The scar on my chest started to ache again, and even breathing felt difficult.

The doctor had warned me before that emotional stress could trigger rejection in my transplanted heart.

I quickly swallowed my pills and leaned on the couch, drenched in cold sweat.

The whole house seemed to echo my uneven breathing, and my tears spilled again.

I remembered three years ago, right after the proposal in Glaciera, I came down with a high fever the next day.

Ashton stayed up all night by my side, clumsily making soup and carefully blowing on each spoonful to cool it before feeding me.

He had said, "Laura, from now on, I'm putting you first for every single minute of every day."

When he said it, his eyes were full of me. I had gotten shy and hid under the blanket, refusing to come out.

I thought back even further, to when we first met at a famous overseas cathedral that tourists often checked off their lists.

White doves scattered into the sky, and he walked straight into my camera frame.

The medication finally kicked in, and my heartbeat slowed a little.

Just as sleep started to pull me under, my phone vibrated and woke me up.

It was a message from Ashton. "Laura, my buddy just got dumped. I need to go drink with him tonight. I won't be home. You should go to bed early."

He didn't even bother to come up with a new excuse.

Last week it was a work dinner. The week before that, something about his parents.

I stared at the screen. My chest was tightening like something had grabbed hold of my heart.

At 1:00 am, the pain kept me awake.

Then, a video came from Mariah. The frame was shaky, and the bar lights dim and hazy.

Ashton was slumped in a booth, drunk and half-conscious. The camera was aimed at him.

Mariah's voice came from behind the lens. "Ashton, didn't you just say Laura is too good to you? So good it's suffocating you?"

His face was flushed, and he slurred something incomprehensible.

However, Mariah kept talking. "Actually, Laura just loves you too much. That's why she uses her life to hold on to you, Ashton. Don't be upset."

The moment she finished, the people around them burst into crude, ear-grating discussion.

"Damn, didn't expect that. She always seemed generous. Turns out she's pretty cunning."

"Using half of her life to trap someone forever? That's terrifying."

"Poor Ashton. He's been guilt-tripped for so long…"

"Yeah, poor guy."

"That kind of debt is the worst kind."

Ashton only waved a hand weakly and mumbled, "Don't say that."

He didn't say a single word in my defense.

The video cut off there.

A sharp pain tore through my chest, almost knocking me unconscious.

I bit down on my lip until it bled. The sharp sting forced a momentary flicker of clarity through the haze as I struggled to dial 911.

By the time I was discharged from the emergency room, it was already the following afternoon.

I walked out of the hospital alone, holding my medical file. I felt completely drained.

As I passed through the city center, I saw Ashton and Mariah walking out of a hotel.

Mariah's arm was naturally looped through his. Ashton looked down at her with a gentle ease I hadn't seen in a long time.

They walked straight toward a nearby cinema, like any ordinary couple.

I stood there watching until they disappeared from view.

I didn't even know how I made it back home.

The moment I pushed the door open, Ashton was sitting on the couch.

He frowned as soon as he saw me. "Where were you last night? You didn't answer my calls."

My voice came out hoarse. "Hospital. Emergency treatment."

He froze for a second, then looked slightly uneasy. "What happened? You're sick again?"

I said calmly, "I saw Mariah's video."

His tone immediately turned impatient. "What now? Mariah just speaks her mind. She meant no harm. Those people didn't know the situation anyway. Why are you making a big deal out of it?"

"She said I'm using my life to hold on to you. That's 'no harm'?"

"Then, what do you want me to do?"

He suddenly snapped, "Beat everyone up? Laura Jordan, can you grow up? She was just worried about me!"

"Worried about what?" I asked.

"Worried… Worried that I'm under too much pressure!" His face had turned red.

Silence stretched between us.

I forced myself to stay steady even as my chest clenched in pain. "Ashton, so I gave you half of my heart just so you can join the rest of them in mocking me for guilt-tripping?"

He froze. Panic flashed across his eyes. "That's not what I meant—"

"Then, what did you mean?"

My voice cracked as tears came again. "Are Mariah's tears innocent, while mine are just a way to force your hand?"

He exploded. "There you go again! Always the same story! Yes, you're noble! You saved me! So what, I'm supposed to worship you for the rest of my life? Am I not allowed to have any feelings of my own?"

