Chapter 4

I woke up in pain at 2:00 am.

It felt like a rusty knife was stabbed into my stomach, slicing into me again and again.

I curled up by the bed, cold sweat running down my forehead. My phone slipped to the floor. The glaring light from the cracked screen was piercing and painful to my eyes.

I waited for a while before reaching for the phone and calling for emergency help.

When I arrived at the hospital, the nurse asked me, "Where's your family?"

I opened my mouth, my first thought still Declan.

How ridiculous! When a person was in deep pain, the body would be slower than the heart to accept reality.

I did not want to contact him, but the emergency contact section in the patient record system was still Declan.

The doctor handed me the consent form. "It's not looking good. We need to act quickly. Contact your family first."

I leaned back in the chair, my fingers shaking as I pressed three times before finally dialing his number.

The first call went unanswered. The second call was hung up. When the third call got through, an airport announcement was heard in the background.

Rachel's voice was very close. "Declan, I'm a little nervous for my first flight in first class."

Declan comforted her. "Don't be afraid. I'm here."

I had waited for those words so many times.

I waited for them when I had a fever.

I waited when I had a stomachache.

I waited when I sat alone in the living room on my mother's death anniversary.

However, I had never heard him say that to me. Not even once.

When he spoke into the phone, his voice instantly turned cold. "Sonia, what are you trying to start now?"

I swallowed the taste of blood rising in my throat. "I'm at the hospital."

He fell silent for two seconds, as if weighing what kind of stunt I was pulling. "The hospital is packed on Independence Day. Don't make a big deal out of nothing. Rachel has been looking forward to this island trip for ages; did you really have to pick today of all days to get attention?"

Rachel immediately whispered, "Maybe I shouldn't go. Sonia seems genuinely upset."

Declan's voice softened instantly. "Ignore her. She's an expert at using her health to threaten people."

Rachel added softly, "Sonia does this every time. I can't even tell if she's actually in pain or just wants you to pity her."

Declan did not contradict her.

Suddenly, I was speechless.

The nurse urged me from the side, "Ms. Golding, still can't reach your family? We can't delay this any longer."

On the other end of the line, Rachel asked, "Declan, is it my fault you two are arguing?"

Declan soothed her in a low voice, "It's not your fault. She's just spoiled."

I hung up.

I accidentally knocked the IV cannula out of place, causing blood to backflow into the tube.

The nurse hurriedly pressed my hand. "Don't move. You shouldn't get agitated right now."

I stared at the line in the medical record system: [Emergency Contact—Declan Fletcher]

His phone number followed it.

Over the years, I had entrusted so much to him. I let him handle the rent. I let him grade my future. I even designated him as the person to call in a medical emergency.

However, he did not want it. He found me troublesome and a drain on his money; he even resented that my pain came at such inconvenient times.

I raised my hand, tapped 'Edit' and then 'Delete'.

The moment I left the name blank, it felt like a piece of my heart had been ripped out. Strangely enough, I also felt lighter.

The nurse was stunned. "Ms. Golding, are you sure you don't want to keep Mr. Fletcher as your contact?"

I looked at a new post that had just popped up in my social media feed. Declan was standing in an airport duty-free shop, leaning over to put a necklace on Rachel. Rachel was looking up at him, her eyes glimmering as if filled with stars.

The caption read: [Rachel's first long-distance trip. She's doing great. A hundred points rewarded.]

Immediately after, he sent me a private message.

Declan: [Minus 100 points for tonight. You'd better figure out how to apologize before I get back.]

I smiled. "No need. He’s busy awarding points to others."

I changed the emergency contact to myself. I used my own phone number too.

Saved.

The doctor wheeled the stretcher over. "Ms. Golding, sign here."

I took the pen, my hand shaking so badly that I could barely form the letters.

The pen tip tore the paper, leaving a short, dark streak. Every stroke hurt, but I finished signing anyway.

Sonia Golding.

I was not Declan’s girlfriend.

I was not a high-risk gold digger.

I was not a woman who had to earn enough points just to get married.

I was just Sonia Golding.

I handed over the signed risk disclosure form. "I have no family here. I’m signing for myself."

The nurse placed my phone into a bag for personal belongings.

The screen lit up.

Declan sent another voice message, his tone nonchalant. "Sonia, don't overdo it. If you haven't admitted you were wrong by the time I get back, forget about the wedding."

The nurse asked, "Do you want to listen to this voice message?"

I looked at his name on the screen. With a gentle swipe, I replied to the nurse, "Delete it."

The operating room lights were stark white. Just before the doors slid shut, I opened that breakup bill and pinned it back to the top of the list.

In the notes section, I slowly typed out a line: [Declan—Accounts Receivable: Three years of genuine love. Bad Debt: Settled.]