All Chapters of Before My Last Autumn Ends: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

Vivian reacted first. Her eyes filled with tears. "Nora, what's wrong? Don't scare us."Julian released my wrist and reached for me, but I stepped back. "Don't touch me."His hand stayed in the air for a moment before falling to his side. "What are you playing at now, Nora? You pulled this fake-blood stunt three years ago. You really think I'm stupid enough to fall for it twice?"I looked at him and smiled.Three years ago, I'd faked the same thing to stop him from going to Vivian.He'd panicked and rushed me straight to the hospital. On the way, he kept promising me anything I wanted as long as I was okay.I was secretly thrilled. I wrapped my arms around his neck and said sweetly, "I knew it. I'm the one you love most."He stopped dead and glared at me. "Are you done, Nora? Faking an illness just to get my attention is pathetic."His words made me furious. That night, I sent people to wreck Vivian's apartment.Vivian ran straight to Julian afterward. He threatened to have me arrested

Chapter 2

I packed a suitcase and headed for the door. When I opened it, my best friend, Chloe Mercer, was standing outside. I hadn't seen her in months.For one foolish second, I thought she'd heard what happened and come to take me home. Tears stung my eyes.But before I could say anything, she looked at my suitcase. "Where are you going?""Home.""Isn't this your home? Where else do you have to go?"I stared at her. She was my best friend, yet suddenly she felt like a stranger. I tightened my grip on the suitcase and stayed silent."Stop putting everyone through this, Nora." She sighed. There was something complicated in her eyes. "Everything Julian did was for your own good.""My own good?" I let out a bitter laugh. "Destroying my father's company was for my own good?""You brought that on yourself!" Chloe snapped. "If you hadn't gone completely off the rails and humiliated Vivian in public, none of this would've happened! Don't you understand? Vivian lost her baby because of you!"Her words

Chapter 3

I went back to my parents' house. Every room was filled with memories of them.I spent two days cleaning the place from top to bottom. I even wiped every framed photo until not a speck of dust remained.When I finally finished, I dropped onto the sofa, exhausted. Then the pain in my stomach returned.I pulled the painkillers from my bag and swallowed two without water.Before they kicked in, the housekeeper called. Julian's grandmother, Evelyn Hale, wanted me to come over for dinner.I wanted to refuse, but changed my mind. It was time to end things for good.I returned to the Hale estate.The smell of food greeted me as soon as I walked in.At the dining table, Evelyn sat at the head with Julian beside her. Vivian was sitting in my usual seat.Vivian wore a simple white dress and served Evelyn more food. She looked so comfortable, anyone might have mistaken her for the lady of the house."Try this, Evelyn. I asked the kitchen to make it especially for you. It's light and easy on the s

Chapter 4

Julian sneered. He ripped the agreement in half and threw the pieces onto the floor."Let me make this clear, Nora. If I don't agree to a divorce, you'll be my wife until the day you die!" He didn't care that his grandmother and relatives were watching. He grabbed my wrist and dragged me outside."Julian! Let go of me!" I fought as hard as I could, but the cancer had already drained most of my strength.He shoved me into the car and sped back to our house.He kicked the front door open and shoved me against the living room wall.My bag dropped to the floor. The zipper split open, spilling everything across the room.Along with my phone and tissues were two keepsakes I'd taken from my parents' house.One was my father's old pocket watch. It had never kept time properly. The other was the emerald bangle my mother had been holding when she died.They were all I had left of my parents.My eyes went wide. Ignoring the numbness spreading through my body, I threw myself toward them.But Julia

Chapter 5

Julian froze when he stepped into the living room.Blood stained the white carpet, and the sight stopped him cold.I lay motionless among the bloody pieces of glass and emerald."Nora? Enough. Get up." He strode across the room. Then he saw the blood. His eyes moved to my pale, lifeless face, and his voice died.The metallic smell filled the room."Nora!" Julian rushed toward me and grabbed my arm.I had lost too much blood. My body was already cold.He lifted me with shaking hands. Then he suddenly went still.I was too light. Frighteningly light.Julian looked down at me in his arms. His hands shook even harder.Only then did he realize how thin I'd become. The healthy woman he remembered was gone. I was nothing but skin and bone, and he hadn't even noticed. "Nora... This isn't funny. Wake up!"All his usual confidence disappeared. He carried me outside and rushed to the hospital.Minutes later, tires screeched outside the emergency room.The light above the trauma room doors remaine

Chapter 6

The sharp smell of antiseptic filled my nose. A heart monitor beeped steadily beside me as I forced my eyes open.For once, the terrible pain was gone. The pain pump was keeping it under control.My vision slowly cleared. Julian was sitting beside my bed.Julian, usually perfectly dressed, now sat hunched over. Dark stubble covered his jaw, and his tired eyes were bloodshot.When he saw me open my eyes, he froze. Relief and fear crossed his face at the same time.He grabbed my hand with both of his. His hands were shaking, and tears landed on my skin. "Nori... you're awake..."His voice was hoarse. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. I truly didn't know you were this sick! Don't be afraid. I've already contacted the best cancer specialists here and abroad. We'll try everything. I don't care how much it costs. I'll find a way to save you. We still have our whole lives ahead of us. I promise."He kept talking about our future and everything he would do to make things right.I listened, but his wo

Chapter 7

Julian left the room. A moment later, the door opened again.I assumed a nurse had come to check my medication, so I kept my eyes closed. Then I smelled a familiar perfume."I heard you don't have long, Nora. Chloe and I came to see you."I recognized Vivian's voice and slowly opened my eyes.Vivian had clearly dressed to impress. There wasn't a hint of sadness on her face. She looked like someone showing off after a victory.She gave me a fake sigh. "Look at you. If you had just stepped aside sooner, none of this would've happened to you."Chloe looked down at me and snorted. "You were so vicious, Nora, that even God got tired of you. Now he's taking you away. We came to say goodbye. That's more kindness than you deserve."I looked at them and almost laughed. They were more pathetic than cruel.I didn't have the energy to argue. I closed my eyes. "Get out.""You're dying and still acting like you're better than us?" My dismissal made Chloe furious. She turned toward Vivian. "Once she'

Chapter 8

For days afterward, Julian acted like he could spend the rest of his life making up for what he'd done.He sat beside me every day. Even when I ignored him or looked at him coldly, he kept begging me to forgive him.What he didn't know was that whenever I was awake, I worked on a document on my phone, writing a little at a time.I wrote down everything Julian had done over the past three years. How he'd destroyed my father's company for Vivian. How he'd illegally cut off my family's cash flow and pushed my father into borrowing from loan sharks. And how it had all ended with my parents' deaths.I also attached evidence of the threats and dirty tricks he'd recently used against Vivian and Chloe.After my cancer diagnosis, I'd hired a private investigator and gathered the evidence piece by piece.I'd planned to use it against Julian during our divorce. As it turned out, I needed it sooner.The next time I was rushed to the emergency room after coughing up blood, I hit send.By the next m

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