He pointed at me, and his gaze was full of undisguised exhaustion and disgust.

Then, he slammed the door and left.

Ten minutes later, Mariah posted a photo of her and Ashton playing games in her living room with the caption, "With me, Ashton is always free!"

He liked it immediately.

I gazed at that profile. This was the man I had once loved for half of my life.

Yet, to him, my love and sacrifice had long turned into the burden he most wanted to escape.

Ashton thought I was giving him the silent treatment and left me alone for two days.

However, when he finally noticed how unusually quiet I had become, he even came home for dinner for once. Acting casual, he said, "By the way, for the wedding, I checked a few hotel options. They look pretty grand."

I kept eating without responding.

Ashton looked awkward and cleared his throat. "I mean, holding it here in Stroana is actually easier, right?"

I put down my cutlery. "What are you trying to say?"

He froze, a little embarrassed. "Nothing. Just chatting."

The air turned stiff. Suddenly, I asked, "Ashton, do you remember the gear list we made for Glaciera? Time really flies. We'll be needing it soon."

His gaze flickered, then he forced a smile. "Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden? Laura, those places are too far. It'll be too much for your body. Why don't we just do it at a top hotel in the city? Easy, and still impressive."

Ashton quickly pulled out his phone. "Look at the plan Mariah made. A star-lit ceiling, walls of fresh flowers—"

I glanced at it. That overly flashy, extravagant style had nothing to do with what I liked.

I cut him off. "Fine. You decide. I'm fine with anything."

Ashton froze. He was clearly not used to me agreeing so easily. Then, he quickly became cheerful. "Finally, you've come around!"

He was visibly happier after that. He even offered to go wedding dress shopping with me.

At the bridal boutique, I had just stepped out in a strapless gown when the curtain was suddenly pulled open.

Mariah rushed in, holding a tablet, excitedly leaning toward Ashton. "Ashton, the redesigned main gown is here! Laura will love it!"

She picked up an overly dramatic jeweled crown. "Look at this, Laura! Ashton and I picked it instantly. It really suits your noble vibe."

Ashton didn't even find it odd. "Mariah has really good taste."

Mariah then pulled out a gemstone necklace and handed it to him. "Ashton, go ahead and put it on Laura. You picked this one yourself!"

He took it and awkwardly tried to fasten it around my neck.

I had actually seen that exact necklace on Mariah's Instagram just last week. She had been wearing it herself.

The consultant hesitated. "That piece is meant for deep V-neck gowns. The strapless one Mrs. Fraser chose might not—"

"Change it," Ashton said flatly. "Just do as Mariah says."

The consultant looked at me, unsure. Only then did he remember to ask, "Do you like it?"

"No need."

All three of them froze.

I looked at Ashton and said calmly, "I'm allergic to that kind of alloy. Don't you remember? Two years ago, on my birthday, you gave me something similar. I wore it for three days, and my neck broke out in a rash. You were the one who noticed and took me to the hospital."

I turned my gaze to Mariah. Her face went pale.

"Looks like you didn't tell her."

Ashton stood there holding the necklace, frozen. His expression darkened.

Mariah's eyes turned red instantly as she grabbed his sleeve. "Ashton, I didn't mean to…"

Ashton immediately pulled her behind him. Then, he snapped at me. "Can you stop being so passive-aggressive? Mariah's been running around, doing everything for you! It's just a necklace. If you don't like it, just forget it. Why say such a mood-killing thing? Can't you be a little more understanding?"

I watched him protect another woman so instinctively and found it almost ridiculous.

"Ashton, you have a lot of demands for me whenever you want me to be understanding."

That hit a nerve. He shoved my hand away. "Yes! I'm sick of this attitude of yours!"

Mariah wrapped her arm around his, leaning in softly. "Ashton, don't…"

He let out a cold laugh, then raised his voice. "Stay out of this! I've had enough! It's because you're always nitpicking, getting paranoid, and making a big deal out of nothing that your heart has become this fragile.

"Now you're struggling for breath every other minute. Who else is there to blame but yourself? You always have an excuse! Isn't it just because I owe you half of your life?"

The boutique fell completely silent. The consultant quickly looked away and pretended to be busy.

