She is like family to me

Percival’s heart felt like it was being pierced by a thousand arrows at the thought of Eulalia in bed with Victor. It was only 1 a.m. when he glanced at the clock, and he reached under his pillow for the wedding photo of him and Eulalia. In the picture, she smiled cautiously, her dimples soft, eyes gentle. The photo wasn’t big, but he pressed it to his chest alongside the well-worn journal he often read, then lay back down.

That night, he didn’t dream. But when he woke, his eyes were damp, his face sticky with tears that left his skin stinging.

As a cancer patient, Percival's body was weak, and he often caught colds easily. The open window and a night of cold wind, combined with the emotional breakdown after seeing the picture Victor posted, left him feverish.

The housekeeper was the first to notice and rushed to inform Mr. Lee, who promptly called for a doctor. The doctor came, measured Percival's temperature, and set up an IV. But as the doctor tried to insert the needle, he noticed