Emily ended the distressing call, took a moment to collect herself, then pushed open the glass doors of the hospital. A familiar scent of disinfectant filled her nostrils, a signature smell of hospitals that always sparked a hint of unease and concern.
She navigated the cold hospital tile floors with an experienced ease, making her way to Victor's room. The lights along the corridor were pale and weary, seemingly swallowed by the endless white and the atmosphere of sickness.
Arriving at Victor's room, she saw the faint light filtering through the window on the door. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open. Victor was lying on the narrow hospital bed, holding an old, well-used book. As soon as he saw Emily, he immediately put down the book. His body seemed even thinner than the last time they met, his face was paler, and even his lips had lost all color.
The bedside monitor beeped rhythmically, marking the cadence of Victor's life, but it was often drowned out by his coughing.
"Emily, you're here," Victor's smile brightened at her arrival.
"How are you feeling today, Victor?" Emily asked, handing him a new book she brought for him.
"Oh, wait, Emily, why are your eyes red? Have you been crying?"
"No, nothing's wrong. It's just that Issac and I, we've finally decided to get a divorce."
Victor reached out to embrace Emily, "Are you okay?"
"Of course, I'm okay. Your sister is finally divorcing that brother-in-law you dislike. Aren't you happy for me?"
"Of course, I'm happy for you," Victor patted Emily's back, hoping she would stay in his embrace a little longer, but Emily suddenly pulled away, "When can you be discharged? I need a roommate now."
Victor gave a faint smile, "Very funny, Emily. You know I can't take care of myself after being discharged."
Emily's smile froze on her face, "We still have to...keep hoping..."
Victor didn't speak, he gently tapped Emily's head, "Don't be sad, my big sister, I will be strong for you, okay?"
Emily looked at Victor, his strength in the face of adversity breaking her heart. She took a deep breath and walked out of the room, intending to speak with his doctor about his condition. She didn't want Victor to be trapped in the bleak hospital any longer.
Upon reaching the doctor's office, she pushed open the door and saw him sitting behind his desk, studying a document. The doctor looked up, recognizing Emily and gave a small smile.
"Emily, you're here. Please, sit," he gestured to a chair opposite him. Emily nodded, walking over to take a seat.
"Doctor, how is Victor's condition?" Emily asked anxiously.
The doctor examined some information on his computer before responding, "Victor's condition is relatively stable, and we're doing everything we can to maintain that. However, I have some good news for you."
Emily's heart skipped a beat as she asked nervously, "What good news?"
The doctor smiled and said, "We have a new medication that we can try, and it has shown impressive results for cystic fibrosis patients. It could potentially improve Victor's condition."
A glimmer of hope sparked in Emily's eyes, "Really? Can we start the treatment now?"
The doctor nodded, "We can, but this medication is quite expensive. You'll need to prepare around 200,000 dollars for the medical expenses."
Emily's heart sank, her hands clenching tightly to regain composure. "200,000 dollars, just 200,000, and Victor can fully recover?"
The doctor's expression turned somber, "I apologize, I wasn't clear. It's 200,000 dollars per year. Victor will need lifelong medication."
"Victor is only 23 years old, if he lives to be 100, that's 77 years, which means... 15.4 million dollars..."
Before marrying Issac, Emily was just a waitress earning tips in a restaurant, her annual earnings wouldn't even cover Issac's monthly medical costs.
But after marrying Issac, she has been paying hefty medical bills for Victor every month. This is why Issac firmly believes that Emily will never leave him.
"Yes," the doctor confirmed, his face devoid of emotion. Emily could sense he was trying to suppress any sympathetic expression.
"Could I..." Emily started to ask more questions, but her phone suddenly rang, interrupting her. She had to step out of the doctor's office to take the call, only to be met with a barrage of angry accusations.
"Emily Jones, I've heard! You want to divorce Issac! I absolutely forbid it!" It was her overbearing mother who had forced her to marry Issac. Emily was somewhat angry, "Sorry, mother, it's not convenient for me to talk right now."
"Is there anything more important than your marriage to Issac Lloyd? You are my daughter! You should obey me completely! You should give birth to a child with Lloyd's blood, then inherit his property!"
"Goodbye, mom." Emily hung up the phone.
