Chapter 3

The apartment was tiny.

There was only one narrow double bed.

That night, after I washed up, I got into bed first.

I turned my back to Ethan and pretended to be asleep.

But the pain in my stomach quickly returned.

One wave after another.

It felt like someone was twisting my stomach into knots.

I bit down hard on the corner of the blanket to keep from crying out.

After what felt like forever, Ethan finished putting things away, turned off the light, and climbed into bed beside me.

Then his voice came from behind me.

"Lena."

I tensed.

But I didn't answer.

I kept pretending to be asleep.

Ethan carefully moved closer.

He moved carefully, as though afraid of waking me.

Then his arms slid around my waist from behind.

He pulled me tightly against him.

A drop of something warm landed on my skin.

I froze.

I'd never imagined Ethan could cry.

"Lena...

"Don't leave me.

"Please... don't leave me."

Tears flooded my eyes.

But I didn't dare turn around.

I didn't dare open my eyes, either.

Behind me, Ethan buried his face in the curve of my neck.

His voice was heavy with barely contained despair.

"Lena, you're all I have.

"If you're gone too..."

A long silence followed.

"Then what's the point of living?"

My tears had already soaked the pillow beneath my cheek.

But I didn't dare roll over. I didn't dare move.

All I could do was let his despair swallow me whole.

...

[Today's the day he signs the agreement for the second phase of the trial!]

[The dose is way higher than last time. He really might not make it.]

[Good thing Chloe's on shift in the cardiac unit today. She'll stop him for sure!]

I looked at Ethan's pale lips.

My eyes began to sting with tears.

"Ethan.

"Don't go today, okay?"

I grabbed his sleeve.

"Just stay home and rest for one day.

"I'm begging you."

He went stiff.

A few seconds later, he let go of me, bent down, and carried me back to bed.

He pulled the blanket up over me and tucked the edges in tight.

"Stop overthinking.

"I'm just going out to take care of a few things."

I held his gaze.

"You know you're not feeling well."

He was quiet for a moment.

Then he turned his back to me and straightened his coat.

"If I don't go, how are we going to pay for your next round of treatment?

"Right now, what you need most is to rest and get better.

"Leave everything else to me."

Then he fastened the last button.

He never once looked back.

"Don't wait up.

"Be good and get some rest."

The door closed softly.

The room went quiet again.

I stared at the door as tears finally fell.

I couldn't just stand by and watch him walk into his own death.

I got dressed and pulled a copy of the trial agreement from the very back of the drawer.

I was so weak I could barely stand.

But I went out anyway.

The wind outside cut right through me.

I pulled my coat tight and made my way to the address on the form, transferring between buses and the subway.

Two hours later, I finally made it to St. Mary's Medical Center downtown.

The moment I walked into the lobby, I saw a familiar figure.

Ethan.

He was leaning against the wall outside the cardiac unit, his face deathly pale.

A young woman stood beside him.

She wore light blue scrubs and had an ID badge clipped to her chest.

Chloe Evans.

The woman the comments said would one day save Ethan.

She was frowning at him.

She held a cup of water in her hand.

"Mr. Grant, you almost passed out in the hallway just now.

"Your EKG is already showing clear abnormalities.

"The doctor made it clear. You can't continue with the second phase of the trial."

Ethan didn't take the water.

"I know."

His voice was calm.

That only made Chloe more anxious.

"You know that, and you're still going through with it?

"Doing this in your condition could cause serious heart damage."

Ethan looked down.

"I need the money.

"It'll pay for my wife's next round of treatment."

Chloe froze.

"But..."

"I know what you're going to say."

Ethan cut her off.

"But this is my choice."

Chloe was so upset her eyes welled up.

"Your life matters too!

"You can find money some other way. But if something happens to you, what's your wife supposed to do?"

Ethan's face darkened.

"Don't tell her."

Chloe just stared at him.

"As long as I'm alive, she can keep getting treatment."

Chloe had nothing left to say.

I stood behind a pillar nearby.

I clamped a hand over my mouth.

Tears kept streaming down my face.

I caught my reflection in the gleaming hospital windows.

A pale face.

A gaunt body.

Dull, lifeless hair.

I looked like I was slowly wasting away.

And Chloe, just a few steps away, shone like a ray of sunlight.

[See that?]

[That's the person who can pull Ethan out of the dark.]

[Lena's only going to make him more and more miserable.]

[Chloe's the one who'll give him a normal life again.]

I waited until Ethan turned and left.

Only then did I step out from behind the pillar.

I looked at the young woman who was about to change his life.

I took a deep breath.

For the first time, I walked up to her.

"Ms. Evans."

I forced a smile.

"Could I talk to you for a minute?"