Chapter 1

JENNIFER'S POV

"You've been diagnosed with retroperitoneal sarcoma. I'm sorry," the doctor said in a soft, empathetic voice, pulling me out of the daze I hadn't even realized I was trapped in.

"Huh?" I looked at her blankly, one hand instinctively pressing against the dull ache in my abdomen. My mind refused to process what she'd just said, as if the words had simply floated past me without meaning.

"It's a rare type of cancer that develops deep inside the abdomen," she explained gently, her eyes filled with sympathy. "I'm afraid it's already in an advanced stage."

My mind went completely blank.

"You only have three months left to live," she continued quietly, giving me a small, apologetic smile as though she wished she had better news to offer.

Three months?

Wait... what?

How could everything turn upside down this fast?

My whole life... I had lived as Vivian, my small sister's shadow. First my parents always chose her over me, and then my husband, Damian, who never once looked at me the way he looked at Vivian. He cared for her, protected her, worried about her, treating her as though she was his wife instead of me.

And now this.

"Mrs. Sterling," the doctor called softly after giving me a moment to breathe. "I know this is the hardest news anyone could receive, and I can't pretend to understand your pain. But for whatever time you have left, please take good care of yourself. Avoid stress, get plenty of rest, and most importantly..." She paused before adding firmly,

"No more blood donations. Your body is already severely weakened. Your hemoglobin levels are dangerously low, and another donation could put your life at serious risk." The words barely reached my ears.

A lone tear slipped down my cheek before I hurriedly wiped it away.

"Thank you, doctor," I whispered, forcing a faint smile that didn't reach my eyes.

Gathering my medical reports and my bag with trembling hands, I slowly walked out of the consultation room.

I needed to tell Damian about this.

At the very least...He'd be worried about me.

I pulled out my phone, and before I could call him, my phone rang.

It was Damian.

"Damian, I..." I quickly answered, wanting to tell him everything.

"Where the hell are you, Jennifer?" His cold voice came from the other end before I could even finish. "Don't tell me you've forgotten that Vivian needs a transfusion today."

I gripped the phone tighter.

"I'm at the hospital right now. The doctor just told me that I've been diagnosed with can—"

"I don't care where you are," he cut me off without giving me a chance to finish. "Be outside Vivian's room in ten minutes."

The call disconnected. I stared at the dark screen in silence.

My chest felt unbearably heavy, and the dull pain in my abdomen only grew worse.

I should've known, nothing had changed.

For years, Vivian had always been the one everyone protected, everyone worried about. While I..I was only the person they remembered whenever she needed my blood.

Taking a deep breath, I picked up my belongings and slowly walked toward Vivian's room.

I was about to knock when I heard Damian's gentle voice from inside.

"You barely touched your coffee, sweetheart. Drink a little more." His voice was so warm and patient, nothing like the cold, distant tone he always used with me.

"Dee..." Vivian giggled softly. "I'm really full. If I drink any more, I'll burst." She was the only one allowed to call him by that nickname.

Pressing my lips together, I knocked gently before pushing the door open.

Vivian looked at me and smiled sweetly, though the smugness hidden beneath that smile didn't escape me.

"Oh, Jen, you're here." She blinked innocently. "Dee… I mean Damian and I were shopping for my birthday today. You know how overprotective he is. I just felt a little dizzy, and before I knew it, he rushed me straight to the hospital."

I simply nodded. Even though her birthday was still two months away.

Damian finally glanced at me. His eyes briefly landed on me before he looked at his watch.

"You're one minute late." That was all he said before turning toward the door. "I'm going to get the nurse."

"Damian..." I called after him. "I... I need to tell you something. I just got my test results..." My voice trembled despite my best efforts to stay calm. "The doctor said... I have terminal cancer." 

He was already outside the room, didn't even spare me a glance.

"Getting Vivian her transfusion takes priority right now," he said coldly as he continued walking toward the nurses' station. "Whatever it is, it can wait."

"This isn't 'whatever it is,' Damian." I tightened my grip around the medical report, my voice trembling. "Please... just listen to me for one minute."

He finally stopped in his tracks but still didn't turn around.

"Jennifer," he said, his tone carrying a hint of impatience. "Your sister is lying in that room waiting for you. Don't use something like this to stall the transfusion."

He paused for a second before adding in a disappointed voice,

"It's selfish."

I stared at him, and my mind drifted back to three years ago.

I'd just received the job offer I had spent my entire life working toward. It was my dream.

The reward for all those sleepless nights and countless hours of hard work.

And then Damian had come looking for me.

He had been my childhood crush.

Growing up, I had always watched him from afar. He was always the best in everything, whether it was academics or sports. Everyone admired him, not just because he excelled at everything, but because he was kind-hearted and always willing to help others.

He had never once spoken to me directly. Not in all those years.

So, when he sought me out — when he actually came to me — my heart leapt before my head could stop it.

For one moment, I let myself believe it meant something.

For the first time in my life, I thought maybe... just maybe … someone will finally choose me.

Instead, he told me Vivian had just undergone surgery and urgently needed someone with a rare blood type.

Mine.

He looked at me and asked quietly,

"What would it take for you to agree?"

So I did something foolish. I proposed the marriage myself.

I believed that after spending my whole life living in Vivian's shadow, I would finally have a husband who loved and cared for me. 

By then I had already loved him for years so I gave up my dream job without a second thought. I convinced myself that as long as I stayed by his side long enough.

One day...

He would finally see me.

One day...

He would fall in love with me.

Now, standing in this cold hospital corridor. The last fragile thread of that hope finally snapped.

I looked at the man I had loved for years, my eyes slowly turning red.

"I really can't give blood right now." My voice shook as I struggled to hold back my tears. "Damian..." I met his eyes for what felt like the last time. "I'm dying."