Chapter 1

I bit my lip hard, trying my best to control my emotions. I then slowly walked toward the casket, bending over to pick up the scattered clothes from the floor and gently draping them over the woman.

"Did you not know that Aaron had a girlfriend?"

The woman pulled the clothes over herself and looked up from Aaron Olsen's embrace. Her eyes crinkled as she smiled at me.

"You're still as kind as ever, Viola."

My blood froze again as soon as I saw who she was.

She was Candace Blanchard, the richest student in class who always bullied me along with her lackeys in college.

I fell to my knees before the casket, looking at Aaron and asking tearfully, "Why did you do this to me? Why must it be her!"

Aaron put his clothes back on and helped me up from the floor before putting a coat over my shoulders. Then, he turned to tell Candace to leave.

"Viola, she gave me her virginity. So, I want to give her a proper title."

I clenched my fist and slapped him hard on the cheek. I trembled as I demanded, "Then, what about me? Aaron Olsen, have you forgotten that we were supposed to get our marriage registered tomorrow?"

He stroked his smarting cheek and chuckled coldly. Then, he yelled at me with bloodshot eyes, "I've had enough of this! What right do you have to even talk about marrying me?

"Don't think that I didn't know your attending physician was your college classmate! The way he looked at you was like he wanted to strip you naked!

"And your neck is always covered in hickeys every time you leave his clinic!

"Viola Goodwin, I dropped out of college to deliver food to support your education and pay for your medical expenses, and this is how you thank me?"

I stood there, rooted to the ground, completely stunned.

I had known Aaron since I was four years old, when we met at the orphanage, and he had never once lost his temper with me. However, now, he was glaring at me so ferociously that he looked like he wanted to tear me apart.

"Nothing is going on between Dr. Krause and me!"

However, my explanation was weak and feeble, and he just scoffed at it.

"We're even now."

I watched him as he left. A bitter feeling welled up inside of me.

We had dated since I was 18 years old for seven years. I was 25 years old now. When had he begun to lose trust in me?

The day I was discharged from the hospital some time ago, Aaron had suddenly attacked Dustin Krause, my attending physician, without warning, beating him up mercilessly. After he was arrested by the police, he refused to explain his actions.

I kept pressing him for an explanation, but he merely said indifferently that he was keeping mum about the subject to protect my reputation. He also told me to stop pressing him for an explanation about Dustin.

I had been confused at that time, wondering what his attack had anything to do with my reputation. Now, I finally knew why. He suspected that I was cheating on him with Dustin.

However, those so-called hickeys on my neck were simply hives from an allergic reaction!

My phone rang a few times in my pocket before I finally answered in frustration. It was a call from Dustin, the very person that Aaron misunderstood my relationship with.

Dustin told me, "Ms. Goodwin, I've already emailed you the health report, but you never replied to it afterward. So, I took the liberty of calling you to ask you about your thoughts on the matter."

I didn't hang up on him and tapped into my email notification.

I was eight weeks pregnant.

Also, the cancer had recurred, and this time, it was even worse than before.

Both pieces of news were equally as bad, and suddenly, I was at a loss for words. It took me a long time to finally collect my thoughts and reply, "Dr. Krause, may I know what my life expectancy is like without treatment?"

He replied, "About a year."

Then, he added, "Ms. Goodwin, you can always have another child after battling cancer. The chances of success with targeted therapy are very high. You can't give up so soon!"

I sniffled and got up to open my drawer, taking out my bank card. However, after deliberating for a while, I put it back.

Aaron refused to let me work ever since I was discharged from the hospital, but he worked three jobs to make up for it. For the past year, after paying for our rent and utilities and living frugally, we only had this 3,000 dollars left.

The cancer treatment, even with insurance, would still cost us a great fortune. So, how could I possibly afford to get treatment for it? What was I going to pay for it with?

I went to the hospital after hanging up. In the clinic, I stammered for a long while before finally asking, "Dr. Krause, is this cancer…hereditary?"