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Chapter 7

Autor: Ding
The private hospital was in the suburbs, surrounded by endless woods.

I couldn't leave. I couldn't reach anyone.

The doctors and nurses said they were sorry, but their hands were tied.

Nico came every day. Mostly at dusk, rushing in straight from work, and we'd talk.

I kept my distance. He didn't push.

Lately, I'd been dreaming of the past a lot.

Back when I used to say his name all the time.

"Nico, you're going to be the greatest don ever."

He sighed. "What flavor milk today?"

"Banana."

He skipped class for the first time just to buy me banana milk. Got caught.

Later, in college, rumors spread about him and the campus beauty.

I took the subway for over a dozen stops and sat crying under his building.

Nico got out of bed, came downstairs in the dark, and gently wiped my tears. "Stop crying. If you want me, I'm yours."

"Only you from now on."

"That's not how you confess."

He hugged me tight. "I love you."

We never imagined that a decade later, it would come to this.

"Tomorrow, I'm getting married."

The sunset still lingered, warmth fading.

Nico's voice pulled me back. "Is there anything you want to say to me?"

I held my half-drunk milk and looked at his face.

Suddenly I understood why I'd been dreaming so much.

I was saying goodbye to the old Valentina and the old Nico.

On TV, his and Mira's wedding was all over the news.

Golden couple. Perfect match.

That was the future we once dreamed of.

But now? I was sick, broken. Who was I to deserve it?

"Congratulations," I said. "I hope you have many children."

Nico's knife slipped. It cut his finger. Blood welled up.

He blinked, grabbed a tissue, pressed it to the cut, and smiled bitterly.

"It's fine. She and I are just going through the motions. Do you want kids? Boys, girls? How many? I'm good with anything."

"Nico, can't we just let it go?" I felt so tired. "Let's keep some dignity."

He stopped pretending. Threw the apple back into the basket. Stared at me with a mocking smile.

"Let it go?"

"Why?"

"You started this. Then you got bored and walked away clean. What does that make me? A dog?"

I closed my eyes against the sunlight. "Then I'll pay you back."

He went rigid. "What?"

I watched the dying sun. "You want me to suffer? I can die."

He grabbed my chin, forced my face toward him, eyes blazing.

"Valentina, are you sick?"

"If you wanted to die so badly, why didn't you do it back then?"
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  • You Were My Goodbye   Chapter 13

    (Nico's Perspective)The following winter, Mira's family collapsed.The people who hurt Valentina—Nico sent them to hell.After many crises, his family rose again.But tonight, Nico sat alone in his office, holding the diagnosis from his private doctor.Stomach cancer.Snow fell hard outside. Headlights below stretched into a river.He'd been working nonstop for two weeks. It felt like a century.He remembered that a year ago today, it had also snowed.Valentina had appeared at the party.When she saw him with Mira, the shock and panic in her eyes.In his dreams, he revisited that night again and again. And every time, he changed things.He ended the engagement early.When the deputy tried to drug her drink, he had someone stop it.He didn't force her to drink. He didn't say cruel things.Just as she had hoped, they had a dignified reunion.Valentina came back.Late at night, she curled into his arms and told him everything. Cried.Nico held her, kissed her, comforted her. Proposed.La

  • You Were My Goodbye   Chapter 12

    A few days later, I saw news about Nico on a friend's social media.He'd lost a lot of weight.In front of the family committee, he confessed to everything he'd done.The coercion. The recording.He also made public an agreement between him and Mira: two years engaged, ending peacefully for mutual benefit. They'd never planned to marry.That night was supposed to be the hearing to announce the dissolution—contractually scheduled.The fallout devastated Nico's family. His reputation and standing crumbled.Later, Matteo called me.He said, "I'm sorry, Valentina. I owe you an explanation."He'd misjudged Mira. She had her own agenda and leaked my story.The people who hurt me back then had sold my information to her.He also said he was worried about Nico's health. His private doctor had just diagnosed stomach cancer.He asked if I would come back.I gave the same answer. I'd said everything I needed to say. The rest was beyond me.Three months later, my condition stabilized. I was ready

