Freddie finally softened a little and texted to ask where I was.

A glimmer of hope rose in me. I thought he might come to pick me up.

However, the one who showed up was his good friend, Hugo Gilbert.

Sitting in the car, Hugo showered me with concern. He kept hinting between the lines that Freddie was trying to set the two of us up.

I forced a smile, though my heart felt like it was being ripped apart.

For the past four years, Freddie had always kept a close watch on me.

Whenever a guy appeared around me, he would go out of his way to dig up every detail about him. He'd then lecture me, telling me not to date too early.

He knew Hugo liked me.

Back then, he had been completely against it. He'd even warned Hugo that I was still too young. If Hugo had any thoughts about me, they could forget about being friends.

Yet now, Freddie was the one pushing me toward Hugo.

The thought nearly brought me to tears again.

What was he so worried about? I wasn't going to cling to him.

Besides, I wouldn't even have the chance since I was dying.

While we were stopped at a red light, Hugo asked if I wanted to have dinner together.

The hopeful, slightly nervous look in his eyes reminded me of myself when I confessed to Freddie.

I turned him down without hesitation.

Perhaps it was my pale face or how weak my voice sounded, but Hugo only wore a disappointed smile without saying another word.

The traffic was heavy on the way back. It was already dark by the time I got home.

The house was quiet. Freddie wasn't back yet.

He probably wouldn't be back tonight either.

With a sigh, I walked into the hallway and sat down, staring blankly at the white camellia in the garden.

Freddie and I had planted this camellia tree together three years ago.

At that time, I had just watched a romance film.

In the movie, the leads planted a sycamore tree together. But I wanted to plant a camellia with Freddie instead.

I didn't really know why.

Maybe it was because the first time I saw him, the camellias in the park were in full bloom. He stood there in a white shirt, looking just like one of those flawless white petals.

When I brought this up, Freddie was a little surprised. However, he didn't ask any questions since he always doted on me.

We planted it on a warm morning. And along with it, a quiet longing had rooted in my heart.

A deafening clap of thunder yanked me back to reality.

I stared at the diagnosis slip that was now wrinkled from my tight grip. I was torn between telling Freddie and keeping it to myself.

At some point, I drifted off.

In a daze, I felt warmth embracing me. Someone sighed and gently lifted me up.

I forced my eyes open and met Freddie's cold, sharp gaze.

I didn't know if it was just my imagination. For a split second, I thought I saw deep sorrow in those dark eyes.

"Fred…" My voice was hoarse from being out in the wind all night.

Seeing that I was awake, Freddie threw me onto the couch without the slightest hint of sympathy.

He cut me off coldly. "Rosalie, do you really think this will make me feel sorry for you?"

My chest tightened. I lowered my eyes and smiled bitterly. "I just accidentally fell asleep."

His eyes grew colder.

"I made it very clear to you that day. We can only be siblings even if we're not related by blood! If you don't want me to hate you even more, then stop playing any tricks!"

Freddie's words cut through me like a knife, leaving my heart raw and bleeding.

I suddenly remembered the diagnosis slip crumpled in my hand. Gripping it tighter, I quickly tried to hide it behind me.

Freddie noticed my movement and frowned. "What are you hiding?"

"Nothing." I shook my head quickly.

Suspicion filled his eyes as he leaned down to grab my hand. However, his expression changed in the next second.

At the same time, I felt warmth trickling from my nose. I was having another nosebleed.

Freddie quickly grabbed tissues for me. Seeing that the blood wouldn't stop, he questioned what was happening while calling his private doctor.

I stopped him in a hurry. "It's nothing. I've just been too stressed. It'll stop in a bit."

He suddenly erupted in fury. "Rosalie, why are you being so dramatic?"

That one sentence made my heart freeze completely. Unconsciously, a self-mocking smile tugged at my lips.

I was indeed being dramatic, going so far as to hide my condition.

Perhaps realizing his tone was too harsh, Freddie irritably rubbed his brow.

When he spoke again, his tone had softened, as if trying to hold himself back. "Come with me to the doctor. A sudden nosebleed isn't something to take lightly."

His rare gentleness made my nose sting. My grip loosened slightly. "Fred, actually I…"

Just as I was about to tell him the truth, the front door swung open. Bianca walked in.

As if completely oblivious to the tension in the room, Bianca strode toward us and greeted me.

Freddie's eyes softened almost instantly the moment he saw her. "What are you doing here?"

"I missed you." She leaned into his arms naturally and pouted.

As she spoke, she glanced at me, her eyes glinting with triumph.

Freddie wrapped an arm around her slender waist and tapped her nose affectionately. "Once we move in together, we can see each other every day."

Bianca blushed as she pulled a wedding invitation from her purse. She handed it to me and asked, "Rosy, will you be my bridesmaid on our wedding day?"

I took the card and stared at the gold lettering. My heart ached terribly as if something had seared a hole right through my heart.

