Chapter 1

In the third year of my marriage to Julian, our quiet life crumbled to pieces.

His first love, Vivian, woke up from a five-year coma, instantly taking back all his warmth, devotion, and tenderness.

As if fate were playing a cruel joke, I was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer at the exact same time. My life was on a rapid countdown.

For the days I had left, I kept my illness a secret, pretending everything was fine whenever Julian was around.

I quietly watched him pour his entire heart into another woman, letting him neglect and brush me off time and time again.

I didn't argue. I didn't scream. I backed away in silence, enduring the agonizing pain and despair all on my own.

Until my last breath.

It wasn't until three days after I died that Julian finally found the medical report I had hidden away.

He held my cold body, sobbing until he broke down completely. But it was far too late.

At eight o’clock in the evening, the last dish was brought to the table.

I stood on the balcony, looking down at the street. Julian’s car was nowhere to be seen.

Mom came out of the kitchen, untying her apron as she asked, "Chloe, has Julian called yet?"

"No," I replied softly.

Dad put down his newspaper, took off his reading glasses, and stood up. "He’s a surgeon. It’s normal for him to be busy. Still, he works too hard. He needs to rest."

I stared up at the bright, round moon in the night sky and said nothing.

Julian wasn't busy with surgery. He was staying at the hospital because the woman lying in that VIP room was his first love—the girl he had never gotten over.

Just this afternoon, he had called me.

Even though he tried his best to contain his excitement, every word trembled with uncontainable joy.

He said, "Chloe! Vivian woke up!"

Vivian and Julian were high school sweethearts.

The night of their senior prom, Julian had confessed his love to her in front of everyone. They were the golden couple everyone envied.

Tragically, the day before Vivian was supposed to fly abroad for college, she was hit by a car and slipped into a vegetative state.

Julian took care of her devotedly for five long years, right up until she finally opened her eyes today.

I had moistened my dry lips and forced a smile over the phone. "Congratulations. After all these years, she finally woke up. Do you want me to come over and visit her?"

There was a long pause on the other end. Finally, Julian said, "No, don't. Today is Christmas Eve. You should go spend it with your parents. Besides..."

Besides what? Besides the fact that she just woke up, and finding out he was married—seeing me in the flesh—would be too much for her to handle?

I didn't ask, and Julian never finished his sentence.

In the end, he simply said, "Drive safe. I’ll come pick you up later tonight."

A gust of freezing wind slipped through my coat. I wrapped my arms tightly around myself and thought: Julian, you're going to break your promise again tonight, aren't you?

Tonight was a night for family reunions. But the only reunion that mattered to him was his with Vivian.

"Hey, Chloe, what are you doing standing out there? Come eat! Are you still waiting for Julian?"

My younger brother, Toby, strolled out of his room and slung an arm casually over my shoulder, looking as reckless as ever.

I smiled, nudging him away, and asked sternly, "Did you get into trouble again?"

He scooped a bowl of rice for me, handed me a fork, and grinned shamelessly. "Come on, do I look like a troublemaker?"

He really did. Just last month, he ended up at the police station twice and in the ER three times.

If Julian hadn't used his connections to pull strings, who knew where Toby would be rotting right now.

Mom tapped her fork against her plate, frowning in disapproval. "Can't you wish something good for your brother for once?"

With that, she placed a roasted chicken drumstick onto Toby’s plate, put the other one onto Dad’s, and tossed a small chicken wing onto mine.

"Julian is busy, so don't hold it against him if he doesn't come home often," Mom nagged, slipping into her usual lecture. "As a wife, you have to be understanding.”

“Our whole family has lived comfortably these past few years thanks to him. When your father and I are gone, we’ll still need Julian to look out for Toby..."

Listening to her repeat the same old sermon, I quickly forced down two bites of rice and stood up.

"Mom, Dad, I'm full."

Mom furrowed her brows, looking surprised. "That's all you're eating?"

"I have things to take care of. I’m heading home."