Semua Bab After I Died, He Ruined the Woman He Chose Over Me: Bab 1 - Bab 10

The oncology wing of City General Hospital was quiet.I sat on a cold bench at the far end of the hallway, clutching the diagnosis report that had just been printed. The corners of the paper were crumpled beneath my fingers.“Late-stage stomach cancer. The cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. Immediate hospitalization and chemotherapy are recommended. Estimated survival time is no more than three months.”Dr. Parker, my attending physician, took off his glasses and looked at me with the calm of someone who had seen life and death too many times.I asked him what would happen if I refused treatment.He said I might have two months at most, and the final month would be extremely painful. The pain could reach a seven or higher on the scale.“I understand. Thank you, Doctor.”I left his office with the report in my hand and sat down on the bench outside.My stomach started hurting again.It felt like someone was slowly sawing through the lining of my stomach with a dull knife, ba

A blister pack of pills sat on the table.They were the painkillers I’d opened the night before. Three tablets remained.I reached for them.“Oh, what’s this?”Claire moved faster.She picked up the blister pack and held it in front of her face. Her expression turned innocently concerned.“Nora, these are expired. Look. They expired last month.”She flipped the pack over and pointed to the printed date.I knew they weren’t expired.I’d only gotten them last week. The date was clearly printed on the foil.“You shouldn’t take expired medicine. It’s bad for you.”As she spoke, Claire walked over to the trash can and dropped the pills inside.They landed on a pile of wastepaper with a faint rustle.I lunged for the trash like I’d lost my mind.Dropping to my knees, I shoved my hand inside and started digging.Scraps of paper. Fruit peels. Used tissues.I didn’t care.My fingers finally closed around the blister pack, and I clenched it tightly in my fist.Ethan walked over

Standing together, they looked like they belonged on the cover of a magazine.Ethan picked up the microphone and gave a brief welcome speech, thanking everyone for coming to Claire’s birthday celebration. He said she was the most important person in his life and hoped everyone would enjoy the evening.When he said “the most important person in my life,” his gaze swept across the room.He spotted me sitting alone in a corner.His eyes paused on me for the briefest second before moving on.As Claire cut the cake, her attention suddenly shifted to the necklace around my neck.It was the only thing my mother had left me.The chain was silver, with a small moonstone pendant. It wasn’t worth much, but I’d worn it for ten years and had never once taken it off.“Nora, your necklace is so pretty.” Claire walked over with a sweet smile. “Can I see it?”My hand instinctively closed around the pendant.Ethan came to stand beside her.The moment he saw me protecting the necklace, his exp

I forced myself back to my feet and kept moving.Just as I reached the living room, a deafening crash came from above.A burning wooden beam collapsed across my leg.Pain tore through me, and I heard a sharp crack.I looked down.The beam had pinned my lower leg to the floor, and the flames were already spreading across my dress.I tried to pull free, but it was far too heavy.I shoved at it with both hands, only to jerk them back from the unbearable heat.The smoke grew thicker by the second.I lowered myself to the floor, pressing my face close to the ground where the air was slightly clearer.Even then, every breath burned my throat.I knew I wasn’t getting out.I pulled out my phone with trembling fingers and found Ethan’s number.The signs that he had blocked me were still there.He had never unblocked me.Still, I pressed call.Ring.Ring.Ring.After three rings, he answered.“Nora?” Ethan’s voice was thick with sleep and irritation. “What the hell are you do

Ethan let out a cold laugh.“Nora’s house?”Ryan nodded.“Someone like her won’t die that easily,” Ethan said, taking a sip of his coffee. “Give her three days. She’ll come crawling back and beg me.”Ryan opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but one look at Ethan’s face made him swallow the words.He turned and left.Claire came out of the kitchen carrying a cup of coffee and set it in front of Ethan.Then she started cleaning the living room.She gathered the last few things I’d left behind, a mug on the windowsill and a scarf draped over a chair, and tossed them into a large trash bag.Ethan watched her throw them away.He didn’t stop her.“These old things should’ve been thrown out ages ago,” Claire said with a smile. “The house feels so much nicer when it isn’t cluttered.”She tied the bag shut and carried it to the front door.Ethan slipped an arm around her waist.“You’re right. That trash should’ve been cleared out a long time ago.”I hovered near th