Chapter 7
“Isa, I only love Willow–she’s my life.”
Isa found it absurd. “Are all men this shameless? Sleep with one woman while loving another?”
Chuck was mortified. He wanted to say it was an accident but couldn’t get the words out.
Isa decided to be even more direct: “I won’t agree to the surgery no matter what. Even if I have to drag this out, I’ll
wait until Willow dies.”
“She only has a few days left anyway, right?”
Chuck completely lost control and slapped her across the face.
“Who do you think you are? How dare you curse my Willow.”
The woman was also provoked and began pulling his hair. The two grappled shamelessly, abandoning their last shred of dignity.
We had been in Fiji for four days already. We’d planned to see the ocean but hadn’t yet set out.
On the first day after landing, I caught a cold, feeling weak all over with a throbbing headache.
I refused to go to the hospital, determined to tough it out in the hotel.
Lucien tried to persuade me briefly before giving up, but he wouldn’t leave either.
He didn’t film anything–just sat on the floor by my bedside, watching me without blinking.
It was somewhat amusing.
“Lucien, you’re very much like a dog, you know that?”
“Do you like dogs?” he asked.
“I have a golden retriever staying with a friend of mine. Would you like to see it?” he asked again.
Lucien’s eyes sparkled, and I wasn’t sure if he was waiting for my answer to the first question or the second.
Fighting through my headache, I said: “Sure.”
By the fifth day, I was feeling much better, so we hurried to do some sightseeing.
Before setting off, Lucien somehow procured a wheelchair from somewhere.
I felt exasperated: “You don’t need to take care of me like this. I can walk on my own.”
His face turned apple–red, but he insisted on bringing the wheelchair: “If you don’t want to use the wheelchair, I can
Merrow Donor and They Decided to Let Me Die
60.0%
Chapter 7
carry you. Someone who lugs around camera equipment has plenty of strength.”
Not only that, but he carefully checked my condition before getting in and out of vehicles. The person who once said he’d treat me like anyone else seemed to have disappeared.
I don’t remember when it started, but every time I turned around, I’d meet his worried gaze and those hidden
emotions.
I wasn’t stupid, but I couldn’t be selfish either.
So when a shooting star crossed the sky,
I suddenly said: “Lucien, this is the final stop.”
The man whose hands never shook even while running with a camera lost his composure, nearly dropping his equipment.
He opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say. Finally, his eyes reddened with distress, as if the sky were falling.
My resolve wavered. “Don’t misunderstand–Chuck has called me back for surgery.”
Lucien’s emotions swung wildly between shock and joy: “Really?”
“Then I’ll go back with you.”
I shook my head in refusal: “Chuck already misunderstands our relationship. If you come back with me, it will be even harder to explain.”
Lucien pressed his lips together, his gaze deepening. The starlight and moonlight illuminated the emotions spilling
from the man.
I nervously averted my eyes.
At this point, Lucien’s determination was unshakable. He simply spoke without restraint: “He’s not misunderstanding anything. I do want to pursue you.”
Another shooting star streaked across the sky, so beautiful it made my heart race.
“Don’t be nervous. If you don’t want to see me now, I can appear after your surgery.”
Instinctively, I wanted to deny it–I didn’t want to not see him. But rationality stopped my impulse, and I stiffly nodded instead.
Before leaving, as usual, we took photos–first individual shots, then together.
For the first time, Lucien boldly put his arm around my shoulder, pulling me close.
I allowed myself to accept it.
But I hadn’t expected that in the final second of the countdown, a tall shadow would loom over me. Lucien bent
naner and They Decided to Let Me Die
63.3%
napter 1
down and kissed my mask.
I froze, my heart pounding like a drum.
The distant camera captured the moment.
The stars in the sky were like small eyes, watching everything happening below.
