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His Final Collapse
His Final Collapse
Author: Celeste Moon

Chapter 1

Author: Celeste Moon
A week and a half ago, I had made plans with my husband, Caden Hall, to hit the slopes at Saint Lorenzo Snow Mountain.

Decked out in my ski gear, I was relaxing in the lobby as I waited for the instructor when Caden showed up with his high school sweetheart, Kelly Turner, in tow.

He pushed a consent form into my hands, his eyes pleading. "Vanessa, you're a bone marrow match for Kelly. After we return, let's get the surgery done, okay?"

Kelly, looking ghostly pale, clutched my hand, her voice a whisper of thanks. "Vanessa, I can't tell you how much it means that you'd do this for me. Caden and I are both so thankful."

I pulled my hand back, a lump forming in my throat. "Caden, I'm pregnant. Can we... Can we put off the donation?" I was about to ditch the ski gear and dig out the pregnancy test from my bag to prove it.

However, Kelly's eyes brimmed with tears as she stared at me. "Vanessa, Caden's been by my side in the hospital for months. How could you be pregnant?

"I know you're not my biggest fan, but you can't just make stuff up because you're scared of the procedure."

Caden, who had softened at the news of the pregnancy, then glared at me, his voice icy. "Vanessa, enough with the games. If you didn't want to go through with the donation, you shouldn't have agreed to get tested.

"Now you're backing out after we've got a match? You think this is some kind of joke?

"And this pregnancy? I've hardly been home. How could you possibly… There's a limit to how far you can push a lie."

Kelly gently tugged at Caden's sleeve, trying to calm him. "Let it go, Caden. If Vanessa resents me, it's her right not to help. It's my fault for coming between you two."

With those words, she bolted for the door but only made it a few steps before collapsing on the icy floor.

Caden rushed to her and cradled her in his arms. He then shot me a look that could freeze fire. "See what you've caused? Strip off that gear. We're heading to the hospital so you can make things right and donate to Kelly."

He did not even glance back at me as he walked away, Kelly in his arms.

It was like he was sure I had tagged along, but I was not playing games—I was actually three months pregnant.

He just had not been home lately, so I never got the chance to tell him.

By the time I got my gear on and stepped outside, Caden and Kelly were gone.

I pulled my coat tighter around me, a wry smile on my face, ready to brave the mountain alone. That was when I heard the shout: "Avalanche! Run for it!"

Alas, I was not fast enough.

The snow swallowed me whole, and rescue never came. I suffocated under the weight of the white blanket.

I became a ghost, stuck haunting Caden, unable to move on.

10 days have passed since I died.

He has not thought of me once, all wrapped up in caring for Kelly. She had been really sick.

"Caden, am I going to die?"

He held her weak form, vowing, "No way. I'll call Vanessa right now."

He dialed my number, only to find my phone off.

With Kelly's condition critical, he rushed home.

The house was just as we left it 10 days ago, the flowers on the table a telltale sign of our long absence.

"Vanessa's not here? She couldn't still be on that mountain, could she?" Kelly had insisted on coming home from the hospital to thank me herself.

"That can't be. She drove herself there."

"Maybe she doesn't want to donate her bone marrow to me. Is that why she's hiding? I can't believe she'd hate me enough to refuse.

"Maybe we should just drop it. I'm just happy I got to see you again." She said it with such frailty that she almost collapsed.

Caden held her close, his arms gentle but firm. "She won't let us down, she promised me already."

His messages kept pinging my phone. [Vanessa, wherever you are, get back here now to sign the bone marrow donation papers.]

[It's just a bone marrow donation; nobody's dying from that. What are you so scared of? Are you really going to just stand by and watch Kelly fade away?]

[Do you really dislike her that much?]

They waited and waited at home, but I never replied.

In a fit of rage, he booted the door so hard the sound echoed like thunder.

Mom's spirit was trembling, taking refuge in my arms.

"Vanessa, why is Caden so mad?"

Mom had heard about the avalanche and dashed to the mountain, ignoring the rescue team's warnings, desperate to save me.

However, she had just had surgery and was weak. Halfway up, she just could not go any further.

Then, wild wolves appeared. She was too weak to fight back, and the wolves got her, just a hundred meters from where I lay.

"Is it because my sickness cost so much?

"I won't get treatment anymore, just tell him to stop being angry," said my mother.

I caressed her hair, my heart aching so bad I thought it might split. My throat felt blocked—words just would not come out.

The noise caught the attention of the neighbors next door.

One neighbor came out and, seeing Caden, offered a sympathetic pat on the shoulder after a moment of shock. "Caden? You're back? Have you sorted everything out with your wife's... you know, her funeral? I'm so sorry for your loss."

Caden straightened up, confused. "What are you talking about? What funeral?"

The neighbor let out a heavy sigh. "I know it's tough, the thought of your wife being gone. But it was a disaster, out of our hands."

Caden froze for a second.

Kelly pulled at Caden's sleeve. "What's with Vanessa? If she didn't want to give blood, she could've just said so. Why tell people she's dead? That's not cool."