My heart sank.

So in Ashton's eyes, the life I had risked everything to give him was just a weapon I used to guilt him.

And I had actually been pathetic enough to still believe he would remember that world-tour wedding-trip promise.

I looked at his face, which was twisted in anger, and suddenly remembered when I first got my heart transplant.

He used to wake up at night, always reaching out to check if I was still breathing.

His hands shook back then. His eyes were full of fear.

It turned out that fear and resentment had always been separated by the thinnest line.

I didn't say another word. I just looked at them quietly, then turned and walked away.

That night, I stood alone on the balcony, staring up at the night sky.

On my phone, a local livestream popped up through the algorithm. The hosts were Mariah and Ashton.

Mariah faced the camera with tearful eyes, smiling through her tears. "Ashton always brings me here. He says sweets make everything better when you're feeling down."

Then, she changed tone. "Such a great guy is about to get married, but his fiancee just doesn't know how to appreciate him. She keeps making a fuss over small things and throwing tantrums in front of his friends. It's really hard for Ashton to be stuck in the middle."

The camera shifted slightly. Ashton was sitting right beside her.

He took a tissue and gently wiped her tears. Then, he scooped up a piece of cake and naturally fed it to her.

Mariah blushed as she ate it, and he looked at her with tenderness in his eyes.

"Stop overthinking."

His voice came through the mic a little muffled, but every word still landed straight in my chest.

"Even after I get married, I'll always be your knight."

My stomach twisted violently. I opened the comment section, and thankfully, not everyone was blind.

"What did the fiancee even do to deserve this? This is disgusting."

"That fiancee is honestly pitiful. I can smell the manipulation of this woman through the screen."

"I'm literally gagging. Please, just stay together forever so you don't go out and ruin anyone else's life!"

"The guy's not innocent either. About to get married and still doing this? Knight? Seriously?"

Ashton actually jumped into the fray himself. His reply came in fast and aggressive.

"Shut the hell up! Mariah and I grew up together. Of course, she cares about me.

"You people know nothing. My fiancee is always in a bad mood. I can't say anything, and I can't criticize her. The moment I do, her heart acts up. She's so fragile that it's exhausting.

"We're about to get married, and she's still so immature. She's always making a big deal out of nothing."

Every word felt like a blade.

My heart felt as if it had been pierced through. The pain dulled into a cold numbness, and suddenly I coughed up blood.

Not a single tear fell. I calmly dialed 911.

The ambulance arrived quickly. I lay on the stretcher, feeling my life slowly slipping away.

Flashes of memories passed before my eyes.

Ashton had kneeled under the aurora, promising to love me for a lifetime.

He had forgotten our anniversary, but he spent the whole night with Mariah at a concert.

I had been at the hospital alone, hooked up to an IV with a high fever until the early hours of the morning. When his call finally came, he complained that I'd forgotten to iron that white shirt Mariah gave him.

While I was hospitalized, he was skiing in Lucerra with Mariah. Her laughter echoed in the background of the video as she said, "Ashton, look! The snow here is beautiful!"

Every time I needed Ashton, he was somewhere else, playing the devoted attendant to Mariah, while leaving me with nothing but his cold indifference.

He always said he was busy, yet he always had time for Mariah.

Every movie he promised and every trip he swore we would take always got replaced by one of her calls.

Promises turned into obligations, and love turned into pressure. The half of my heart I gave him became a chain he both flaunted and resented.

Blood rose in my throat as I coughed until my whole body shook.

I was tired. I was so tired.

They were still live-streaming. Mariah wore a sweet smile as she brought a spoonful of cake to Ashton's lips affectionately.

He accepted it, looking at her with a warmth I hadn't seen in a long time.

How disgusting.

Before the darkness swallowed me completely, my phone screen flickered once, then died.

When I woke up again, it was several days later. My phone was flooded with over a dozen messages from Ashton.

"Laura, I was wrong. I'm sorry. Stop this, okay?

"We're getting married soon. Can you be a little more reasonable? Stop making things so hard for me."

He sounded drunk in some of them. He was slurring nonsense.

"Can't you… just understand me once?"

I listened but I felt nothing.

He wanted understanding. Fine, I would give it to him.