Chapter 3

I was alone in the room again.

I opened my phone and scrolled through Instagram. A few posts down, I saw one from Lily, Kayden's cousin.

It was a group photo at Disneyland. It featured Lily, her boyfriend, Kayden, and Cherry.

Cherry was wearing Minnie Mouse ears, beaming at the camera, leaning her body naturally against Kayden. Kayden was holding two ice cream cones, looking at her with pure tenderness.

The caption read: "Double date weekend! Big bro and sis-in-law treating us!"

Sis-in-law.

Lily used to reserve that title exclusively for me. Now, it belonged to someone else.

I tapped the photo, zoomed in on Kayden's face. This was the man I had loved for five years. Now, his love belonged to someone else.

I calmly closed Instagram. I opened my contacts and searched for Kayden's name.

His contact name used to be "Hubby ❤️".

I deleted the heart. I deleted "Hubby." I changed it to "Kayden."

Clean and simple, without a single trace of emotion left.

At three in the afternoon, Kayden showed up.

This time, he didn't bring coffee. He brought a bouquet of lilies and a box of pre-cut fruit.

"Summer, how are you feeling today?"

He put the flowers in the bedside vase and pulled up a chair.

"Much better," I said flatly.

He poked a piece of apple with a toothpick and held it to my mouth.

"Have some fruit. I went to the organic market specifically to get the ones you like."

I didn't lean in.

"I don't want any."

His hand froze, and he put the apple back in the box.

"Summer, are you still mad about yesterday? I really just got confused. Cherry is all alone in this city, and it’s not easy for her. As her senior colleague, it's only right that I look out for her."

"Yes, it is," I said, looking at him. "So to look out for her, you can abandon me while I'm trying on our wedding dress."

Kayden’s face darkened.

"It wasn't intentional! The burst pipe was an emergency. I couldn't just leave her to drown, could I?"

"And me?" I looked into his eyes. "I fainted in the bridal shop. Does that not count as an emergency?"

Kayden ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated.

"But you’re fine now, aren’t you? The doctor said it was just exhaustion. Summer, you never used to be this unreasonable."

Unreasonable.

So, me fighting for my life on a hospital bed was just "unreasonable" to him.

His phone buzzed.

Kayden glanced at it, and the tension in his face instantly melted, a faint smile playing on his lips. He quickly typed a reply, then flipped the phone face down on his lap.

"Summer, something came up at the office. I have to run back. I’ll see you tomorrow."

"Kayden," I called out.

He stopped at the door and turned around.

"Next Wednesday is my pre-surgery risk assessment. I need a family member to sign the consent forms."

Kayden blinked, then nodded quickly.

"Right, I got it. I'll definitely be here next Wednesday."

He left. His steps were hurried, like he was rushing to a date he had been anticipating all day.

I looked at the lilies on the table. I hated lilies. Their scent was too heavy and always made my chest feel congested. But he never remembered.

When Dr. Ethan came in for his rounds, he frowned at the flowers.

"Take these out and throw them away," he told the nurse behind him. "For heart patients, strong scents and pollen are major triggers."

The nurse quickly gathered the bouquet and walked out.

Dr. Ethan walked to my bedside and looked down at me.

"Did he send those?"

"Yes."

"Does he not know anything about your condition?"

"Probably not." I forced a smile. "He's a very busy man."

Dr. Ethan stared at me for a long moment, asking no further questions.

"Rest well. For next Wednesday's assessment, have your mother come."

I was taken aback.

"Why?"

"Because," Dr. Ethan’s voice was cold and firm, "I don't need a medical proxy who can’t even remember your basic allergies deciding whether you live or die."