Chapter 7

Seeing her glowing complexion, he deduced that her time abroad had lifted her spirits, which instantly brightened his own mood.

"You're honestly the best friend anyone could ask for," Elena exclaimed, throwing her arms around him in a spontaneous hug.

As her hands rested on his shoulders, a slight flush crept up Mateo's neck. He knew her embrace was purely platonic, yet he couldn't prevent his heart from fluttering.

For as long as they had known each other, Elena had viewed Mateo strictly as her closest confidant.

Their friendship began back in their school days when Mateo was frequently targeted by bullies. During one such incident, Elena had stepped in without hesitation to shield him.

To Mateo, she was like a bright sun illuminating his darkest days. But fully aware that he wasn't her romantic ideal, he chose to bury his feelings deep inside, contenting himself with being her most dependable friend.

Completely oblivious to his internal turmoil, Elena didn't even register his blushing cheeks.

After loading her bags into the trunk, Mateo drove her back to her place. Recognizing her severe jet lag, he thoughtfully helped her settle in before taking his leave so she could rest.

Following a long, restorative sleep, Elena finally returned to the university campus.

The backlog of work from her week-long absence was overwhelming. Her professor offered no lecture, simply resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Brace yourself. You've got a massive pile of research catching up to you."

Knowing she had no choice but to push through, Elena threw herself into her duties without complaint. Between drafting her doctoral dissertation and executing complex technical tasks, her schedule became so demanding that she had zero time to dwell on her breakup. Her life revolved entirely around the laboratory and her apartment.

A week after her return, an important experiment was slated for the morning. Waking up at dawn, Elena was just steps away from the lab when her phone suddenly chimed. The caller wasn't one of her parents, but a neighbor from her hometown.

The neighbor broke the news: her father had been diagnosed with stage 2 liver cancer. Knowing how much pressure Elena was under, her parents had deliberately hidden the illness and refused hospitalization to spare her the financial and emotional burden. Unable to stand by and watch her father's condition deteriorate untreated, the neighbor felt compelled to reach out.

The revelation hit Elena like a physical blow, making her heart freeze. "How... how could this happen?" she whimpered in disbelief.

"I have to reach Mom right now," she panicked, frantically digging through her bag. The more flustered she grew, the harder it was to locate her phone. A wave of helplessness washed over her, bringing her to the brink of tears.

When her trembling fingers finally retrieved the device, she dialed her mother's number instantly. The line rang several times before connecting. "Elena? Sweetheart, is everything okay?" her mother's gentle voice sounded from the receiver.

Hearing that tender voice, Elena froze, unable to utter a single word.

"Elena, what's wrong? Are you upset because your father and I haven't called lately? I promise you, we've just been a little tied up with things," her mother offered apologetically, misinterpreting her daughter's silence.

At that moment, Elena's composure completely shattered, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Mom... you're keeping something terrible from me, aren't you? Is Dad sick?"

"Elena, no... of course not. Your father is perfectly fine. What are you talking about?" her mother stammered weakly.

"Our neighbor called me this morning," Elena sobbed, her voice breaking. "They told me Dad has stage 2 liver cancer. Mom, please... tell me the truth."

"Well... you see..." Her mother stumbled over her words, caught completely off guard.

Realizing the secret was out, her mother tried to soften the blow. "Elena, darling, please don't cry. He's managing fine. We're already seeing a doctor, I promise."

"I'm catching the next flight home today," Elena blurted out. Terrified that her uncontrolled sobbing would cause her mother further distress, she cut the call short before she broke down completely.

Once the call ended, Elena buried her face in her hands and wept openly. Guilt consumed her entirely—how could she have been so blind to her father's failing health, even flying off on an overseas vacation to nurse a broken heart while he was suffering? The more she dwelt on her self-absorption, the deeper her agony became.

Her laboratory partner was practically frantic with worry. After making several unanswered calls, Elena finally picked up. "I'm so sorry... Something urgent came up at home. I have to head back right now," Elena explained, her voice choked with tears.

The senior student was taken aback, asking with concern, "Elena, what happened?"

"I'm fine, but my father took ill," Elena replied, trying her best to steady her breath. "I won't be able to make it to today's experiment. I really apologize."

"Don't worry about it. Just be careful on your way," her senior reassured her. "We can reschedule the research once you return."

Hanging up, Elena took a moment to pull herself together. She had shed enough tears already; given the barrage of misfortunes hitting her lately, she needed to stay strong.

After securing an emergency leave, she boarded the very first bus heading back to her hometown, leaving all her personal belongings behind.

Upon arriving home, she was heartbroken to find that her father was still refusing to check into a hospital.

Swallowing her sorrow, Elena packed his essentials and declared firmly, "Come on, we're going to the hospital right now."

Her parents stood silent, stunned by her sudden arrival. Her father murmured weakly, "Why bother going to the hospital? I feel completely fine. I'm not going."

Elena turned toward him, her eyes rimmed with red. Before she could even speak, her father relented, saying softly, "Alright, alright. I'll do whatever Elena says."

That afternoon, they arrived at the medical center to schedule his surgical procedure. Once all the paperwork was finalized, Elena waited until her father drifted off to sleep before quietly ushering her mother out into the hallway.

"Mom, I remember helping you both enroll in a health insurance plan a while back. Didn't you say you paid the premiums?" Elena asked softly.

Her mother avoided her gaze, remaining completely silent.