Chapter 4

Ethan was a man of action.

Especially when it came to doing things for Lily. His efficiency was terrifying.

I was dragged directly into the examination room.

Cold medical scanners slid over my body.

Lying on the hard bed, staring at the sterile white ceiling, my mind was surprisingly calm.

Terminal stomach cancer.

The cancer cells had already spread everywhere.

My body was a hollowed-out wreck.

Only a blind idiot like Ethan would think I was a perfectly healthy walking organ bank.

The doctor reviewing my scans on the monitor started frowning deeply.

He glanced at Ethan, who was standing nearby, and hesitated to speak.

"What is it?" Ethan asked impatiently.

The doctor wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Mr. Vance, Mrs. Vance’s physical condition... all her indicators are extremely bad..."

"Especially her stomach. There’s a massive dark shadow here. It looks like—"

"It looks like she’s faking it, right?"

Ethan cut him off coldly.

The doctor gasped. "No, Mr. Vance, this is—"

"Faking illness is her specialty."

Ethan shot me a look of pure disgust.

"She even forged a terminal stomach cancer diagnosis before just to get out of donating her kidney."

"I’ve seen this show a thousand times."

Lying on the bed, listening to him, I found it almost comical.

The bloody diagnosis paper he had thrown on the ground and stomped on that day was now just a "fake prop" in his head.

"Ethan, you are pathetic,"

I said softly.

He spun around, slamming his hands on either side of my head, trapping me against the bed.

"I’m pathetic?"

"Chloe, let's see if you can still talk back when the scalpel slices your stomach open!"

He turned back to the doctor, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Ignore her fake test results. As long as the kidney match is good, schedule the surgery immediately."

"But..." The doctor tried to protest.

"No buts! If anything happens, I’ll take full responsibility!"

Ethan barked.

The doctor shrunk back, terrified, and nodded quickly.

Looking at Ethan's face so close to mine, I suddenly didn't want to explain anymore.

Really.

What was the point of explaining?

I’d rather let him see it.

Let him see what happens when they cut me open, and instead of a healthy kidney, he finds a body eaten alive by cancer.

I wondered what his face would look like then.

It would definitely be a masterpiece.

"Fine."

I met his gaze, smiling brightly.

"Ethan, since you want it so badly, take it."

"I just hope you don't regret it."

Ethan hesitated for a second.

He probably didn't expect me to agree so easily.

A flicker of suspicion crossed his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by his usual coldness.

"Regret?"

He stood up, adjusting his collar.

"Chloe, the only thing I regret in my life is marrying you."

With that, he turned and slammed the door shut.