Chapter 3

Daniel's apartment was in Sureton City's central commercial area. It was an expensive area with good infrastructure—the medical and education systems were well-established. The residential area was right next to Sureton City's largest park.

Freya looked at the minimalist, almost stark apartment. The marble coffee table was covered in a layer of dust. "This is your home?"

"Yeah." Daniel also saw the dust. "I don't usually stay here."

That didn't make sense at all. Why would anyone not live in their own home? Freya couldn't understand it.

"There's a card here that you can use to pay for the utilities." He opened a drawer in the TV cabinet to show her. "If anything needs fixing, you can speak to the management office.

"I'll have someone clean up the place later. There are two rooms, so you can pick whichever one you want. Feel free to use the study as well…"

Freya observed the place. It was well renovated but showed no signs of being lived in. There weren't even any plates or utensils around.

"What am I to you?" she suddenly asked.

"My wife."

"But I feel like your mistress," she said boldly.

She didn't know whether Daniel had a girlfriend or anything—perhaps he'd only married her due to Thomas' pressure. Otherwise, he wouldn't have made her wait a whole afternoon for him, only arriving right before the city hall closed for the day.

"What are you getting at?" Daniel asked.

"I'm fine with getting a divorce if you already have a partner—our grandfathers have seen the marriage certificates, anyway. I don't want to inadvertently end up as a homewrecker."

She respected the elderly but wouldn't do anything immoral just to comply with Neil's and Thomas' wishes.

Daniel understood now. "I'm single. I usually stay at the military camp in the mountains."

Freya recalled his offroad vehicle and the mud on it. That, coupled with his outfit, made her realize just who he was. "I'm sorry for misunderstanding you."

"It's fine. I'll take you back to the hospital now—you can move in here whenever it's convenient for you."

"What about you?" she blurted.

Then, she disdained herself for asking. What did his matters have to do with her?

"I need to head back after this. There's an urgent mission I need to handle."

That was the last thing Daniel said to her.

…

Shortly after Daniel left, Neil's condition took a turn for the worse, and a new semester started. Freya bustled back and forth between the university and the hospital daily.

On days when Neil felt better, he could even hold Freya's hand and reminisce with her. Neither of them mentioned that rainy night, though.

He kept telling her that life was long and that she had to live well independently. However, he also told her she couldn't expect to do everything herself. She had to give in occasionally.

Daniel looked like a good man, and they had to communicate with each other. They had to understand each other…

Neil said many things. Freya wanted to object to everything and tell him that none of that mattered. She wanted him to know that she only wanted to spend her life with him in a small town called Floriver Town. She wanted to read medical texts and pick herbs with him.

However, as a doctor, she was rational enough to know there was no chance of them ever returning to that life. The reports and data she saw every day were enough to tell her that Neil's condition was deteriorating.

She cried almost daily throughout that month but hid it well. Neil never noticed.

One day, white clouds floated in the blue sky. Freya drew the curtains, allowing the sunlight to stream into the room.

Neil was in good spirits. "The weather is so nice today, Fae. Maybe you should take me off my oxygen tube now."

He sounded calm, but Freya faltered while clipping his nails. She acted like she hadn't heard him and moved on to the next finger.

"I can't take it anymore, Fae. I'm on morphine every day, but it still hurts so bad. I'm begging you, okay?"

His plea made Freya's nose prickle. Tears rolled down her face and landed on the floor, fading within seconds.

Neil was a proud and strong man who'd never begged anyone in his life. Now… It looked like she really had to let him go.

She slowly shut her eyes, sounding choked up as she said, "Okay. I'll get a doctor after I'm done clipping your nails."

"The weather is so nice today that I feel so much more relaxed," Neil said. He lifted a hand with difficulty to caress her head one last time.

It reminded her of how he'd praised her whenever she could memorize the things she'd read in the medical texts.

After Freya signed the necessary documents, the doctor removed Neil's oxygen tube. She stood by his bedside and held his hand until his body became devoid of warmth.

Thomas helped her with Neil's funeral, after which he urged her to move into Daniel's apartment.