Chapter 5

For a moment, I couldn’t hear anything.

The woman who had spent three years coming between Dominic and me was carrying his child.

And I had just lost mine.

I stared at her, unable to breathe.

Then she leaned closer.

“Besides, you’re dying anyway. You won’t be around much longer. Why shouldn’t I have the family you can no longer give him?”

My heart clenched.

I tore my wrist from her grip and snatched the locket from her neck.

“Give that back!”

The pain in my abdomen sharpened. Elena stumbled backward.

Dominic crossed the room in seconds and caught her.

“Scarlett! What the hell are you doing?”

I staggered away from them, my lower back crashing into the corner of a cabinet.

Pain shot through my back and abdomen. I curled onto the floor, unable to straighten up.

Dominic didn’t even look at me.

He lifted Elena into his arms, his face full of concern.

“Don’t be scared. I’m taking you to the hospital.”

Elena’s eyes reddened. She shook her head weakly against his chest.

“Dominic, please don’t blame Scarlett. She must have lost control because she loves you so much. She didn’t mean to hurt me.”

He looked down at me, disgust flashing across his face.

“Scarlett, when did you become so cruel? You’re attacking someone over a stupid necklace?”

“Elena’s treatment is at a critical stage. She can’t handle any emotional stress right now.”

He adjusted his hold on her.

“I gave her that locket because she’s been having nightmares. I wanted her to feel safe. If you’re upset, take it up with me instead of hurting her.”

I lay on the floor, clutching my abdomen. Cold sweat soaked through my clothes, and every breath sent another wave of pain through me.

“Please. My medication is in my bag. I need—”

“Stop it, Scarlett!”

His voice cracked through the room.

“You were perfectly fine a moment ago. Now Elena is unwell, and suddenly you’re having an emergency too?”

I stared at him, stunned.

Cold sweat gathered at the back of my neck. The pain was growing sharper, spreading through my abdomen and into my back.

“I’m not pretending,” I whispered. “Something is wrong.”

Elena clutched his shirt.

“Dom, please. I’m scared.”

His attention returned to her instantly.

“It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

He lifted her into his arms and headed for the door.

Before leaving, he looked back at me.

“You can’t keep using your health to make me choose between you. I’m not going to be manipulated like this.”

The front door shut behind them.

I slid down the wall, trembling.

For a few seconds, I couldn’t even reach for my phone. Then another wave of pain doubled me over, and I tasted blood in my mouth.

I fumbled for my phone and called emergency services.

By the time the paramedics arrived, I could barely speak.

At the hospital, the doctors ran blood tests and monitored my condition. When the attending physician returned, his expression was grave.

“Your leukemia is progressing more quickly than we’d hoped. The symptoms you’re experiencing are concerning, and pain medication alone won’t address the underlying disease.”

He explained that I needed urgent specialist care and that chemotherapy might help, though there was no guarantee of success.

“Is there anyone we can contact for you?” he asked. “Someone who can stay with you while we discuss your options?”

I glanced at the empty chair beside my bed.

“No.”

He hesitated.

“Scarlett, given the severity of your condition, I want you to understand the risks of leaving without further treatment. We need to prepare for the possibility that you may deteriorate rapidly.”

I nodded.

I already knew I might have less than three months.

After signing the paperwork to decline admission, I arranged for my belongings to be shipped to Switzerland. The following morning, I checked out and went straight to the airport.

I boarded my flight with one suitcase and no one to say goodbye to.

When the plane landed in Switzerland, I switched off airplane mode.

My phone immediately began vibrating in my hand.

Missed calls flooded the screen.

And every single one was from Dominic.