In the hospital.
I held the diagnosis in my hands, the stark black letters on white paper reading: Advanced Cancer.
Late stage... what does late stage mean?
The doctor spoke at length, mentioning how little time I had left and how the disease had spread. I didn't absorb a single word; or rather, I did, but my mind refused to accept it.
I grasped my phone, my fingers icy cold, scrolling through the contacts repeatedly until they finally landed on the name Lu Jing Shen.
I wanted to call him, but I felt utterly drained. What would it matter if I did? Would he believe me? Would he come?
I dialed his number, and the busy tone echoed in my ears.
Voicemail? Again with the voicemail! Surely it was filled with those sickening messages from Su Wan.
“Brother Jing Shen, I made your favorite dessert today!” “Brother Jing Shen, the sea in Bali is so beautiful; let’s come here together next time, okay?” Next time? Us?
I hung up and tossed my phone onto the hospital bed.
Taking a deep breath only made the tightness in my chest worse.
Advanced Cancer... how absurd. Just married not long ago, the wedding was someone else's, the groom was mine, and now I'm supposed to die?
I wanted to cry, but my eyes felt so dry that not a single tear would fall.
Fear engulfed me like a tidal wave. I was afraid of pain, afraid of death, afraid of loneliness, and most of all… I was afraid that Lu Jing Shen would never know the truth, that he would be deceived by Su Wan for a lifetime.
“Lu Jing Shen…” I murmured to myself, my voice so soft that I could barely hear it.
I missed him, longed to talk to him, even if it was just to hear his voice.
But where could he be? Probably in Bali, sweet-talking with Su Wan?
My phone screen lit up with a notification from Su Wan’s social media.
I didn’t even need to open it to know it was filled with honeymoon photos.
I closed my eyes, not wanting to look, but my finger betrayed me and swiped open the screen.
Sure enough, it was Bali again. Sunshine, beaches, palm trees, and… Su Wan with Lu Jing Shen.
In the photos, Su Wan smiled brightly, leaning against Lu Jing Shen’s chest. He wore a smile too, so gentle that I could hardly recognize him.
One picture, two pictures, three pictures… each one felt like a knife stabbing deep into my heart.
Su Wan had also sent a text message: “Sister, the scenery here is beautiful; too bad you can’t come along.”
“Jing Shen says the happiest thing in his life is marrying me.”
“Marrying me…” Those words pierced my eyes like daggers.
I looked at the photo on the screen, staring at Su Wan's smug face, and suddenly felt a wave of nausea.
She did this on purpose; she must have done it intentionally!
She deliberately posted these photos to provoke me, to flaunt her happiness, to mock my misery.
I gritted my teeth, my nails digging deep into my palm.
The pain in my heart was so intense that it was almost numbing, making it hard for me to breathe.
Lu Jing Shen, do you have any idea how venomous the woman beside you is?
Do you know that I am on the verge of dying?
Once upon a time, Lu Jing Shen and I had beautiful moments together.
In the university campus, sunlight spilled over the leaves of the sycamore trees as we walked side by side along the shaded path, discussing our dreams for the future.
“Qing Qian, don’t worry. I will protect you and never let you suffer again,” he said.
His words were gentle yet firm, once the only light in my dark life.
I told him everything about my family situation, how Su Wan had framed me, sharing my grievances and pain.
After listening, he held me tightly and said, “Qing Qian, I know you’ve endured so much. From now on, I will make you the happiest woman.”
But what about later? Why did Lu Jing Shen become like this?
When did it all begin? Was it after Su Wan appeared?
Su Wan, that name is like a curse, destroying everything I had.
She pretended to approach Lu Jing Shen casually, calling him "Brother Jing Shen" in an affectionate manner, while in front of me, she acted pitifully, claiming that I bullied her.
Lu Jing Shen actually believed her! He started to grow distant from me, began to doubt me, and eventually… fell in love with Su Wan.
"What else is there to explain about the necklace? Stealing is stealing!" he questioned me coldly, not giving me any chance to defend myself.
It was clearly Su Wan who lost the necklace and framed me for it, yet Lu Jing Shen believed her without hesitation.
The same went for the competition; Su Wan tampered with my work, causing my failure. When I explained my grievances to Lu Jing Shen, he impatiently replied, "If you lack skill, don't make excuses!"
He would rather believe Su Wan than accept a single truth from me.
And then there was that time when Su Wan pretended to be sick to gain Lu Jing Shen's sympathy and care. I merely spoke a few truths and was accused of being cold-hearted.
"Qing Qian, how can you be so heartless? WanWan is suffering like this, and you're still making sarcastic remarks!" Lu Jing Shen frowned at me with disappointment, as if I had committed some unforgivable act.
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