Chapter 5

The next morning, Vivian was awakened by the glare of the sun.Aches and pains racked her body, but she felt empty, as if her soul had left her body. Despite the fact that they had had sex last night, Cirrus had never kissed her on the lips. It was, for him, just a task that could be done without a trace of emotion.Making love was supposed to be the most intimate thing that could happen between lovers. Still, Vivian felt extremely sad after making love with Cirrus.There was no warmth left on the quilt next to her, and his figure was nowhere to be seen in the villa. Cirrus left hours ago.Vivian struggled to her feet and cleaned up the mess on the bed.Cirrus had been in such a hurry that he left his tie on the floor.She picked up the tie, folded it carefully, and put it into the bag she always carried with her. There was also a photo of her child in her bag."Aelius, hang in there." She stroked the little face on the photo and sniffled. "I'm trying my best to save you, my child. Just give mommy some more time, okay?" Tears streamed down her face and dripped onto the photo.Vivian wiped away the tears from the photo, with tenderness in her eyes. "The world hates me so much that it wants to take everything, including you, from me. But it doesn't matter because I have you and will protect you. You're my beloved. As long as you live a good life, I can bear all the sufferings."On the nightstand was a pile of papers.It must be Cirrus who had left them there.Vivian placed the photo back into her bag as gently as she could before reading the papers.It was the divorce settlement, which didn’t surprise her at all.She leafed through it and found no special terms. It was almost the same as the one that Cirrus had brought over earlier.The only difference that caught her attention was written at the end: Vivian Walker promises to leave Hadale City forever and never return.It seems that you really don't want to see me any more.Don't worry. You won't see me again, because I'll leave Hadale and even this world forever.With a faint smile, she signed her name at the bottom.…As usual, Vivian came to the hospital for a check-up the day after the injection.Noticing the bruises on her neck, the doctor frowned. "Mrs. Walker, do you need me to call the police?"Vivian shook her head and covered the marks with her collar. "No, thanks. When will I know whether I'm pregnant or not?""Seven days later, at least," the doctor said, "Mrs. Walker, if you're still not pregnant in seven days, please receive chemotherapy before it's too late." Vivian frowned and exhaled deeply. "How long can I live if I don't receive chemotherapy?""Six months at most. But with timely chemotherapy, it can be extended to 3 to 5 years…""I don't want to receive chemotherapy. I have to give birth to another child. Doctor, could you buy me nine months? I don't mind what method is used or how much it costs.""Well, I have to warn you that it'll be very painful in the late stage of cancer. Many patients give up the will to live because they're unable to bear the pain. If you want to live longer, you have to fight against your fate yourself."Vivian sighed with relief. "I see.""The pain is so intense and piercing that patients normally cannot bear it.""I can make it," Vivian replied as she nodded. To nerve herself, she repeated, "I can make it."The doctor revealed a sorrowful look. "Mrs. Walker, you're the toughest patient I've ever met."Vivian smiled a big smile. "I'm still not tough enough. If I were tough enough, I wouldn't have ended up in a mess."

The next morning, Vivian was awakened by the glare of the sun.

Aches and pains racked her body, but she felt empty, as if her soul had left her body.

Despite the fact that they had had sex last night, Cirrus had never kissed her on the lips. It was, for him, just a task that could be done without a trace of emotion.

Making love was supposed to be the most intimate thing that could happen between lovers. Still, Vivian felt extremely sad after making love with Cirrus.

There was no warmth left on the quilt next to her, and his figure was nowhere to be seen in the villa. Cirrus left hours ago.

Vivian struggled to her feet and cleaned up the mess on the bed.

Cirrus had been in such a hurry that he left his tie on the floor.

She picked up the tie, folded it carefully, and put it into the bag she always carried with her. There was also a photo of her child in her bag.

"Aelius, hang in there." She stroked the little face on the photo and sniffled. "I'm trying my best to save you, my child. Just give mommy some more time, okay?"

Tears streamed down her face and dripped onto the photo.

Vivian wiped away the tears from the photo, with tenderness in her eyes.

"The world hates me so much that it wants to take everything, including you, from me. But it doesn't matter because I have you and will protect you. You're my beloved. As long as you live a good life, I can bear all the sufferings."

On the nightstand was a pile of papers.

It must be Cirrus who had left them there.

Vivian placed the photo back into her bag as gently as she could before reading the papers.

It was the divorce settlement, which didn’t surprise her at all.

She leafed through it and found no special terms. It was almost the same as the one that Cirrus had brought over earlier.

The only difference that caught her attention was written at the end: Vivian Walker promises to leave Hadale City forever and never return.

It seems that you really don't want to see me any more.

Don't worry. You won't see me again, because I'll leave Hadale and even this world forever.

With a faint smile, she signed her name at the bottom.

…

As usual, Vivian came to the hospital for a check-up the day after the injection.

Noticing the bruises on her neck, the doctor frowned. "Mrs. Walker, do you need me to call the police?"

Vivian shook her head and covered the marks with her collar. "No, thanks. When will I know whether I'm pregnant or not?"

"Seven days later, at least," the doctor said, "Mrs. Walker, if you're still not pregnant in seven days, please receive chemotherapy before it's too late."

Vivian frowned and exhaled deeply. "How long can I live if I don't receive chemotherapy?"

"Six months at most. But with timely chemotherapy, it can be extended to 3 to 5 years…"

"I don't want to receive chemotherapy. I have to give birth to another child. Doctor, could you buy me nine months? I don't mind what method is used or how much it costs."

"Well, I have to warn you that it'll be very painful in the late stage of cancer. Many patients give up the will to live because they're unable to bear the pain. If you want to live longer, you have to fight against your fate yourself."

Vivian sighed with relief. "I see."

"The pain is so intense and piercing that patients normally cannot bear it."

"I can make it," Vivian replied as she nodded. To nerve herself, she repeated, "I can make it."

The doctor revealed a sorrowful look. "Mrs. Walker, you're the toughest patient I've ever met."

Vivian smiled a big smile. "I'm still not tough enough. If I were tough enough, I wouldn't have ended up in a mess."