Chapter 2

"How pitiful. Not a single member of her family has come to visit her since yesterday."

The whispers from behind the door were clearly audible. It was already noon, yet Eleanor was still lying on her side, facing the window and staring at the sky outside. The hospital room was spacious, but it felt lonely and cold.

That night, Eleanor's phone vibrated again. Another notification from Claudia's account appeared on the screen. This time, it was a series of photos from their visit to an amusement park in Milan. One of the pictures showed their hands forming a heart shape, while another featured matching bracelets.

The caption read: "You always know what I need."

Eleanor turned off her phone screen and shifted back against the bed.

She knew exactly when her husband's attitude toward her had begun to change. It all started two years ago, when Claudia's parents passed away.

"She has no one else in this world," Stella Tores, her mother-in-law, had said during the funeral two years ago.

Back then, Eleanor had watched Sebastian wrap an arm around Claudia's shoulders as she wept beside the grave.

"Don't get the wrong idea," Stella had said coldly when she noticed where Eleanor was looking. "To Sebastian, Claudia is his younger sister. Starting today, Claudia will be living with us."

Eleanor had fallen silent.

"Once we get home, prepare a room for her. Replace the guest room's bedsheets with the silk ones in the storage room," Stella ordered.

Those silk bedsheets had been Eleanor's wedding gift, and she had never even used them herself. Yet Stella had handed them over without a second thought for Claudia's comfort.

From that day on, Eleanor's place in the family gradually began to shift—not only in her husband's eyes but also in the eyes of her own daughter, Valentina. Claudia subtly began taking over the role of a mother in that household, feeding Valentina, buying her toys, and gradually making the little girl more attached to Claudia than to Eleanor.

"Claudia is allergic to cow's milk," Stella announced one morning in the kitchen. "No more dairy products in this house."

"But Valentina and I are used to drinking milk every morning, Mom," Eleanor replied softly.

"Just do as Mommy says, Eleanor. Don't argue," Sebastian cut in as he entered the kitchen, his expression impassive.

The neglect continued until several months ago, when Eleanor came down with a high fever. Her body trembled with chills, and she was too weak to get out of bed. Yet instead of checking on his wife's condition, Sebastian stood in the doorway, looking irritated.

"Today is an important event for Claudia. Can you stop acting spoiled and pretending to be sick?" Sebastian scolded her without even touching her forehead.

"I'm really sick, Sebastian..." Eleanor whispered weakly.

Sebastian didn't answer. He simply turned around and left. That night, Eleanor was abandoned at home alone while the Tores family went out to celebrate Claudia's event.

"Eleanor! Why didn't you tell me you were hospitalized?"

Alessia Ricci, Eleanor's best friend since middle school, hurried into the hospital room. Her expression tightened when she saw how pale, frail, and terribly weak Eleanor looked.

"Alessia..." Eleanor called softly.

Alessia sat on the edge of the bed and held Eleanor's cold hand. "What happened to you? Where's Sebastian? Why isn't he here?"

"Does she even have a husband?" remarked a female patient from the next room as she happened to walk past. "This young woman has been all alone since yesterday. Not a single family member has come to visit her."

At those words, Alessia's jaw tightened. She stared at Eleanor in disbelief.

"So... you've been seriously ill here all alone, Eleanor? Sebastian hasn't stayed by your side at all?"

"You didn't have to come here, Al..." Eleanor whispered. She didn't want to trouble her best friend, who was already busy with work.

"Then where are Sebastian's parents?" Alessia asked again.

Eleanor lowered her head without answering.

Alessia stood up and strode out into the corridor without wasting another second. She took out her phone and dialed Sebastian's number.

As soon as the call connected, Alessia spoke without bothering with any pleasantries.

"Where are you right now, Sebastian? Your wife is in critical condition in the hospital, and you're nowhere by her side. What kind of husband are you?"

"Alessia? What's gotten into you? Watch your tone," Sebastian replied from the other end, his voice sounding indifferent.

"Watch my tone?" Alessia paused for a moment, trying to control the anger burning in her chest. "Your wife needs an organ transplant to survive, and you can't even be reached! Where are you right now?!"

"I'm in Italy," Sebastian answered casually.

"Italy?" Alessia let out a short, bitter laugh, disgust rising to the top of her head. "Accompanying Claudia again? Listen to me, Sebastian. If you don't come back right now, I won't let this go!"

"Eleanor is just dealing with an ordinary illness, Alessia. Don't exaggerate—"

"She is suffering from severe liver damage, Sebastian! The doctor said her life is in danger if she doesn't receive treatment immediately! Come home now, or you'll regret it for the rest of your life!" Alessia snapped before abruptly ending the call.

Alessia leaned against the hospital corridor wall, her chest rising and falling as she struggled to contain her fury. But before she could even take a relieved breath, a piercing alarm suddenly shattered the silence!

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The medical monitor inside Eleanor's room let out a series of frantic beeps.

Alessia froze. She immediately spun around and rushed back into the room.

On the bed, Eleanor's body was trembling with small convulsions, her breathing rapid and ragged. Her face, which had been pale moments ago, had now turned ashen gray. The monitor beside her bed showed her blood pressure and heart rate plummeting at an alarming rate!

"Eleanor!" Alessia screamed, her eyes widening in panic as she saw blood beginning to seep from the corner of her best friend's mouth. "Eleanor, hold on!"

"Doctor! Nurse! Help! Get in here, quickly!" Alessia's frantic screams echoed down the corridor.

As her consciousness slowly faded and her vision grew darker, Eleanor could only hear the pounding footsteps of medical staff rushing into her room.

Is... this the end of my life? Eleanor wondered before complete darkness swallowed her whole.