Chapter 3

The rain was heavier than I had expected. The entire street was misty because of it.

There were a lot of people getting cabs, and it was a very long wait.

I waited for a few minutes before deciding to rent a bike.

My raincoat could not withstand such heavy rain.

I had just cycled for a while before the rain trickled into my raincoat. I started shivering.

When I reached the intersection, a food delivery driver suddenly sped over in the wrong direction.

I immediately pressed on my brakes.

The tires slipped on the puddles and immediately flipped over.

I was thrown off the bike due to the impact. My knees slammed hard against the road, and my vision became spotty from the pain.

The delivery driver was terrified. He immediately stopped his bike and rushed over.

“Sir, are you alright? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

I looked at the bloody wounds on my knees and gasped.

However, seeing how anxious he was, I decided to let him go.

“I’m fine, you should go.”

I helped myself up by holding onto the railing beside me.

Then, I limped and slowly pushed the bike forward.

Half an hour later, I delivered the paper folder to the logistics center indicated on the address Claudia had sent me.

It specialized in international shipping.

I counted the time in my head. As long as I sent it out, they would receive the tickets and the vinyl at their hotel before the concert started tonight.

After completing the paperwork, I dragged my drenched body back home.

I had just taken off my bloodied pants when Claudia called me again.

“Edward, did you manage to deliver it?”

“I did.”

“Thank you very much! But…”

She paused and then sounded like she was blaming me.

“The staff at the logistics center sent me a confirmation photo earlier, and the paper folder was a little dented in the corner. Did you accidentally drop it on the way there?”

I stared at my open wounds on my knees and spoke in a hoarse voice.

“The rain was too heavy, so I fell down.”

She was quiet for a moment.

After a while, I heard her sigh softly.

“Edward, I know it’s easy to get into accidents on a rainy day, but this document is very important. What if the item inside got damaged? I’ll have to explain to the client for a very long time.

“Can you be a little more careful next time?”

Was it my fault again?

“Got it.”

I pulled a few tissues and pressed them against my wounds.

“Alright, remember to change into dry clothes. Don’t fall sick. As for delaying our wedding, remember to appease our relatives. I’m going into a meeting soon, talk to you later.”

She ended the call hastily.

I tossed the bloodied tissues into the trash can.

At the very bottom of the trash can were our wedding journal and vows.

In the afternoon, I was taken by a sudden fever.

The thermometer indicated 104F.

I did not call anyone. I put on a down jacket and called a cab to the hospital.

When I reached the emergency department, it was filled with patients. It smelled like a mixture of antiseptic and rain, and it was a horrible smell.

I sat down on a plastic chair in a corner. I curled up as I felt dizzy.

My phone started to buzz, and Claudia’s name popped up on the screen.

“Why aren’t you answering my text messages?”

She sounded a little anxious and annoyed.

“I’m not feeling well, so I’m at the hospital.”

“Hospital? What’s going on?”

“I’m having a fever.”

“Why are you so careless?” She immediately blamed me. “You never learned how to take care of yourself. When I’m not by your side, you don’t even know how to dress for the weather.

“Before you see a doctor, I have to update you on the situation.”

She cleared her throat and sounded serious.

“Edward, the data issue is not resolved. In order to fill the financial gap and prevent the company from being sued…

“I had to withdraw three hundred thousand dollars from your account.”

I suddenly could not hear the sounds around me.

It was the very last sum of money that I had left after we bought the house in South City. It was also my entire savings from the past five years of working.

“You took it all away?”

“Right, it’s an emergency. I haven’t had time to discuss it with you. You’re technically also a co-owner of this company. Anyway, go see the doctor. Let’s talk about the money once I’m back.”

She hung up on me.

The nurse’s impatient voice could be heard from the payment counter’s speaker.

“Edward! Is Edward or Edward’s family here? Please come over to complete your payment and collect your medicine.”

I propped myself up with the chair handles and slowly walked to the window.

“You have to pay a deposit of two thousand dollars first. You’ll have to be hospitalized for further observation.”

She passed me the bill.

I opened my bank account and saw that I did not have enough balance.

Then, I looked at my checking account, and I only had 34 dollars and 2 cents left.

Before the payment window, the people queuing behind me started to complain loudly.

“Are you going to pay? Can you be faster? Everyone’s waiting!”

I looked at my phone screen.

Five minutes ago, Nick had updated his social media account.

[It’s so cold in snowy Ocean City, but the vinyl and tickets she bought warmed my heart up.]

In the photo, he was sitting before a fireplace as he held up the two tickets.

I slowly pushed the bill back.

“I’m sorry, but I’m no longer going ahead with the treatment.”

I had just turned around before my vision blacked out.

My legs gave out, and I collapsed on the floor of the emergency department.