Emily walked back into the doctor's office, where the doctor was waiting for her with a smile, "We understand that 200,000 dollars a year might be a large sum, but this drug has proven effective in all test subjects."
"After using this drug, his frequent fevers and difficulty breathing will completely disappear, and his respiratory abilities will recover to almost normal. In that case, he..."
"He can go back home and live as a normal human-being." Emily instinctively completed the doctor's sentence, "Right?"
"Yes. He has a good chance of being discharged."
Emily knew that she shouldn't be spending Issac's money now, but she knew Victor deserved better medicine. She couldn't stand to see Victor struggling to breathe any longer.
"Swipe my husband's card, Doctor." Emily pulled Issac's card from her wallet. She just remembered that because she left in such a hurry, she forgot to leave the card at home. Now it was just coming in handy.
Issac had kept her waiting through so many lonely nights. He owes her this 200,000 dollars,"Please start this year's medication. Thank you."
After Emily hung up the phone, Isaac found himself unable to gather his thoughts, standing frozen in the kitchen. Even when the maid brought the sweet pancakes to his side, he didn't have the strength to lift his hand to grab the fork.
Suddenly, a notification lit up on his phone. As Isaac's empty gaze shifted to the screen, he saw an alert for a credit card transaction, and his expression transitioned from a daze to disbelief. The message clearly showed a large transaction, deducted from his credit card account.
His heart pounded in his chest. It was the supplementary card he'd given Emily, and she was still using his card for shopping!
She had just announced her intention to divorce, and now she had charged a substantial amount of money on his credit card - 200,000 dollars!
Isaac immediately realized that the divorce was nothing more than a tactic for Emily, she was trying to attract his attention again through this move.
A smug smile unconsciously curled up at the corner of his mouth. His heart filled with glee and a sense of victory, as if he had seized the initiative in this psychological game.
He quickly got up from his chair, grabbed his car keys, and decided to find Emily in person for an explanation. He wanted to confirm whether his guess was correct and see what other tactics Emily might use.
"I will bring her home today!" he confidently turned the steering wheel, heading towards Emily's mother's house.
After the visiting hours had ended, Emily found herself needing to leave Victor's hospital room. The angry call from her mother Helen that morning was still fresh in her mind. Perhaps it was time for her to go home and explain why she had decided to get a divorce. Despite the fact that Helen had never taken on the responsibilities of a mother as Emily grew up, she had provided Emily with the opportunity to secure Victor's first medical payment from Issac when Emily needed money the most. As the one who reminded Emily at the critical moment of Victor's life-threatening situation, suggesting that she could exchange marriage for money to pay medical bills, Emily felt that Helen deserved to know the truth about the divorce. As she opened the front door, Emily was greeted by the sight of Issac standing in the middle of the living room. Dressed in a crisp suit, a confident smile spread across his handsome face as if he had already secured his victory. Emily's heart sank; she didn't want
Issac glanced at his screen, a furrow settling between his brows as he hung up the call, tossing his phone into a drawer.His arm found its way back to Emily’s waist, his fingers trailing over the softness of her skin. However, he was oblivious to the flicker of change in Emily's eyes.The sudden ring of the phone jolted Emily out of her daze. She realized she could not fall for Issac’s sweet nothings again. She couldn't be swayed by his superficial charms any longer. She yearned for real change, for freedom, for dignity.Gently, Emily pushed Issac away. Her fingers traced a light path across his chest before slowly withdrawing. Her eyes, clear and resolved, left Issac a bit stunned. "Issac, I can't go on like this. Our issues can't be resolved with a bouquet of roses or a romantic song. What I need is your genuine respect and understanding, not these superficial tricks."Issac froze, not expecting Emily's resolution. His hand reached out, trying to grasp Emily again, but all he caugh
Emily straightened her posture, her brows furrowed. "Issac," she began, "I've always been utterly weary of the gatherings your family holds. I won't be attending your family banquet anymore." Issac was puzzled. "But aren't you the one who loves these parties? You spend hours choosing outfits and arranging your appearance before every event, and you always voluntarily stay until the very last guest has left." Emily scoffed. "None of that was ever by choice. Your parents insisted that I become the best possible assistant to you, worthy of your status. They demanded that I attend each gathering in my best attire and act as the hostess until the last guest departs." A look of bewilderment filled Issac's eyes, as if he had never heard about these stringent demands Emily had faced in their marriage. Hearing the silence on the other end of the line, Emily didn't feel like explaining further. "I am currently seeking a divorce lawyer. I don't wish to deceive a
