Madison didn't know how to reply to me, and tears began streaming down her face. Seeing her cry made my chest ache, but I still turned away and left without looking back.

I hailed a cab. As soon as I got in, I coughed up a mouthful of blood before I could even speak. The driver was startled and insisted on taking me to the hospital.

I didn't refuse. I slumped in the backseat and opened my phone. Lucas had posted a photo of himself with Rosalie and Madison on Instagram. The caption read, "Happy birthday, Mom."

I let out a scornful laugh. Lucas really couldn't wait and was already calling Rosalie "Mom".

Just then, Lucas suddenly sent me several selfies he had taken with Madison over the past few days. In the photos, the two of them leaned close together, smiling brightly at the camera.

"Cassian, a sick man like you who could drop dead any day, should stop clinging to Madison. She likes someone like me, and I'm the only one who can make her happy," he said.

I didn't respond to his provocation.

…

While I waited for my test results at the hospital, my attending physician, Owen Kensington, rushed over, his expression grim. He had been a year below me in high school. "You finally decided to come in for a checkup. I've urged you so many times."

Noticing how unwell I looked, his tone softened slightly, though he still let out a heavy sigh. "Cassian, you need to get the surgery as soon as possible. The longer you delay, the faster you're burning through your life."

I gave a bitter smile and said bluntly, "I don't have enough money."

Owen froze for a moment. After all, everyone had seen me as wealthy back in school. He believed that no matter how badly I was doing, I should still be able to afford the surgery.

"What kind of life have you been living all these years? I have some savings, and I can cover part of it for now. We can figure out the rest later. Right now, saving your life is what matters most."

When he saw I was about to refuse, he cut me off. "Where is your girlfriend? Last time you were in treatment, she cried her eyes out and said she'd spend whatever it took to save you. Why has she disappeared now?"

He just had to rub salt in my wounds. I had never been this pathetic. It was as if all my dignity had been crushed and ground into the dirt.

Seeing me hesitate to answer, Owen could guess more or less what was going on. "Cassian, don't lose hope. Medical treatments are becoming more advanced. As long as you don't give up, things can turn around."

After hearing his words, I nodded firmly. He called over an intern named Emilia Bennett. "Emmy, please take extra care of this patient. I'm going to talk to the director about getting him a specialist consultation."

After chatting with Emilia, I learned that she had also attended my high school, a few years behind me.

Emilia was a cheerful young woman. Seeing my constantly gloomy expression, she would stop by now and then to chat and try to lift my spirits.

During that period, I blocked Madison entirely. She vanished from my life as though she had never been part of it.

Not long after, Emilia brought me good news. My condition was classified as a rare disease, and her supervisor happened to be a specialist in that area. They wanted me to go abroad for a more structured treatment program, which would also provide them with a real clinical case for their research.

Most importantly, my medical expenses would be fully covered.

I agreed without a second thought. If I could recover, that would be ideal. Even if the treatment failed, at least contributing to medical research would mean my life had counted for something.

Owen asked if I needed to contact my family, and I shook my head. My parents died in a car accident years ago. I had once considered Madison my family, but that was no longer the case.

Just as I was about to board the plane to leave for my treatment, an unknown number called me.