Just before I wanted to turn her down, Freddie beat me to it.

He shot me a look full of disdain. "Forget it. She's not the right fit."

I forced a smile. "He's right. I'm really not."

It wasn't exactly usual for the groom's sister to be the bridesmaid.

Bianca didn't press further. She simply let out an exaggerated gasp. "Oh dear, Rosy, your nose is still bleeding. Should I have Fred take you to the hospital?"

Before either of us could speak, she suddenly pouted again. "Though I guess he'd have to miss the lunch I prepared with love."

Instinctively, I looked at Freddie. His eyes lingered on me for only a brief moment before his voice turned cold. "She's old enough to go on her own."

For a second, I was speechless. Of course, nothing about me mattered anymore when Bianca was around.

"No, thanks." I lowered my eyes, fighting back tears as I covered my nose and walked out of the room in embarrassment.

Back in my room, I immediately took my special medication, which barely stopped the nose bleeding.

Just as I was hiding the pills and the diagnosis slip, the door swung open. Bianca strode in and looked at me with a mocking smile.

After glancing around the room, she said, "Once Freddie and I get married, I'm turning this place into storage."

I recalled all the cruel things she'd been saying to me in private. I couldn't hold back anymore and asked, "Why do you hate me so much?"

She scoffed. "Because you're shameless!"

Her answer didn't surprise me.

Bianca was sharp. It was no wonder she could tell I had feelings for Freddie.

"You don't have to act like this. I'm not trying to come between you two," I said.

To be honest, I'd given up the day Freddie got back together with her.

Even if it hurt so much that I could barely breathe, I'd still wish them happiness. Because over the years, Freddie had treated me well.

Whether as someone who loved him or as his sister, I wanted him to be happy.

Bianca suddenly laughed. "How is that even possible?"

I frowned. When I was just about to explain, Freddie suddenly walked in. The words stuck in my throat.

"What are you two talking about?" he asked.

At the same time, he eyed me warily, as if I might harm Bianca.

A bitter feeling rose in my chest. I didn't say a word.

Bianca suddenly grabbed my arm and smiled at him. "I was asking Rosy to help me with the lunch."

Freddie glanced at the two of us in confusion. But in the end, he didn't ask any questions.

Looking at Bianca's warning gaze, I didn't protest since I knew some things had to be made clear eventually.

I stood in the kitchen, slowly chopping vegetables.

Bianca shut the door behind her and suddenly hurled a wooden ladle at me with a sneer. "Do you really think you're here to cook?"

I winced in pain and frowned. "Just say whatever you want to say."

She didn't bother hiding her threat. "Fred and I are getting married. If you've got any shame left, pack up and get out. Stop clinging to him like a leech!"

I thought of what the doctor had told me and shook my head. "I'll leave on my own when the time comes."

What I was holding on to wasn't Freddie anymore. It was the camellia tree in the courtyard. Maybe I could finally leave in peace once it withered completely.

But to Bianca, my veiled words meant something else entirely. She glared at me viciously. "Don't think that just because your eyes look a little like mine, you can win him over. Fred is mine!"

My eyes indeed bore a slight resemblance to Bianca's.

I remember the first time we met, both of us had been stunned briefly.

A strange thought even rose in my heart, but Freddie quickly crushed it himself. "Bianca's prettier than you. How dare you compare yourself to her?"

Snapping out of the memory, I lowered my eyes and said nothing.

However, my silence only infuriated Bianca more. She suddenly lunged forward and slapped me hard across the face.

Her move was too aggressive, and she accidentally scraped her arm against the knife in my hand. A thin gash opened up, and blood began to spill.

Bianca froze for a second. She flashed a triumphant smile before bursting into tears.

Freddie rushed in at the sound of her crying. Seeing Bianca injured, he instantly panicked. "Bianca! What happened?"

Bianca immediately pointed the finger at me, crying dramatically. "I don't know what I said to upset Rosy, but she suddenly took a knife and cut my arm!"

I stared at her in disbelief and shook my head frantically. "No… That's not what happened! She was the one…"

Freddie seemed to completely miss the slap mark on my face. He didn't even care to listen to my explanation.

His gaze was like a blade of ice, piercing straight through me.

The next second, he raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face.

He coldly said, "Rosalie, you truly disappoint me."

I was stunned by the slap. I stumbled back several steps and hit my head hard against the cabinet. The pain was so sharp that it brought tears to my eyes.

At the same time, blood started to drip from my nose again.

The cancer was acting up again. The pain in my bone marrow suddenly intensified, almost suffocating me.

"Fred… Call the doctor…"

My vision began to darken. I felt like death was reaching for me. My survival instinct made me beg Freddie to call a doctor for me.

However, he didn't even spare me a glance. He just took Bianca and quickly walked out of the kitchen.

Staring at his cold, retreating figure, I suddenly let out a silent laugh. Tears kept streaming down my face.

It hurt so bad.

I wished that once I closed my eyes, I would never have to open them again.