Caden snapped out of his daze. "Yeah, she's too tough to just kick the bucket like that. She has to be playing me."

He turned to the neighbor. "Look, if you're in touch with her, pass on a message: if she's not at the hospital in three days, I'm cutting off her mother's treatment money."

The neighbor watched Caden step into the elevator, a look of confusion on his face. "But didn't her mom die with her in that avalanche?

"People say Vanessa's got a three-month-old baby on the way. Man, that's rough."
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  • His Final Collapse   Chapter 2

    Caden was back at the hospital with Vanessa, and they looked every bit the happy couple."Caden, does Vanessa despise me so much that she's hiding on purpose?"I never should've come back, never should've thought about seeing you one last time before the end. You don't need to hang around the hospital for me. Go home and make things right with Vanessa. Once I'm gone, you two will patch things up." Kelly looked like she was about to cry as she weakly pushed Caden away from her hospital bed.Caden gently tousled her hair."Silly girl, it's just anemia. You're not going to die. And even if Vanessa won't give her bone marrow, I'll do whatever it takes to find a match for you."Kelly's eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Caden. Meeting you has been the highlight of my life."I don't know how much time I've got left, if I can hold out for another bone marrow match. The doctor said Vanessa's marrow is a perfect match for mine, like nothing he's ever seen before."With a voice full

  • His Final Collapse   Chapter 3

    The three-day ultimatum he had given me was up, and I was still a no-show at the hospital.Kelly kept telling him she felt herself weakening, and the fed-up Caden headed back home.However, the house had not changed, except for a new notice about an overdue electricity bill stuck to the door.I watched Caden try to call me from the doorstep.The phone just gave back a robotic tone, saying the number he dialed was switched off.He frowned, opened his messaging app, and saw the same messages he had sent three days ago, begging me to come forward and donate bone marrow to Kelly.I could not respond, of course.He tapped on my social profile and froze when he saw the picture I had posted 13 days back.There I was, on top of a snow-capped mountain with the sunrise behind me. The caption was short and sweet—[Happy third anniversary.]His hand shook as if he had only just remembered that 13 days ago was our third anniversary.He stared at the photo for a long moment before going bac

  • His Final Collapse   Chapter 4

    Caden paced the hospital corridors, his heart pounding as he searched for my mother's room. He had been up and down the ward three times, but there was no sign of her anywhere.A nurse happened to walk by, and Caden reached out, catching her hand. "Excuse me, where's Mrs. Stanley? She was in this room, right?"The nurse paused, giving Caden a once-over before answering, "Ah, the lady with the late-stage cancer? She checked out thirteen days ago. Said something about celebrating an anniversary with her daughter and son-in-law.""And you are?" the nurse inquired. "Her cancer is spreading fast. She doesn't have much time left. Make sure she's well taken care of."Caden's mind reeled. "That can't be right. Her cancer was at an intermediate stage, and the treatments were working, weren't they?""I'm not too sure about the details. If you're family, you might want to check with her primary doctor."With that, the nurse hurried off, leaving Caden to collapse against the wall, his legs g

  • His Final Collapse   Chapter 5

    We arrived at the morgue, and the worker yanked open a couple of fridge drawers.There I was, along with my mom, just lying there.Due to the ice and snow, I looked pretty much the same. Not bloated or anything.Mom's story was different, though. Wolves had gotten to her, and all that was left was her head."Vanessa, don't look," Mom whispered, pulling me close and covering my eyes with her hand.For some reason, I could almost sense the warmth of her spirit.Caden's gaze was locked on my face, and he stood completely still.His emotions were all over the place."How can this be? She was just fine when I left. It's only been half an hour."The staff member looked pained but continued with the task at hand. "Mr. Hall, these are Mrs. Vanessa's personal belongings. Please go through them."Clutching my backpack, Caden broke down in tears.Mom wrapped her arms around me, perched on a corner table, and sang the lullabies of my youth."Don't cry, sweetheart. I've never once regre

  • His Final Collapse   Chapter 6

    As of late, I had been barely awake more than a few moments at a time. Most of the time, I slept in my mother's arms.When I did come to, I caught Caden talking to thin air, like he had lost it, flipping between tears and laughter.The neighbors were so unsettled that they had called the cops on him more than once. He had been holed up at home for seven days. Then Kelly showed up.She gave Caden that fragile look and said, "You've been ignoring your phone, hiding out here?"Caden kept busy, not even bothering to answer. Kelly lunged in for a hug, "Caden, what's going on? Are you back with Vanessa? But you promised you'd be there for me until I got better."Caden gently pushed her away. "There's no making up with her."Kelly froze. "So why stick around? The doctor says I need that bone marrow transplant as soon as possible. Talk to Vanessa, will you? If it's money she wants, I can pay—whatever she asks for."Caden's voice dripped with icy sarcasm. "If you're so desperate to see h

