Iris stood up straight, glaring at me while pinching the flesh on my arm. "How dare you talk nonsense! If my son needs a stomach, I'll be the first to take yours."

I was no longer the weak and submissive person I had been in my previous life. As soon as she touched me, I squatted down and covered my head, shouting, "Mom, I'm sorry, please don't hit me."

Passersby, doctors, and patients all looked in, and only then did Iris awkwardly let go of me, forcing a smile. "I usually treat her very well."

The surrounding people gave knowing looks.

She had no choice but to turn and comfort Nathan, "My dear, you're fine. She is the one with late-stage stomach cancer."

It took a long time for Nathan to calm down.

I pretended to take a few days off from work.

In the following days, Nathan didn't ask about his condition and continued to follow the doctor's treatment plan.

Every day, he endured endless blood draws, medications, injections, quit smoking and drinking, and ate a bland diet.

By the seventh day, Nathan couldn't take it anymore.

As I was about to finish work, he asked me to bring him some cigarettes and alcohol.

In my previous life, when he was hospitalized and craved cigarettes and alcohol, he would sneak out to buy them.

When I found out and tried to stop him, he beat me publicly until I vomited blood.

Iris found out and blamed me for mistreating her son, saying, "What's wrong with drinking a little? A man who doesn't smoke or drink isn't a real man."

Thinking of this, I bought five bottles of the best liquor Nathan wouldn't splurge on and two packs of high-strength cigarettes, secretly bringing them to the hospital room.

Seeing the cigarettes and alcohol, Nathan perked up. After sneaking into the bathroom to smoke a pack, his appetite seemed to return.

He asked me to buy some spicy and sour appetizers and pig's head meat. He drank and ate happily.

While Nathan was eating, Iris came in with a lunch box along with the nurse on duty.

The nurse smelled the smoke and alcohol and scolded him loudly, "You're sick, and you're still smoking and drinking? Do you have a death wish?"

After the nurse left, Iris went up to comfort him and said, "Just bear with it for now. Once you're discharged, you can eat whatever you want."

Then she turned to me and said, "Are you dead? How could you let him smoke and drink? Are you trying to kill him?"

If it were in the past, I would have kept quiet to avoid making Nathan uncomfortable, but now, I just wanted to annoy her.

"Mom, didn't you teach me that I should obey my husband? I'm just following Nathan's words and not disobeying him."

Iris was at a loss for words, instantly silenced.

Then she waved her hand, signaling me to quickly remove the cigarettes, alcohol, and greasy food, and set up the nutritious meal she had prepared.

A bowl of oatmeal and a few light dishes.

Iris picked up a spoon to feed him.

Nathan suddenly swept the food off the tray onto the floor, shouting hysterically, "I'm sick of eating this food every day. I'm dying. Why can't I eat something good?"

Iris was so shocked that she slapped me. "Huh, what bad things did you say to him?"

Nathan started refusing to cooperate with the treatment.

After five years of marriage, although he didn't say it, I knew the words "late-stage stomach cancer" were deeply imprinted in his mind.

In my previous life, I had quit my job early to take care of him, going to great lengths to hide his condition and find ways to ensure he received proper treatment. In this life, I used financial pressure as an excuse to keep working.

While taking care of him in the hospital, I liked to walk around and often gossiped about cancer death cases I overheard.

When Iris asked him to take his medicine and get an IV, he threw a water cup at her, bruising her hand.

Iris, who had once retained her charm, quickly aged after a few sleepless nights at the hospital.

Meanwhile, my mood improved, and I even started to look younger.

At 9.00 pm, I was about to go home when Iris stopped me, insisting that I stay the night.

I thought it wasn't the right time to confront her, so I endured it.

The next day, just before work, I suddenly received a call from my manager telling me I didn't need to come in anymore.

I was momentarily stunned, gripping my phone tightly, trembling as I asked.

"Mr. Perez, I work hard and haven't made any mistakes. Why are you firing me?"

Moreover, I really needed this job.

Two years ago, my mom had a sudden cerebral hemorrhage and fell into a coma.

Iris and Nathan both advised me to give up on her treatment.

But my mom raised me alone and never had a day of happiness. I couldn't accept that.

They threatened me, saying I couldn't use their money.

Helpless, I used most of my monthly salary to transfer my mom to a cheaper nursing home, hoping she would wake up one day.

The manager sighed, "Your mother-in-law said your husband has cancer and you need to resign to take care of him. If we didn't approve, she would make a scene at the company. The boss found out and immediately agreed."

I instantly became furious.

So, her son's life is important?

After hanging up the phone, Iris walked in and nonchalantly ordered me to persuade Nathan to take his medication.

I didn't move, just stared at her.

She didn't feel guilty at all. Instead, she snapped at me.

"What are you looking at? It's you, this jinx, who harmed my son like this. If he's not well, you don't think about leaving."

Fine, since you want me to take care of him so much, I'll take good care of him.

Send him to his grave even faster.

Seeing my cooperative attitude, Iris dragged me to the doctor's office to ask if there were better treatment options.

The doctor said the patient's mood needed to improve and that the will to live greatly impacts recovery.

Iris, as if enlightened, called a girl named Zoey.

When Nathan and I had a simple wedding, I knew he had an ex-girlfriend named Zoey who left him because his family was poor. I didn't care at the time.

Three years after our marriage, his family unexpectedly received 20 million in compensation for a relocation, and gradually, his attitude towards me grew cold.

In my previous life, after Nathan recovered, he was desperate to divorce me and marry his true love, Zoey.

Unexpectedly, they had already been seeing each other for a while.

A beautiful, long-legged woman with brown hair appeared in the ward, and Iris enthusiastically greeted her.

I laughed sarcastically.

Nathan and I had been married for five years. To maintain family harmony, I took the initiative to buy clothes and jewelry for Iris, cared for her health, and even paid for her to travel abroad, but she never gave me a kind look.

When I returned home, there were no slippers for me, and even for the reunion dinner, she told me to order takeout for myself.

I thought she was naturally cold, feeling I had taken her son away, and held animosity towards me.

Now I realized, some people just hate you no matter what you do, without any reason.

Nathan's face lit up with joy upon seeing Zoey, and the dullness in his eyes brightened.

Iris pulled me out, letting them have a good chat.

I found it funny. I was his wife, yet now I was treated like an outsider.