Chapter 20 (1/2)

Chapter 20

The doctor hurriedly examined Chloe. He took her temperature, checked her breathing, then used a stethoscope over her chest and stomach.

After examining her for a long time, the doctor raised his head with a wrinkled forehead.

“May I know.”

The doctor looked straight into Eric’s eyes.

“Is there another clinic where the Madam was examined before?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I couldn’t be sure because I don’t know enough, but…”

The doctor trailed off.

He spoke cautiously, not hiding his nervousness.

“I do not think that the Madam is doing well.”

’Darling, I’m sick.’

Why?

Why were Chloe’s words coming to his mind at this moment?

He couldn’t understand.

Chloe could barely open her bleary eyes.

She couldn’t breathe because of her fever. There was something ringing behind her ears. Thanks to this, she couldn’t keep her balance.

Everything was shaking, and in the past, it felt that she herself was the one shaking.

Nevertheless, Chloe sat up. She could endure this much pain because she had already gotten used to it. Even when she’s writhing in pain, she needed to know what happened.

Chloe looked at the calendar on the desk.

The 43rd day. The day of her collapse was the 41st day, so that meant she’d been lying in bed for three days. She realized that her body had really gotten weak, and this was all that she thought.

She wanted to rise from bed. However, her body wouldn’t cooperate.

It took her so much effort even to just reach for the glass of water on the bedside table and to drink it. As she exhaled, she touched her forehead. She still had a fever.

Then at that moment.

The door opened, and Eric came in. His eyes widened for a moment, surprised that Chloe had woken up. But soon, his expression returned to how it usually was.

Chloe didn’t feel any disappointment when she saw him. In other words, she felt no sadness or resentment for leaving her at that place and breaking his promise.

At the back of her mind, she had already acknowledged that Eric would not come.

She knew this, and yet hope was sprouting within her once more. Like a fool.

How long was it going to be like this?

Why wouldn’t her heart listen to her mind?

Chloe reflected on herself as Eric entered the room.

“What is it.”

Eric said, one eye squinting into a grimace.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Thud.

Chloe felt her heart fall to the ground.

Did he call a doctor?

He must have.

Then did he know what disease she had?

No. If he did, he wouldn’t have asked.

Then, she would have to pretend that she didn’t know.

Eric didn’t like it when she was sick, and at the same time, she didn’t want to say that she was sick either.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You do.”

Eric drew a hand to his hair, leaving it disheveled.

“What I’m talking about right now—I know that you’re aware of it.”

Their eyes met, and for just a moment, Eric’s eyes trembled.

“So tell me, what illness is it? What’s wrong?”

It sounded like a pleading tone.

Chloe could only wonder. Why?

“…Why?”

And so she asked.

“If you know, will anything change?”

“Chloe.”

“What would be the difference?”

Chloe gripped the blanket.

“You don’t love me anyway.”

“That dastardly love!”

Eric shouted, not being able to stand it in the end. He gritted his teeth and stomped one foot on the ground.

“I don’t know what something like love is. My entire life, I never knew what love is! But I know this at least—I can’t let my wife stay sick! Now tell me this instant, what’s your illness?!”

“I’ve told you!”

Chloe didn’t back down either. With her eyes closed, she shouted in a broken voice.

“I’ve told you dozens of times that I was sick. But what did you say each time? That you’d send a doctor. Then you’d forget about it. No one had ever visited me in the north! I was always alone!”

The hands gripping the blanket were trembling. Those same hands were so pale that it seemed like they had no blood in them.

“I was sick alone, I suffered alone, and I…”

…loved you, alone.

Chloe held back those last words and shut her lips. She breathed in deeply.

“But now you ask?”

Eric looked at Chloe again. Still—for some unknown reason—his eyes were shaking.

“Darling.”

Chloe gave him a despondent smile.

“It’s too late.”

She placed a hand over her broken heart.