Chapter 29
Chapter 29
The back gate was password protected. Only I knew the password.
I opened the gate and stuck my head out. I did not see anyone.
When I walked out, I heard someone chuckle behind me.
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1/9
I turned around in shock and saw Chris standing with his back against the
wall. He was dressed in a gray coat that revealed the collar of a light blue
shirt underneath. His cheeks were red; it seemed he had been standing in
the cold for a long time.
Before I could say anything, Chris took two bottles from his pocket and
handed them to me.
I took the bottles from him, and I was surprised to see the label on one of
them. “Vitamin tablets?”
“Your medicine is very similar to the tablets of this brand,” Chris explained.
Chapter 29 Not As I Expected
“You can put your medicine in these bottles if you want.”
I gazed at the bottles for some time before I smiled and said, “Thank you…
You’re very thoughtful.”
“It’s part of my job,” Chris said while looking at his watch. “Excuse me. I’ll have
to go.”
“Alright.” I followed up, “Are you going back to the hospital?”
“No. I’m a little hungry, and I want to eat something before my shift starts at
nine,” Chris said awkwardly.
“Haven’t you had dinner yet?” I asked.
It was already half past seven.
“I hadn’t had the time for it,” Chris said. “You should take your medicine soon.
The symptoms will worsen because you didn’t take it yesterday.”
2/9
Chapter 29 Not As 1 Expected
It would usually take half an hour to drive to the hospital, and it would be
double that when the roads were so slippery.
I should have been more considerate about his time instead of letting him.
wait for me in the cold for so long. I said, “I should buy you dinner. There’s a
decent restaurant nearby.”
Chris was surprised to hear that. “Your husband might misunderstand.”
3/9
“You came all the way here to deliver my medicine. I can’t let you leave on an
empty stomach,” I said. “It’s decided then. I’ll sit in your car and show you the
way.”
Chris’ car was a white BMW. Despite the weather conditions, the car was kept
clean.
I sat in the side passenger seat and gave him directions.
As he started the ignition, he asked nervously, “Are you sure your husband will
be okay with this? I don’t mind eating on my own.”
Chapter 29 Not As Expected
“Don’t worry. He’s on a business trip,” I said.
I did not think Liam would find fault with Chris. He was only using it as an
excuse to torment me.
4/9
I did not care. Why should I allow him to imprison me in the house? What was
he going to do anyway, divorce me?
Soon, we arrived at the restaurant.
It was already past dinnertime, but the restaurant was crowded.
Fortunately, we managed to get a private room. After I ordered the food, I ate
a pill and filled the rest into the other bottle.
Chris asked, “You look pale. Are the symptoms worse?”
“Yes. My head is spinning constantly, and I can’t eat anything without
throwing up,” I said.
Chapter 29 Not As I Expected
Chris nodded slightly and said, “Those are part of the symptoms, and the
medicine will help. But you should eat the medicine after your meal. It might
irritate your stomach.”
5/9
“Don’t worry, my stomach is fine,” I said with a smile.
I only had half a year left. It did not matter how I treated my stomach.
Chris knew he had misspoken. He looked at me, feeling sorry, and said
nothing.
I changed the conversation topic. “Right, can I donate my organs?”
“You can donate your corneas,” Chris said, “But your condition is pretty
special. We can only determine if the organ is suitable at the point of
donation.”
I nodded. “If I qualify, do I have to stay in the hospital in my last days?”
“I’d recommend staying in the hospital from now on. You’ll be able to survive
for longer,” he said.
“I don’t want to stay in the hospital. I want to live my last days freely. When
the symptoms are serious enough, I’ll take my own life,” I said.
Chris seemed uncomfortable, so I added, “I don’t want to be resuscitated,
and I don’t want my family members to sign me off to die. I’m also afraid that
my husband wants to resuscitate me at any cost, and I’ll end up half-alive
and half-dead. I don’t want that to happen.”
Liam hated me, and I knew he would make me suffer a fate worse than
death.
Chris looked like he was feeling sorry for me. He said, “Once the symptoms
begin to worsen, you won’t have much longer to live. Regrettably, modern
medicine can’t do anything about it.”
I was taken aback. “I felt very dizzy yesterday, and I kept on throwing up. Is
that considered serious?”
Chris smiled. “Don’t worry. I only took your X-rays yesterday. The symptoms
won’t worsen that quickly.”
I nodded and said, “I’m not that afraid of death, but…”
“You’re worried that you’ll suffer before you die.” Chris completed my
sentence. “I can see that you’re very strong.”
I shook my head.
I was not strong at all, but I had no choice.
Chris continued to gaze at me gently and switched the conversation topic.
“Would you share with me your reasons for donating organs?”
“I don’t need them anymore, and I wouldn’t want them to go to waste. Too
bad, I can only donate my corneas. I’d like to donate my body for medical
research too.”
Chris was surprised to hear that. “I didn’t expect that. Why?”
“Your mother?”
“Right. Before my mother died, she left in her will that she wanted to donate
her body to medical research. My father opposed it and stopped it from
happening. My mother only managed to donate a kidney before her body
was cremated,” I said.
Chris nodded to indicate he was listening.
“I can understand how my father felt, but I’d imagine my mother would be
disappointed if she knew what happened to her body,” I continued. “My
mother always told me that the world is material, and souls don’t exist. The
most rational use for a body is to harvest every working part. Not only that,
people need to make sacrifices for science to progress.”
Chris nodded and smiled. “You’re really different from what I expected of you.’
I was not surprised to hear that. I smiled and said, “Is it because I look
Chapter 29 Not As I Expected
down-to-earth?”
“Yes,” Chris replied. “You look meek and conservative.”
“That’s what a lot of people say,” I said. “What do you think my profession is?”
“Hm…” Chris thought seriously and said, “You must be either a scientist or a
programmer.”
“Bingo,” I said. “I major in artificial intelligence. If I didn’t have to die before I
graduated, you might use the technology I invent one day.”
Chris did not say anything, though he seemed pensive.