"Emily, I heard you're about to be thrown out of the house by Issac?"The small-nosed, blonde girl was Lizzy Pink, a friend of the Lloyd family. Lizzy had always claimed to have grown up with Issac, but Emily had never seen her in any of Issac's childhood photos, nor had Issac ever mentioned her.This wasn't Emily's first encounter with such a situation at a Lloyd‘s party. In fact, her years in this ‘old money class’ had made her quite adept at handling such scenes. She put on a fake smile to respond to Lizzy, "I'm sorry, this is between Issac and me, and it's not appropriate to discuss it with you."Lizzy wrinkled her small, sharp nose, "If you don't tell me now, don't bother. But you'll be thrown out by Isaac soon anyway. I might as well enjoy your sadness in advance."Emily didn't want to waste any more words with Lizzy. She turned to find her employer for the day, Issac. But Lizzy stubbornly clung to her, refusing to let go, "Emily,
Emily could hear the babbling of the classical fountain behind her and feel the air gradually filling up with the scent of fresh greenery. Yet, her eyes were focused solely on the man before her. The sunlight outlined his perfect features in the softest manner as he drew closer. Is this...a kiss?In their years of marriage, they had shared countless kisses, but none had ever made her heart race like this imminent, yet-to-happen one.But they were on the brink of divorce. Should she accept this kiss? Would it sway her decision to end their marriage?Emily was uncertain, yet reluctant to refuse.Just as Emily was debating whether to accept his kiss, Issac decided to take away her chance of refusal and kissed her decisively. His unexpected move caught her off balance, but Issac, quick as ever, wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her firmly against him. Their cheeks pressed together, their lips met in a surprising yet passionate kiss.Emily was
Standing off to the side with his hands hanging down, Issac emanated a somber mood. He cautiously asked, "Emily, do you really want a divorce, do you really want to leave me?”Emily was taken aback, looking at Issac in confusion. She thought she had made it clear that their marriage was irreparable, and their relationship could only end here. "Yes, I've made it very clear," she replied.Issac looked at Emily, his eyes—unreadable to Emily at that moment—fixed on her. ""Are you truly... this angry with me?"Though she couldn't decipher his gaze, Emily felt a profound pressure. She averted his gaze, pursed her lips, and clenched her hands tightly together, as if seeking some form of strength. She silently turn her head and look out the irony gate, where the view appeared chaotic and blurry.But Emily was certain of one thing: she had to reject Issac. She didn't want to wait in the empty home for him to return home, from dusk till dawn. She
Ever since the day Emily and Issac parted ways, Emily hadn't heard from Issac again.However, life doesn't pause. Emily decided to heed June's advice and headed towards the theatre she had mentioned before. She sought a basic stage management job, something that could at least cover her rent."June, are you sure they will hire me?" Emily's hand clenched June's arm tightly as she nervously looked at the narrow theatre side entrance, where June had told her the staff would need to enter and exit.June glanced at her and smiled reassuringly, "Emily, relax. It's just a stage management job, not too difficult."Emily took a deep breath, nodded, and then stepped through the small door of the theatre. She could hear her own heartbeat; it was a mix of anxiety and anticipation.Emily and June walked into the grand theatre shoulder to shoulder. Emily's gaze was wandering over the magnificent lights and the red carpet, her heart filled with unease.June, however, seemed much more at ease. She qu
"Of course, I accept!"Emily promptly took the contract, perusing it several times, then signed her name at the bottom.Ola nodded in satisfaction and asked June to show Emily around.Emily, who had accepted Ola's job offer, felt like a bird set free, her spirits instantly lifted by the anticipation of her incoming salary and the hope it represented. She followed behind June, stepping into the demanding and bustling world of theatre work."Emily, this is our makeup room, where you will coordinate between the actors and makeup artists in the future," June explained as she led Emily on a tour. Her speech was fast and precise, giving Emily a sense of the intense atmosphere of theatre work.Colin was sitting at a table halfway through his makeup process when he saw Emily walk in. He stood up, "Remember to come watch our rehearsal later."Emily nodded politely but made no promises.June led Emily further along the lengthy hallway, "This corridor connects the backstage and the front of the