15
In the days that followed, Amy was taken
away. The Su family asked to break off the
engagement.
In the hospital room, I could see people who
used to treat me like garbage fawning over
me, caring for me.
“Ashley, Mom and Dad redecorated your
room. We used your favorite style.”
They showed me pictures.
I didn’t tell them that it was Amy’s favorite
style, not mine.
Jake took care of everything, bringing me tea
and water, keeping watch at night, always
talking about things from when we were little.
He started crying as he spoke.
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry, Ashley. I was a
coward. I don’t deserve to be your brother.”
I still didn’t say anything.
I was too tired. Childhood felt like a past life.
The short, happy life I’d had was like a dream.
Ryan was even stranger. He hung around
outside my room every day. When I got up to
go to the bathroom at night, I’d always catch
his eye.
One time, when Jake went downstairs to get
food, Ryan sat next to me.
He suddenly spoke, startling me. His voice
was hoarse. “Ashley… is there any chance for
118211
L
us?”
He didn’t look at me. He was ‘tracing the edge
of the bed with his finger.
That was what he always did when he was
nervous.
When I didn’t respond, he started talking to
himself.
He cursed himself for being blind, for letting
Amy deceive him when he’d had feelings for
me all along.
He asked if it had hurt when my leg was
broken.
<
He said he wished he could have taken my
place, to lessen the pain.
He even pulled out all his documents, saying
he wanted to take care of me for the rest of
his life, to make up for everything, and to
marry me.
I shifted my stiff body.
The doctor said I didn’t have much time left.
My stomach had been damaged, the cancer
had spread everywhere.
But that pain was nothing compared to the
torture of those six years.
く
I was numb.
I didn’t want to live. I couldn’t feel any
emotions. I didn’t know what I was waiting
for.
I just wanted to sit there, watching the leaves fall from the trees outside the window.
But there were always voices bothering me.
I didn’t like it, so I ignored them!
On the last night, I felt full of energy. It was like my brain was overexcited. I could
remember everything that had ever happened
to me!
It was amazing.
Was I better?
Then they all came. They looked at me with
sad eyes.
They didn’t care that Smith Enterprises stock
was plummeting, that the company was in
danger.
Ryan gave up his inheritance and announced
to the world that he would never marry.
And Jake was sick. The doctors kept coming
to my room to try to convince him to get
treatment, but he wouldn’t leave.
They told me to hold on.
I smiled. “I held on for six years. No one’s
worth me holding on any longer.”
They cried. Dad slapped himself. Jake knelt
and begged me not to go.
Mom threw herself on my bed, sobbing. Ryan,
whom I had thought he was the calm and
collected type, grabbed my hand, begging me
to stay.
My vision blurred.
I hoped that there would be no next life.
(The End)
