Chapter 2

Grey stared at me, mouth parted open. If he thinks I will continue to beg for his love, he’s mistaken!

Wordlessly, I pulled my wedding ring from my finger and laid it on top of the table. It was a gesture that I’m done fulfilling the vows I made in front of the altar, and I’m setting him free. Without a moment's delay, I made my way to the door, not bothering to take one last look at him. The love I had for him disappeared. Hate took over.

I marched to the parking area where my car was waiting, opened the door, and climbed into the driver’s seat. My heart still hammered inside my rib cage, even after I sat on the leather chair. Our conversation painfully reverberated in my thoughts. I had to close my eyes to calm myself before I broke into a sob. When my eyes lifted open, the turmoil inside me had subsided. I took a deep, calming breath and turned the engine on before maneuvering the car out of the parking area.

Soon, the car peacefully traversed the highway under a starless sky. I had already left the restaurant, but my thoughts were still there. I couldn't believe Grey quickly ended what I'd been trying to save for years. He could choose any other day to ask for a divorce, but he purposely did it on our fourth wedding anniversary. He's so cruel! I expelled a sigh. My emotions were running riot inside me again. I took a deep breath and calmed myself once more. I should not allow my emotions to get the best of me while I’m in the middle of driving.

Minutes later, my car skidded to a stop right in front of a simple two-story building where my mother lives. After getting out of the car, I hurried to the door and unlocked it using my duplicate key. Celine, the nurse who was watching over my mom, was already waiting in the living room. The moment Celine saw me enter through the door, she got up from the Victorian sofa.

“How’s Mom?” I asked her, dread piling up inside me as I waited for her reply.

“Her condition is not good,” Celine replied. Try as she might, she couldn’t contain the tears that glittered at the corners of her eyes. Celine has been my mother’s private nurse for years now. They’re so close that she treats Mom like her own mother. She cared about Mom so much. We are like sisters to each other.

I swallowed hard. “Will she be okay?” I asked, my voice shaking.

“I couldn’t tell you that. Only time will tell, Lily,” she whispered, then looked away to wipe the tears from her eyes. The words were nails digging deep into my heart. “I’ll go upstairs to check on her, Celine. Thank you for watching her, even if today’s supposed to be your day off.”

“I told you, Lily, I will still look after her even if you don’t pay me.”

“Thank you so much, Celine. You’re really an angel sent to me. Have a safe trip on your way home. Don’t forget to put your seatbelt on before you drive.”

“See you tomorrow,” Celine said as she walked to the door and gently closed it behind her. When she was gone, I climbed the stairs and went to my mom's bedroom.

I stood right in front of Mom’s bedroom but made no move to open it. I was scared to see her frail body curled on the bed and discover that she was no longer breathing. She's the only one I have now, and thinking she will leave me too breaks my heart into a million pieces. A tear slid down my cheek. When Grey asked for a divorce, I did not cry, but when Mom was involved, I just lost it. Losing her would mean losing my world as well.

I took all the courage I could muster to turn the knob and pushed the door open. What came into view was the empty bed. Shock hit through me like a sharp bolt of lightning, and instantly I ran inside the room to check on her. The thud in my chest was so loud that I could hear it all the way to my ears. What if she fell on the bed and broke her frail body? At the thought, my fear deepened. Tears raced down my cheeks. There was nobody under the bed, but still, my worry continued to pile up.

“Mom?” I called, but it was silence that answered back. What if she went into the bathroom and slipped? I swallowed hard and ran to the bathroom, but even the bathroom was empty when I got there. My hands turned to ice, and my knees trembled as I looked for her. “Where are you, Mom?” Panic coiled inside me. Before I even realized it, I discovered I was sobbing. Noticing that the door on the balcony was slightly ajar, I ran straight to it. Mom was there, seated on the single sofa, with a photo album spread open on her lap. She must have crawled on the floor to reach there. She loves the starry view outside the window and enjoys the fresh evening air. I forbid her to come to the balcony at night, but she habitually does it.

As if she sensed I was there, she raised her head up to me and smiled. “Lily, sit here, sweetie.” Relief washed over me. I ran to her side, then wrapped her tightly in my arms to show her how much I love her. I was so scared that I wasn't aware I was still holding my breath.

“I thought you left me!” My tears gushed forth as I knelt in front of her. The pain was so great that I could barely breathe. I thought she had finally stopped fighting her stage three cancer. She's the only one I've got now after Dad passed away a year ago. I can't afford to lose another loved one again.