All Chapters of Faded Like the Aurora: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

All the anger and grievance churning inside me were forcibly pressed back into my chest by what Cyrus said.He was right. Florence was my hope of surviving.Seeing me fall silent, Florence cast me a smug glance. She casually set the clippers on the bedside table, then said in a soft, aggrieved tone, "Cyrus, I was just trying to help her. How could she be so mean?"Cyrus walked over and reached out to ruffle her hair as naturally as breathing. "I know you were just being kind. Don't take it to heart. I'll take you to that restaurant you always wanted to try later."Then, he turned to look at my bald head. "Gayle, honestly. You've overreacted. It's just hair. It will grow back."Cyrus had once said that he loved my long hair. In the past, whenever I brushed my hair, and a few strands fell, he would carefully pick them up and say with a smile that he would keep them.At that moment, all of my hair lay scattered on the floor, yet he said nothing.I no longer looked at them. My head

Chapter 2

The next day, Florence came with a photo album."Cyrus said that you've been bored here, so I brought something to keep you company." She pulled a chair next to my bed and opened the photo album.The photos glided past my eyes, one by one.Cyrus bought coffee for her daily. Her peaceful sleeping face. Two of them together in all sorts of poses.My nails dug deeply into my palm. It hurt, but it was nothing compared to the stabbing pain in my heart."Cyrus sure knows how to take a good photo, right?" Florence chuckled innocently. "He said that I pose much better than you. I'm more natural at it."I snatched the photo album and threw it against the wall. It hit against the wall with a thud. The photo album broke, and the photos fell scattered on the floor."Get out," I said through gritted teeth.Florence seemed to be frightened. Her eyes instantly reddened as she trembled."Gayle Lynch, how long are you planning to keep throwing a tantrum like this?" This was the first time Cyru

Chapter 3

On the day of the surgery, Cyrus held my hand tightly, sweat beading on his forehead."Don't worry. I'll be waiting for you right outside the operating room."The nurse handed him a consent form to sign. Florence walked over to me and said with a smile, "Don't worry. I will properly rescue you."She bent down and said into my ear, "After all, Cyrus had promised me that once you recover, he will take me to Ice Islands to see the aurora. He said that this is something that he owed me."She added, "Oh, by the way. The day I shaved your head, Cyrus had been standing outside the door the entire time. I got him to wait. I told him that it was a surprise for you. He agreed to it."Her breath brushed against my ear, sending a chill through my entire body.Cyrus walked over. "What are you two talking about?"Florence stood up straight. "Nothing. It's our secret."He didn't press further. Instead, he looked at me seriously. "Gayle, I'll be waiting for you to come out."The doors of th

Chapter 4

Cyrus woke up early the next day.Before dawn, he deliberately took a detour to Florence's favorite breakfast cafe. She was a picky eater. Besides, she had just donated her bone marrow. She was weak, so she needed to be fed properly.Carrying the breakfast back to the car, he suddenly remembered that Gayle used to love Mr. Beach's Sandwiches.Even after she was ill, her appetite worsened, but the only thing she would miss and crave was those sandwiches.He had promised her a few times that he was going to get it for her, but each time, he was always interrupted, either by Florence or being called away by the doctor, or simply forgetting.At that moment, that thought just appeared in his mind suddenly.Feeling a little annoyed, he furrowed his brows and took his phone out. [Gayle, are you up? I suddenly remembered you want Mr. Beach's Sandwiches. Once I'm done here, I'll buy you some.]He waited a moment, but no reply came. Perhaps she was not awake yet or hadn't had the chance

Chapter 5

Cyrus looked at the stranger in front of him. He smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry. I just wanted to ask, do you know which ward the previous patient, Gayle Lynch, moved to?"She shook her head. "You should ask the nurse."Cyrus came to his senses and frantically ran out to look for the nurse."Gayle Lynch? She was discharged a week ago. Given her condition, she wasn't supposed to leave, but she insisted on signing a discharge agreement…"The nurse kept talking, but Cyrus couldn't hear another word.A week ago. Gayle could barely stand on her own. That was the day when he left for the Ice Islands with Florence.So, the figure that he thought he had imagined was truly Gayle.Cyrus maniacally retrieved his phone and dialed Gayle, only to be replied to by the automatic response that the number was no longer available.His hand was trembling violently.He went to another app and tried video calling Gayle. It failed.He was blocked.Not only phone calls, but also all the other wa

Chapter 6

I forced myself to transfer to a private hospital.Recovery was painfully slow. Even my shaved head gradually began to grow new hair.Every day, when sunlight filtered in through the window, life seemed to regain a small sense of hope.I just didn't expect Cyrus to locate me so quickly.He looked like a different man, stubble darkening his jaw, hair disheveled, eyes bloodshot.He walked toward me, saying with a trembling voice, "Gayle, it really is you. I've found you. I finally found you."I looked at him and said, "How can I help you, Mr. Shields?"The formality hurt him. He stumbled a little before saying, "Gayle, don't say that. I have really missed you."He added, "Don't be mad. I'm sorry. I can explain everything. There is nothing between Florence and me. I'm only grateful that she saved you. That's all.""Grateful?" I snickered. "So, your definition of gratitude is blind favoritism? Eating, drinking, traveling together?""N-No. It's not like that." He struggled to expl

Chapter 7

A month later, Florence appeared right outside my door.She no longer looked as intricately made up as before. She cut to the chase, "I'm returning him to you."I didn't invite her in. I merely looked at her with a piqued interest. "Oh?""Cyrus has gone mad." Her voice trembled. "He's been spreading rumors everywhere, saying I'm a shameless mistress who clung to him. He posted all the photos we took together online and even went back to my hometown to make it known."Everyone knows about this now. Not only was I fired, but all the other resumes that I sent out were never responded. People point at me when I walk down the street. He doesn't care about his reputation anymore. He just wants to drag me down with him."Florence took a deep breath as if she was finding it hard to breathe. Tears fell."Gayle, I'm sorry. He is doing all this for you. He's trying to show you how much he regrets it, how much he loves you, by destroying me. So, you can have him back.""Are you done?" I ask

Chapter 8

A week later, I received a share transfer agreement and a real estate gift contract.The documents felt heavy in my hands.Inside the folder, there was also an envelope filled with all the photos we had taken together in the past.Cyrus had printed all of them out.I used to love taking photos, though he once thought it unnecessary. Still, whenever I raised my camera, he would obediently lean in and cooperate with me.Every single picture pulled me back into the past.We had only separated recently, yet those memories already felt like something from a very distant time.Cyrus had also written me a letter. It used to be his favorite thing to do before we got married. He once said letters held more meaning than photographs.But later, he stopped writing to me. Even conversations became impatient.I didn't read the letter in detail. I merely scanned the last paragraph.[I never thought we would end this way. I'm sorry.]In truth, I never thought so either.In my imagination,

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