Chapter 4

Under Roland's stunned stare, I strode out of the hotel.

Mom hurried after me. "Merry, wait."

She planted herself in front of me so I couldn't move.

"We never meant to keep it from you forever. Lydia's due any day now. Once she has the baby, we'll bring you home."

The anger I'd been holding down shot straight to the top of my head.

It burned until I could barely think.

"Bring me home for what?"

"To tell me how you all lied to me for years?"

"Or to tell me none of you actually died, so I can weep for joy?"

There wasn't a trace of guilt on her face. If anything, she looked perfectly at ease.

"We're still family, after all. Family shouldn't fuss over things like this."

"You could show Lydia a little understanding too. You had ten happy years with Sean. That's more than enough."

"Since you know everything now, move back home tomorrow."

"You and Sean can't be husband and wife anymore, but you can be brother and sister. He's already decided to leave most of his assets to you, and we'll make it up to you properly from now on."

Mom had barely finished speaking.

My phone lit up with my medical report.

【Malignant stomach tumor, metastasis present, essentially no chance of curative surgery……】

That glaring line of diagnosis worked at my heart like a dull blade, cutting it away over and over.

I gripped the phone, and a bleak, sorrowful laugh escaped me.

Five years ago, in this same hotel, a medical report had popped up on my phone. My daughter's.

Now fate seemed to be playing a joke on me.

Another medical report on my phone.

Except my daughter's report had been fake, and mine was real.

I said weakly, "There won't be a from now on. I've been diagnosed with late-stage stomach cancer."

At those words, Mom's face went white as paper.

"Merry, don't scare your mother. You've always been so healthy."

However healthy I'd been, it couldn't hold up against years of running myself into the ground.

To save money, I ate one meal a day.

When work came in, I'd go from dawn to midnight, and when there was no time to eat, I'd choke down a couple of plain bread rolls.

After a while, my stomach started burning and cramping in waves.

I thought it was an ordinary stomach problem and got by on a few painkillers.

I never imagined I'd wear myself down until the oil was gone and the lamp went dark.

Dad came up, saw how bad Mom looked, and asked, "What is it? You've gone so pale."

Mom was babbling. "What do we do? Merry, late-stage stomach cancer."

Dad stared at me in disbelief. "Is what your mother said true?"

At some point Lydia had come to stand behind them, her whole face full of doubt.

"Meryl, don't joke about your own life."

"Mom and Dad love you so much. They can't take a shock like this."

Then she stole a careful glance at my parents. "Could they have gotten it wrong? Or maybe it's a misdiagnosis?"

"You've never had a single hard day in your life. Isn't this too convenient? We've only just been reunited, and suddenly you've got such a serious illness."

My parents, who a moment ago had been frantic, changed their expressions in an instant.

Dad's face went livid. He pointed at me. "You're going to be the death of me. How can you throw around something like this?"

"Isn't this you deliberately deceiving people? Your mother's heart is weak. You nearly frightened her to death just now."

Dad's face was full of disappointment in me.

Accusing me of using a serious illness as a tool to deceive my own family.

But he'd forgotten. Five years ago, that was exactly how they'd deceived me.

The draft cutting through the hotel entrance hit me, cold.

I pulled my clothes tight, ignored them, and walked out with long strides.

Behind me, Lydia took Mom's arm and soothed her with such care.

"Mom, don't be angry with Meryl."

"That's just how she is. The second something doesn't go her way, she lies. And once she's caught out, she runs off feeling guilty."

"She knows you care about her, so she made up an excuse like that to scare you on purpose."

Mom sighed. "In the end, it's our fault for spoiling her."

Sean came up too, watching my retreating back as he spoke slowly.

"Mom, don't worry. Meryl treats you and Katie like her whole life. Seeing you all alive and well, she couldn't be happier."

"She's probably just throwing a little tantrum. Give it a few days and she'll be fine."

Mom nodded.

"True. There's no grudge between parents and children that lasts overnight."

"Emmet, let's go get her ourselves in a few days. She's our own child, after all. A little coaxing and she'll come around."

Ten days later, my parents followed my address there.

The two of them got out of the car, made their way through the filthy, run-down stairwell, and walked with trepidation.

Mom's face was grim as she spoke. "How could Meryl be living in a place like this?"

Dad didn't understand either. "Exactly. Why not stay in the old house? Even if the old house brought back too many painful memories, the money we left her was plenty to live in a nice neighborhood."

At last they reached my rental unit.

They knocked for a long time. No one answered.

An old woman leaned out from next door and asked, "Who are you looking for?"

Mom answered quickly. "Meryl Donaldson. She lives here."

The old woman's face filled with pity. "Oh, Meryl. You've come too late."

"That poor girl. Her daughter was gone, and she had late-stage stomach cancer herself. Last night she couldn't bear it anymore, and she drowned herself in the sea."