Chapter 4

Joshua's medical card was linked to Olivia's phone number, so the notification for his doctor's appointment had gone straight to her phone as well.

"Honey, say something! You're scaring me."

Joshua passed the bag of medication over to her. "The doctor suggested I try a new preion. He said it might improve our chances of conceiving."

"As long as you're okay. You nearly scared me out of my mind." Olivia put the preion bag onto the coffee table without giving it so much as a glance.

A sharp pain pierced Joshua's chest.

In the past, no matter what medication he was prescribed, she would carefully read every line of the instructions, afraid of the side effects.

She used to say that while she couldn't share the physical pain of his treatments, she had to remind herself of everything he was suffering for her sake.

And now, when he handed her antidepressant medication right to her face, she didn't even bother to look.

The heavy smell of tobacco mixed with the overpowering scent of roses, making Joshua sick to his stomach.

He clutched his abdomen, wincing in discomfort.

"Is your gastritis flaring up again?" Olivia leaned in close, reaching out to massage his stomach.

Joshua swatted her hand away instantly. "The smell on you is nauseating."

Olivia sniffed her clothes and let out a soft laugh. "It must be the rose scent. I'm just so focused on making our fifth anniversary perfect that I've been running back and forth to the rose garden all day. I'll go take a shower and change right away."

Yet earlier today, she had explicitly claimed she was heading to the office.

Joshua didn't even bother calling her out. He just offered a flat, "Okay."

Once Olivia left, he picked up his phone.

Over the past five years, his entire social circle had revolved around Olivia. He didn't have a single friend of his own left.

So there weren't many people Joshua needed to say goodbye to. There was only his younger sister, Jessica Bennett, his last remaining family.

Yet as he brought up her contact number, he couldn't bring himself to press call.

Jessica had always been exceptionally close to Olivia, and he worried that reaching out now might complicate things.

He decided it would be better to tell her right before he left.

That night, Olivia lay by his side, gently rubbing his stomach to ease his discomfort. "Honey, I cleared my schedule for the next two days. Every time your stomach flares up, it takes a couple of days to recover. I just feel uneasy leaving you at home alone."

Joshua gave a distracted hum, not taking her words seriously.

In the middle of the night, Joshua was awakened by the ping of a phone notification.

"I'm so sorry. Did I wake you? There are just a few work details I need to hand off. I'll put my phone on silent now," Olivia said apologetically. "Go back to sleep, honey."

Joshua kept his eyes closed, but any trace of sleep had completely vanished.

While her left hand gently massaged his stomach, Olivia still managed to free up her right to reply to messages.

The warmth radiating from her fingertips, punctuated by her occasional, suppressed giggles, felt like a dull blade carving slowly into his flesh.

"Honey?" came her quiet, testing whisper.

Just as she hoped, Joshua didn't answer.

Olivia slipped her hand away and tiptoed out of the room. Her hushed steps betrayed her desperate eagerness.

"Sending me those kinds of photos, huh? Just you wait. I'm going to drain you dry tonight."

The moment the door clicked shut, Joshua's phone vibrated multiple times with texts from Damien.

"Olivia couldn't get enough of me all afternoon, and now she says she wants to try new positions with me tonight. Even though I went easy on her for the sake of the baby, she still seems completely wild for me. Mr. Bennett, are you getting too old to satisfy Olivia?

"I honestly feel pretty sorry for you. I got Olivia pregnant on our very first try, while you spent four long years in treatment only to end up watching your wife carry another man's child."

In the heated master bedroom, Joshua felt a bone-chilling cold settle over him.

He got up to fetch a hot water bottle before pulling himself back into bed.

He was eight years older than Olivia. From the moment he fell in love with her, he had always felt like he owed her more than he could ever give.

For the past five years, he had loved her with everything he had.

He used to regret meeting her so late in life, feeling that the time they had left was far too short.

But now, with only five days remaining, every single minute felt agonizingly endless.