Chapter 4

The final countdown arrived far more abruptly than I anticipated.

And it was far more agonizing than I had ever imagined.

My body completely rejected food, and I grew so weak I couldn't even lift my arms.

Blood would suddenly spill from my lips when I spoke, when I coughed, or even when I simply closed my eyes to rest.

For three straight days, an IV drip was the only thing keeping me alive.

Watching my vitals plunge hour by hour, Hailey frantically dialed Ethan's number over and over again.

Not a single call went through.

Her eyes were rimmed in red as she looked down at me.

I managed a weak smile and shook my head, silently telling her it was fine.

I had never imagined that at the very end of my life, the only person left caring for me would be a stranger hired to do a job.

Refusing to give up, Hailey dialed the number one more time.

This time, someone finally answered.

Her face lit up as she hit the speaker button and held the phone close to me. But Ethan's voice was sharp and laced with pure venom.

"Chloe, you really know how to pull strings, don't you? You actually managed to track down the specialist I pulled favors to book for Jessica's surgery follow-up?"

"The doctor says she's going on annual leave tomorrow, which means Jessica and I have to cut the trip short and fly back right now. Are you happy now?"

When a person is dying, their brain naturally latches onto whatever shred of comfort it can find.

Tomorrow was my final day on earth.

I would actually get to see Ethan one last time.

But in the very next second, a sound drifted through the background of the call.

It was Jessica, softly weeping.

That was when reality crashed down on me. Ethan hadn't picked up for me. He had called to unleash his anger on behalf of Jessica.

My composure shattered. Spite took over, and I rasped into the receiver,

"Thrilled. Making Jessica cry before I die? Of course I'm thrilled."

"What about you, Ethan? Isn't that the exact reaction you wanted when you picked up the phone? Are you satisfied now?"

When Ethan spoke again, his disgust was palpable. "Chloe, I genuinely wish I had never met you. Then I wouldn't have had to suffer through this miserable guilt just because you tossed me a piece of bread years ago."

The line went dead, but his words continued to echo endlessly in my ears.

Hailey quietly slipped out of the room, giving me space to break down.

Yet I couldn't even summon a single tear.

I just lay there in silence, waiting for the end to arrive.

I saw the pale morning light spill through the window blinds, and then my consciousness began to drift away.

The quiet room suddenly erupted into chaos.

"Clear the way! Move!"

"We don't have time for the OR—get me the crash cart, now!"

My body jerked violently into the air and crashed back onto the mattress.

Over and over again, the shocks tore through me.

Until finally, everything went still.

The doctor lowered his head, breathing out a heavy sigh. "No pulse. She's gone."

My soul drifted upward, detaching from my lifeless shell. I turned around and saw Ethan stepping into the hallway.

He was rolling a suitcase with one hand, Jessica trailing right behind him.

He was still speaking to her in a gentle, apologetic tone.

"I'm so sorry, Jessica. Once your appointment is done, I'll make her apologize to you properly."

Jessica put on her most understanding face. "It's okay, Ethan. I don't hold it against her."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she glanced toward the commotion down the hall.

Ethan looked over too. "Wait here. I'll go see what's happening."

With that, he pushed his way through the gathering crowd.

Before he could even get a clear view of the bed, the nurse's steady voice cut through the air.

"Time of death: September 22nd, 2026, 10:11 AM. Patient Chloe Foster, Room 315. Resuscitation unsuccessful."