not wanting to dwell on it, I got up and walked into the bathroom.

I stared at my reflection. I looked disheveled and exhausted. The dried traces of my nosebleed still stained my upper lip. Dark circles had formed beneath my eyes, and my face looked thinner than ever.

It seemed I'd lost weight because of this illness, too. I ran a hand over my shrinking waist and studied my reflection once more. Compared to Lea, I looked downright pitiful.

It's okay, Anna. You only need to hold on for a hundred days.

I tried to reassure myself. But deep down, I was scared.

Looking at my condition now, it wasn't impossible that I had less than a hundred days left to live.

If that happened, would I still be able to accomplish my goal?

I quickly splashed cold water on my face. Rather than wallowing in self-pity, I grabbed the small towel hanging beside the sink and dampened it. Then I wiped away the bloodstains on the floor.

Once I was done, I cleaned myself up and headed downstairs to the kitchen.

Even though my body ached, I forced myself to cook.

While chopping vegetables on the cutting board, a sharp stab of pain shot through me, causing the knife to slip from my hand. Dizziness struck without warning, and my body swayed.

I grabbed the edge of the counter for support.

No. You can't collapse, Anna. You have to finish at least one dish.

The thought strengthened my resolve.

I heard footsteps behind me.

Two maids entered the kitchen. They wiped down the dining table and arranged the utensils while I returned to chopping vegetables and chicken.

"She's still cooking for the young master? Even though she knows he'll never eat her food," one of them whispered.

I simply listened without responding.

"He threw it away yesterday," another replied.

"If I were her, I would've given up and gotten divorced a long time ago."

"Maybe she's staying for the money. You know our young master is the sole heir to this family."

They gossiped about me openly, and all I could do was listen without bothering to deny their false accusations.

"She wants his inheritance? What has she ever given him? A child?" one of them mocked before they all burst into giggles.

My grip tightened around the knife handle.

I cleared my throat.

The conversation stopped instantly.

They hurriedly returned to their work.

At the same time, I heard the sound of Dylan's shoes approaching, followed by the scrape of a chair.

I glanced over and found him staring at his phone. His face was as hard as stone, completely expressionless. Sometimes I wondered what went on inside Dylan's head.

Was it nothing but business?

Or Lea?

Once I finished a dish, I immediately served it on the dining table. Dylan looked at me with open hostility.

"I kept it simple today. I hope you'll like it," I said, unfazed by his stare.

"You're seriously making me eat this?"

He pointed at the sweet and spicy fuyunghai egg dish I'd prepared, looking at it as though it were the most irritating thing he'd ever seen.

I gave a weak nod, secretly gripping the back of a chair to keep myself steady.

"You're stubborn, Anna."

A faint smile touched my lips. "I learned from the best," I shot back.

Dylan's expression hardened further with irritation.

"Annoying," he muttered.

I smiled faintly as he pulled the plate toward himself with a long exhale.

A servant handed him a fork. Dylan looked hesitant, but eventually he cut the omelet into several pieces.

Then he looked at me again. "If I eat this, you'll stop bothering me, right?"

"Yes," I answered simply.

Dylan took a small bite. There was no reaction whatsoever. But my heart swelled with happiness when he finished every last bite.

"Satisfied now?" Dylan asked.

The servants standing behind him whispered in disbelief. So did I, in my own way, as I stared at the empty plate before me.

Empty. The plate was spotless. Not a single bite remained.

I nodded, my throat tightening.

Even after Dylan left the table, I remained frozen in place. This was the first time he'd ever finished something I'd cooked.

My stomach fluttered with happiness. For a moment, I forgot about the pain that had taken over my body.

My hands trembled as I pulled a small notebook from my dress pocket. With a broad smile, I crossed off the first request.

One item completed.

Ninety-nine left.

The smile on my face disappeared the moment I saw Jessy walk into the kitchen.

"Dylan was probably just pitying you," Jessy remarked.

I quickly shoved the notebook back into my pocket before she could see it.

She smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. Her gaze swept across the dining table before settling on Dylan's empty plate.

"Don't get excited yet, Anna. My son wasn't trying to make you happy. He only did it because he wanted you to stop bothering him."

Jessy swatted the empty plate off the table. It shattered across the marble floor.

I straightened my back. One hand gripped the chair tightly.

What Jessy said wasn't wrong. Dylan had done it out of obligation. He'd done it because he didn't want me pestering him anymore. Even though I knew that, I couldn't suppress the anger flooding through me.

With a faint smile, I replied, "That's fine."

Jessy's face immediately reddened. She clicked her tongue in annoyance before sitting down.

"Make me breakfast," she ordered.

I studied her arrogant face for a moment. Then I calmly turned away from the dining table.

I'd made a decision the moment I started all of this. I would never bow to anyone again. For my own sake, I wouldn't allow this injustice to continue.

In a firm, controlled voice, I spoke to Jessy. "I'm sorry, but making breakfast isn't my responsibility anymore."

Jessy's eyes widened. She slammed her hand against the table.

"Are you defying me?"

"I'm not a servant in this house." I held her gaze without wavering. "I'm your daughter-in-law."

"And a daughter-in-law should serve her mother-in-law."

"Within reason. Not by treating her like a servant."

Jessy clenched her fists, and I quickly walked away. But after taking a few steps, I turned back.

Standing before all the servants, I looked at each of them one by one.

"From this moment on, you'll serve me as well. Don't only act respectful when Mr. Abraham is around."

Everyone stared at me in stunned disbelief.

"Damn it. What's gotten into her?" Jessy grumbled behind me.

I slipped my phone out of my pocket and called Vallen. I needed to schedule an appointment with him today and ask for another prescription.

"Vallen, today..."

But he cut me off, his voice half panicked and half furious. "Can you explain something to me?"

"Explain what?"

"Open the message I sent you," he said, breathing heavily.

I pulled the phone away from my ear and opened the message.

My throat tightened. Panic twisted inside me. My heart dropped into my stomach the instant I saw the photo Vallen had sent.

In the picture, Dylan was with Lea. They were kissing in front of a car.

I had no idea how Vallen had managed to take the photo.

"Where did you get this?" I asked, trying to stay calm. Even though a storm was raging inside me.

"That doesn't matter. Just answer me!" Vallen demanded. "Is Dylan cheating on you? Is that why you've given up on treatment? Do you want to die and let Dylan live happily ever after with that woman?"

His voice rose, and I didn't know how to answer.

Was I really willing to die after enduring all this suffering?

While Dylan enjoyed a happy life with Lea?

Was I truly willing to leave this world just like that?

I knew I would die eventually. Sooner or later. But for a moment, my chest tightened. Not because I was afraid of death.

It just felt unfair that I would be the one to leave while the people who had destroyed my life lost nothing at all.