Chapter 6
I raised my tear–streaked face, and through my blurry eyes, I saw Elon.
I couldn’t speak clearly through my sobs, “Elon…”
“I–I’m sick… and it’s incurable…”
“How could that be?” Elon looked at me in
shock.
I wiped my face, shaking, and handed him the diagnosis.
Elon quickly skimmed it, then pulled me into a tight embrace, his body trembling more than mine. “No, no… this can’t be right.”
“We’ll get a second opinion!
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Chapter 6
Elon’s face had drained of color, and he gently cupped my face, repeating, “We’ll get a second opinion.”
“I know a more authoritative doctor. In medicine, there’s no such thing as 100% certainty. Mistakes happen sometimes. Right?”
He wiped away my tears, his eyes locking onto mine. “Don’t cry. Take deep breaths- you’re heading towards alkalosis.”
Elon forced a smile, trying to lighten the moment. “If you keep crying, I’ll have to kiss you.”
My phone was ringing off the hook.
I swiped it off and turned it off.
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Chapter 6
+5 Points
The sports car roared down the country road, the top down, my foot pressed to the pedal.
My hair whipped wildly in the wind as the car wound through the winding mountain roads.
As a child, in my clumsy attempt to make my mother proud of me, I sacrificed all my leisure time, focusing on my studies and dominating the grade rankings.
In my youth, when we were so poor we couldn’t afford a proper meal, Neil and I worked various odd jobs. After college, I stayed up late, hoping for the company’s eventual listing.
But after starting a family, it wasn’t sweet at all. My life with Neil was like a secret underground relationship. Thirteen years of childhood friendship couldn’t stand up to the sudden appearance of his first love.
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Points
The only wealth I had managed to accumulate seemed laughable now, considering the short time I had left.
How pointless.
Really.
So utterly pointless.
A strong impulse surged inside me.
Run–run until I can’t run anymore!
Until the sports car crosses the horizon!
Then, I’ll charge into the cliff, with the freedom of the wind in my hair!
Winter had arrived.
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Would spring be far behind?
But I no longer had a spring.
“Tomorrow, I’ve arranged for a top professor to examine you in person.”
“Don’t worry too much.”
“You… can talk to me about anything.”
“I’ll respond to you as soon as possible.”
I paused the cartoon, picked up the vibrating phone, and typed back, “Okay.”
We both tacitly avoided mentioning the inappropriate kiss.
The truth was, I didn’t want to think about too much things.
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+ 5 Points
The door was suddenly flung open.
I turned my head.
Neil stormed in, angrily flicking off the living room light, tossing his suit jacket aside, his shoes clattering loudly on the floor. “What’s going on? Helen?”
“Didn’t you say you had to go to today’s banquet?”
“Now that you got your way, you
disappeared?”
“You have no idea how important this banquet is!”
“Why are you being so childish? Are you still
a kid?!”
I quietly watched Neil vent his anger.