Latest chapter

  • His Final Collapse   Chapter 6

    As of late, I had been barely awake more than a few moments at a time. Most of the time, I slept in my mother's arms.When I did come to, I caught Caden talking to thin air, like he had lost it, flipping between tears and laughter.The neighbors were so unsettled that they had called the cops on him more than once. He had been holed up at home for seven days. Then Kelly showed up.She gave Caden that fragile look and said, "You've been ignoring your phone, hiding out here?"Caden kept busy, not even bothering to answer. Kelly lunged in for a hug, "Caden, what's going on? Are you back with Vanessa? But you promised you'd be there for me until I got better."Caden gently pushed her away. "There's no making up with her."Kelly froze. "So why stick around? The doctor says I need that bone marrow transplant as soon as possible. Talk to Vanessa, will you? If it's money she wants, I can pay—whatever she asks for."Caden's voice dripped with icy sarcasm. "If you're so desperate to see h

  • His Final Collapse   Chapter 5

    We arrived at the morgue, and the worker yanked open a couple of fridge drawers.There I was, along with my mom, just lying there.Due to the ice and snow, I looked pretty much the same. Not bloated or anything.Mom's story was different, though. Wolves had gotten to her, and all that was left was her head."Vanessa, don't look," Mom whispered, pulling me close and covering my eyes with her hand.For some reason, I could almost sense the warmth of her spirit.Caden's gaze was locked on my face, and he stood completely still.His emotions were all over the place."How can this be? She was just fine when I left. It's only been half an hour."The staff member looked pained but continued with the task at hand. "Mr. Hall, these are Mrs. Vanessa's personal belongings. Please go through them."Clutching my backpack, Caden broke down in tears.Mom wrapped her arms around me, perched on a corner table, and sang the lullabies of my youth."Don't cry, sweetheart. I've never once regre

  • His Final Collapse   Chapter 4

    Caden paced the hospital corridors, his heart pounding as he searched for my mother's room. He had been up and down the ward three times, but there was no sign of her anywhere.A nurse happened to walk by, and Caden reached out, catching her hand. "Excuse me, where's Mrs. Stanley? She was in this room, right?"The nurse paused, giving Caden a once-over before answering, "Ah, the lady with the late-stage cancer? She checked out thirteen days ago. Said something about celebrating an anniversary with her daughter and son-in-law.""And you are?" the nurse inquired. "Her cancer is spreading fast. She doesn't have much time left. Make sure she's well taken care of."Caden's mind reeled. "That can't be right. Her cancer was at an intermediate stage, and the treatments were working, weren't they?""I'm not too sure about the details. If you're family, you might want to check with her primary doctor."With that, the nurse hurried off, leaving Caden to collapse against the wall, his legs g

  • His Final Collapse   Chapter 3

    The three-day ultimatum he had given me was up, and I was still a no-show at the hospital.Kelly kept telling him she felt herself weakening, and the fed-up Caden headed back home.However, the house had not changed, except for a new notice about an overdue electricity bill stuck to the door.I watched Caden try to call me from the doorstep.The phone just gave back a robotic tone, saying the number he dialed was switched off.He frowned, opened his messaging app, and saw the same messages he had sent three days ago, begging me to come forward and donate bone marrow to Kelly.I could not respond, of course.He tapped on my social profile and froze when he saw the picture I had posted 13 days back.There I was, on top of a snow-capped mountain with the sunrise behind me. The caption was short and sweet—[Happy third anniversary.]His hand shook as if he had only just remembered that 13 days ago was our third anniversary.He stared at the photo for a long moment before going bac

  • His Final Collapse   Chapter 2

    Caden was back at the hospital with Vanessa, and they looked every bit the happy couple."Caden, does Vanessa despise me so much that she's hiding on purpose?"I never should've come back, never should've thought about seeing you one last time before the end. You don't need to hang around the hospital for me. Go home and make things right with Vanessa. Once I'm gone, you two will patch things up." Kelly looked like she was about to cry as she weakly pushed Caden away from her hospital bed.Caden gently tousled her hair."Silly girl, it's just anemia. You're not going to die. And even if Vanessa won't give her bone marrow, I'll do whatever it takes to find a match for you."Kelly's eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Caden. Meeting you has been the highlight of my life."I don't know how much time I've got left, if I can hold out for another bone marrow match. The doctor said Vanessa's marrow is a perfect match for mine, like nothing he's ever seen before."With a voice full

  • His Final Collapse   Chapter 1

    A week and a half ago, I had made plans with my husband, Caden Hall, to hit the slopes at Saint Lorenzo Snow Mountain.Decked out in my ski gear, I was relaxing in the lobby as I waited for the instructor when Caden showed up with his high school sweetheart, Kelly Turner, in tow.He pushed a consent form into my hands, his eyes pleading. "Vanessa, you're a bone marrow match for Kelly. After we return, let's get the surgery done, okay?"Kelly, looking ghostly pale, clutched my hand, her voice a whisper of thanks. "Vanessa, I can't tell you how much it means that you'd do this for me. Caden and I are both so thankful."I pulled my hand back, a lump forming in my throat. "Caden, I'm pregnant. Can we... Can we put off the donation?" I was about to ditch the ski gear and dig out the pregnancy test from my bag to prove it.However, Kelly's eyes brimmed with tears as she stared at me. "Vanessa, Caden's been by my side in the hospital for months. How could you be pregnant?"I know you're

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