Chapter 3 The Receipt in His Pocket

Nathan dragged his injured leg down the hospital hallway, limping with every step.

The bright white tile reflected his hunched figure. For a moment, regret washed over me. 'He's already struggling so much. If he takes another job, will it break him completely? But Emma… Emma really can't wait any longer.'

I forced myself to harden my heart and turned to look at my sleeping daughter.

Nathan and I had been together for five years.

When we first met, he was working security at a shopping mall, and I was a cashier at a mart nearby.

Every evening after work, I would see him there. He always wore the same easy grin, never appearing tired regardless of how long his shift was. He felt like sunlight breaking through a cloudy day.

One day, I finally couldn't help asking, "What's your name?"

"Nathan Blackwood," he replied, his face strangely tense, almost hopeful.

We began going to the movies and sharing dinners like any typical couple. We rented a small apartment, moved in together, got married… and then Emma came into our lives.

Everything had unfolded so naturally. We didn't have much money, but our days were warm and happy.

I thought I was one of the lucky ones. In a world full of lies and disappointment, I had found someone who loved me sincerely.

But good times never seemed to last.

Emma fell seriously ill, and while Nathan was heading to his part-time job, he was hit by a car and broke his leg.

Thankfully, the driver was kind. He paid Nathan's medical bills, compensated for missed work, and hired a caregiver for a while so I could focus on earning money.

Still, the burden of our lives suddenly fell on my shoulders.

I worked three jobs daily, barely covering Emma's first round of treatment.

When Nathan finally returned home from the hospital, he limped through the door, guilt written all over his face. Then, he held out the compensation money.

"The doctor said the damage is permanent," he said quietly. "This is… as good as it's going to get."

I took the small amount of money from his hand; it was barely enough to cover a month of medical expenses.

Due to his injury, he lost his job as a security guard.

After staying home for a while, he found work at a factory assembly line. At least there, no one cared about his injured leg.

Seeing the exhaustion on his face when he came home always felt like a knife twisting in my chest.

When you loved someone, it often felt like you owed them more than you could give. I always believed Nathan was sincere and wholehearted.

So why did life have to be so cruel to someone like him? The bright, lively young man I fell for had slowly been worn down by hardship, his eyes haunted by exhaustion.

Lost in those heavy thoughts, I eventually drifted off to sleep.

In my dream, the three of us were together—healthy, whole, and happy.

…

Early the next morning, Nathan was already there with breakfast. "You're awake. Come on, have a bite."

I glanced at the time; it was already past six o'clock.

As I reached for the container, I noticed a faint indentation around his wrist. It looked like a watch mark, but his wrist was bare.

The doubts I had tried so hard to push down came rushing back.

Then, all at once, I remembered something from a month earlier.

While doing laundry, I found a receipt in the pocket of Nathan's worn-out jacket. It showed that someone had bought a necklace that same day for 800,000.

Back then, Nathan laughed and explained, "I found it on the street. I figured whoever dropped it had to be rich, so I brought it home to take a look. Then, I forgot to mention it."

I had believed him.

After all, 800,000 was the kind of number our family could never even dream of touching.

Now, I wasn't so sure, so that day, I quietly took leave from work and followed him.