Chapter 5

I stared at Kate's back, waiting for her to turn around.

One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.

Kate finally turned, her brows furrowed in irritation.

"Can you stop being so unreasonable?" Her tone sharpened. "I actually have an emergency. We can celebrate my next birthday properly, okay?"

My mouth opened, but before I could utter a word, she opened the door and walked out without another look.

Silence reclaimed the room. I sat frozen, unable to move for a long time. The flame on the birthday candle flickered once and went out.

"But Kate, I won't be there for any of your birthdays anymore. Not tonight, and not ever again," I thought.

Kate didn't come back all night.

I clutched my phone, watching the screen light up and dim over and over.

At 3:00 am, Nathan posted an update. "My back is killing me. She's an absolute wildcat."

The attached picture showed a tangled heap of blankets with a faint, blurry stain.

My stomach suddenly turned violently. I hurled the phone away, stumbled into the bathroom, and collapsed over the toilet, dry-heaving uncontrollably.

The burning agony of my gastric ulcer was already punishing enough, but this blow made it unbearable.

I shook all over. Cold sweat mingled with tears and ran down my cheeks.

For years, constantly skipping meals while managing hospital shifts and caring for Rosalie had ruined my stomach. I had recently been diagnosed with a severe ulcer that required surgery.

But I hadn't told Kate, terrified it would worry her.

Now, none of that mattered anymore.

It took forever to gather enough strength to crawl back to the bed.

Picking up my phone, I canceled my scheduled follow-up appointment with trembling fingers. Instead, I booked the surgery.

I pressed down lightly on the aching spot in my abdomen. Hidden beneath was an organ riddled with damage.

I used to believe that suffering for love was a badge of honor. But now, I refused to let this body waste away for a relationship built entirely on lies. I couldn't let my body rot away along with my heart.

The phone screen lit up and went dark. Still no text from Kate.

I walked over to the window and looked out toward a distant cabin. A warm, yellow light glowed inside, with what looked like silhouettes moving up and down.

I lowered my gaze, turned around, and opened my suitcase. I hadn't brought much, so packing took only a few minutes.

When I pushed the front door open, the wind-whipped snow slammed into my face. It was freezing and painful.

After taking one last look at the room, I turned and walked out into the blizzard.

Snow melted on my eyelashes, tracing cold lines down my cheeks. For a moment, I couldn't tell if it was just melted snow or something else.

Once aboard the supply boat, I stood out on the deck and looked back. The research station shrank into the distance until it was nothing more than a tiny speck.

The wind on the water was howling, making my eyes sting and water. The dark void behind me was fading away, taking ten years of my youth with it.

I didn't know what lay ahead. But some love and hate were better left behind.

I was letting Kate go.