Chapter 3

I picked up a lot of expensive painkillers at the hospital. Regular painkillers could no longer control my pain. In the final stage of my life, I could only rely on these potent drugs to suppress the agony.

When I opened the door, Gabriel was looking down at his phone.

He seemed to hear me come in and glanced up briefly.

His eyes were bloodshot, and his hands trembled as he gripped that pink phone, clearly trying to control his anger.

"What kind of heartless thing did you do, Zoe? Are you sick in the head?" Gabriel slammed his hand on the table, venting his fury.

"Yes, I'm sick. And I'm dying soon," I shrugged, smiling casually.

"You fucking psycho! If you're sick why don't you just die already?!" Gabriel hurled the glass from the table onto the floor.

Glass shards flew everywhere, with one piece cutting my ankle.

I remained silent, just watching him lose control.

Perhaps realizing he had gone too far, Gabriel took a deep breath and handed me the pink phone.

"See for yourself."

"See what?" I took the phone, confused.

"You tore up Tessa's clothes and sent her photos to our family group chat and my work group! Zoe, I never thought you could be so jealous! Even if you envy Tessa, you shouldn't do something so degrading!" Gabriel was so angry the veins on his forehead were bulging.

That's when I noticed the pink phone showed a girl who looked 80% like me crying.

She was in tattered clothes, sitting on the ground with red, teary eyes looking utterly pitiful.

It was the same girl who had taunted me at the hospital earlier!

"Gabe, it's all my fault. I understand why Zoe did this... My existence must have threatened her," Tessa sobbed in the phone.

"Is... is this a cartoon character?" I frowned.

Gabriel snatched the phone back. "This is AI! Tessa is a lifelike AI developed by our company. She's just like a real person! She's my spiritual companion."

My mind went blank with shock!

So Tessa was an AI robot!

"Get on your knees!"

"Apologize to Tessa! Apologize in the family group chat and work group!"

Gabriel grabbed my collar roughly, with no hint of tenderness.

I felt like a kite being yanked forcefully.

The painkillers scattered on the floor.

I shook my head. "I didn't do it. It wasn't me."

"Are you saying she did it herself? You're the only one besides me who can enter this house. Stop making excuses!"

I was too tired to argue. After he finished speaking, I had already picked up the painkillers and turned to leave.

But he snatched the medicine away again.

"I said, you're not leaving until you apologize! As for this medicine..." this medicine..." Gabriel glanced at the painkillers, "Don't bother taking it! People should face consequences for their mistakes, don't you think?"

Gabriel ripped open the package and dumped the pills into the trash.

I clenched my fists as waves of pain washed over me. It was time for my dose, and without the medication on schedule, my stomach felt like it was being torn apart.

I leaned against the wall, looking at this man who once loved me more than life itself, wondering what his expression would be if he knew these painkillers could ease my suffering.