Chapter 1

Matthew's POV

The doctor refused to give me my medical report on the day that I was diagnosed with cancer. I could make an educated guess that the results were grim when he insisted that I call my family to come to the hospital, especially since my stomach had been aching for some time.

I begged the doctor to tell me the results since I didn't really have any family left in the world anymore. However, he stubbornly shook his head and told me that someone else had to be present.

Standing in front of the hospital, I hesitated for a long time before I finally pulled out my phone and called my wife, Julia Snow.

The call rang for a long time before Julia finally picked up. I was about to speak when a feminine voice laced with impatience echoed from the receiver.

"You're really something else, Matthew Sawyer," Julia sneered. "You knew that Bradley's coming back today. That's why you're calling to check what I'm doing, aren't you?"

Julia's voice was a little distorted over the phone, but the contempt and annoyance in her tone were as clear as day.

I could understand her frustration. Her beloved childhood sweetheart, Bradley Holton, was returning to the country that day. I was ruining her mood by calling her. However, the doctor would only tell me the results with a family member present. She was the only one I could turn to.

I let out a hoarse laugh, explaining, "No, I'm not checking on what you're doing. Can you drop by the hospital? I—"

"Why should I go to the hospital? Are you actually going to die this time?" she demanded, letting out a laugh. "Is the Grim Reaper finally coming for you, Matthew? It's about time!"

My heart throbbed painfully upon hearing her words. Julia had insulted me with even crueler words in the past. Whenever we got into a huge fight, she would repeatedly curse me to die. However, it turned out that her words could still upset me at the very end.

I swallowed the bitter feeling in my throat and let out a dry laugh. "You can find out what's going on by asking the doctor yourself, Julia. Maybe the results are what you've been wishing for. After all, the doctor wouldn't refuse to give me my medical report if I wasn't diagnosed with cancer—"

Julia impatiently cut me off before I could finish my sentence. "Are you done yet, Matthew? Stop trying to use your underhanded tactics on me. Just let me know when to deal with your corpse when you're dead. Bradley's plane is about to land. I have no time to waste on you."

She then hung up after she was done speaking.

My entire body felt incredibly cold as I gripped my phone and listened to the beeping sounds that echoed from the receiver.

Julia was right. She didn't need to waste her time on me anymore since Bradley was back.

I had no choice but to shamelessly beg the doctor to tell me the results since Julia refused to come to the hospital.

"Just tell me the results, doctor. My parents have passed away, and my relationship with my wife has been on the rocks recently. I truly don't have any other family left in this world. Just tell me. It's fine. I can take it."

The bespectacled doctor shot me a sympathetic look before handing me the medical report with a sigh. "It's late-stage stomach cancer, Mr. Sawyer. The cancer cells have already spread throughout your body. You should eat and do whatever you want as soon as possible. Don't leave any regrets behind."

I left the hospital as the doctor offered his condolences to me. He informed me that since I had terminal cancer, I only had at most three months left to live.

Only three months left.

A tear rolled down my face as I looked up at the cloudy sky. I only realized that I had wasted the last five years of my life being in a love-hate relationship with Julia now that there was a countdown to the end of my life.

…

Night had fallen by the time I returned home. It was pitch-black in the house.

I sat alone in the living room for a long time after I turned on the lights. Julia didn't come home even though it was getting very late.

I knew that she would never come back again.