Chapter 1

1 My husband was a renowned oncologist who had saved countless lives from liver cancer.

Yet, he had no idea that I was already in the final stages of the very same disease.

When I called him for the last time, begging him to save me, he coldly hung up.

He was busy accompanying his first love to her prenatal checkup, telling me to stop making a scene.

After I died, I donated my body, which ended up on the dissection table at his live medical symposium.

...

The moment the pathology report was placed in my hands, the last spark of light in my eyes went out.

End-stage liver cancer. Those four words felt like a sledgehammer slamming into my chest.

I knew that from this moment on, the countdown on my life had begun.

No matter how strong I tried to be, when faced with actual life and death, fear took over.

My hands shook as I pulled my phone from my bag and dialed my husband, Austin, who hadn't come home in over two weeks.

Just as expected, the call was rejected three times in a row.

Still, I refused to give up. Even at this point, I clung to the delusional hope that my impending death might make him come home to see me one last time.

It was the final closure I wanted for myself and for this marriage.

When I dialed for the fourth time, he finally answered, his voice dripping with annoyance.

"Camille! What the hell is wrong with you? Don't you know how busy I am? Melanie is pregnant, and I'm at the hospital with her for her checkup. Can you stop causing drama for once?"

Melanie was his first love, the woman who had cast a shadow over our relationship from the start.

I let out a bitter, helpless sigh. As expected, he was by her side.

I didn't want to scream and argue like I used to, so I spoke in a quiet, fragile voice.

"Could you please come home and stay with me? I have late-stage cancer and don't have much time left. I'm begging you, Austin, please come home."

The moment the words left my mouth, Austin scoffed as if he had just heard the most ridiculous joke in the world.

"You really never run out of tricks, do you? I've only been gone for two weeks, and now you're faking terminal illness? Don't you know Melanie needs someone right now? Why are you so damn jealous?"

I gripped the hem of my skirt tightly. I knew it wouldn't be easy to convince him, but I never imagined he would abandon me so decisively in a matter of life and death.

Taking a deep breath, I tried again.

"I'm telling you the truth, Austin. I'm dying. I'm not asking for much, just come see me one last time for the sake of our marriage."

By now, Austin was entirely convinced that I was just playing games to win his sympathy.

Beside him, Melanie's sweet, timid voice drifted through the line.

"Austin, am I coming between you two? Maybe you should go home. I think... I can handle this on my own..."

I rolled my eyes. Even through the phone, I could picture Melanie gazing at him with tearful, helpless doe eyes.

Sure enough, seeing his precious sweetheart looking so wronged, Austin snapped at me with pure rage.

"Are you done yet? I told you I'm not coming to see a disgusting woman like you! You say you're sick? Fine, go ahead and die! When you do, donate your body to our medical lab so someone like you can finally be of some use!"

With that, he viciously ended the call.

A sharp, stabbing pain tore through my heart. The shock of his words made the room spin, and I had to brace myself against the wall to keep from collapsing.

If I hadn't heard it with my own ears, I would never have believed a husband could say something so cruel to his wife of many years.

The last sliver of will to live vanished with that phone call. Staring up at the stark white ceiling of the hospital hallway, I closed my eyes.

What did dying feel like? Maybe it would be a relief.

At the very least, I wouldn't have to spend the rest of my days pathetically watching my husband love another woman.