  • You Were My Goodbye   Chapter 11

    I dressed quickly. Marco put on his down coat, took my hand, and we went downstairs.Every few steps, there was a security door. Only he could bring me out.Under the night sky, snow fell heavily.Soon my hat was white.Marco handed me a small shovel. "Don't overdo it.""Okay!"The cold air made me inexplicably happy.I walked around the frozen fountain with my shovel.When I turned, I saw Nico standing not far away.Eyes bloodshot. Jaw stubbled. Just staring."Nico?" My voice was soft, surprised.His lips moved. "Valentina, I was wrong."Once, I would have demanded, "Wrong about what?"But now I just hugged my shovel, embarrassed, and looked down. "It's fine."I've been through too much. All my edges had worn smooth.The wind and snow howled in the dark.Nico walked closer and crouched in front of me, his voice rough. "How can it be fine? Valentina, please—say something to me."I thought for a moment, then said seriously, "Merry Christmas to us. And good health."The blood drained fro

  • You Were My Goodbye   Chapter 10

    Back when I left, I joked with Chiara that I'd never come back here.Turns out you shouldn't tempt fate.I'm sick again.The West Coast isn't usually dry in winter. Usually it's freezing rain, but this year it snowed.The doctors and nurses chatted: "Cold winter. The climate's getting impossible."Almost Christmas. Bare branches outside, not a leaf left.I pressed my face to the glass, fogging it with my breath."There's someone downstairs.""He stands there every day. Isn't he cold?"Chiara walked by with a glass of warm milk, face blank. "Oh, really? I guess not."She's been in a bad mood lately.So has Dr. Marco.I've been tiptoeing around them, afraid to set them off.Chiara paused, realizing she'd scared me, and softened her voice."Drink the milk. Wait an hour, then take your meds. Dr. Marco says he's taking you to build a snowman tonight."I glanced at the man again. He looked familiar…Chiara pulled the curtain. "Stop looking, or you'll go blind.""Okay."I went back to bed, to

  • You Were My Goodbye   Chapter 9

    (Nico's Perspective)Since that day at the family hearing, Nico hadn't spoken a word.The blinds stayed shut for three days. No light got in.Missed calls flooded his screen. He didn't look at them.Time seemed to stop.He sat there, head down, lifeless.He still remembered the cold tone of the man who took Valentina away."All of us have been fighting to keep her alive," the man said. "The Barzan don's iron fist, though—you undid everything we did without even trying."Chiara had been stopped by security. She screamed at him, "Nico, if she doesn't take her meds, she relapses! Keeping her locked up is as good as killing her!"Depression. Psychiatric hospital.Those words were like needles, shredding his thoughts, pulling at nerves.Matteo knocked, then cracked the door open. "Nico… are you okay?""Why?" Nico's voice was hoarse. The dull ache in his chest was unbearable.Matteo was quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry. At the time, I didn't think it was necessary to dig deeper, so…""The info

  • You Were My Goodbye   Chapter 8

    I don't remember when he left.That night, his friend Matteo—once mine, too—burst through the door."Valentina. What did you promise me?"I was too stunned to answer."Do you know how much Nico is losing by canceling the wedding?""You're an adult. Stop acting like you did back then—reckless, always leaving Nico to clean up after you. Think about him for once.""What happened?""What happened?" Matteo laughed bitterly. "Nico is calling off the wedding because of you. That's what happened."My ears rang. I sat there, blank.If he canceled the wedding now, what would that make me? A homewrecker?Matteo dragged me out of bed. "Come on. You were good at this before. Bored, found someone new—pick any excuse. Say it.""Matteo—""Valentina!" He was shaking with rage. "If you hadn't come back, none of this would be happening."His voice echoed in the wind. I couldn't hear anything else.The hatred in his eyes was absolute.As if someone like me deserved to die."Matteo, he's the one who won't

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