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I blinked,confused.
"You always used your dad's position to pressure people in school.Still no improvement."
"You think I called Dad here?"
He scoffed."Who else?You staged this today to drive Olivia away,didn't you?Too bad I'm not that naive student anymore."
I never knew he saw our school days through my father's influence.
Was that how he always viewed me?
I stammered,"I didn't."
"I'll send new papers.We should've ended this a long time ago."
Alone in the empty ward,my cancer flared,every bone was aching.I curled up tight on the bed,everything fading to nothing.
I didn't expect him to send Olivia with the new papers.
It was my second time seeing her.She seemed in high spirits,her smile more genuine.
"You're smarter than I thought,"she said."I should've come to see you sooner."
I sneered,"Not that you didn't want to,but you couldn't,right?"
I pointed to her necklace."I bet you tried before you got that."
Her face twitched,then smoothed again."So what?I'm the one who won."
I signed the papers stroke by stroke,tossing them to the floor."It's just trash.If you like it,pick it up."
Her expression soured for a moment.She crouched,grabbed the papers,snorted,and left.
Ending things with Ethan wasn't as painful as I had feared.It felt more like a relief.
Cancer patients shouldn't have emotional swings,and with my condition worsening every day, I should try to remain calm for my own sake.
I was too weak to leave the ward.My daily"outing"was sitting by the window,watching the world outside.
One day,unexpected visitors arrived.
"Stella,why didn't you tell us you were sick?"
"We thought you were off on vacation,finally living a life!"
Seeing familiar faces, I felt like a lifetime had passed.
"You..."My voice was hoarse from disuse.I coughed."How'd you know I was here?"
They exchanged glances.Finally,someone said,"The director's hospitalized."
"What?"
I was in the hospital myself, and I didn't even know my father was here too?
"How?"
"Well,it's about your divorce.We didn't even know you were married,and now you're divorced?"
"The director's getting old.Ethan announced his engagement to Olivia right after the divorce.The director had a heart attack from the stress."
I didn't know for a moment whether or not to be angry at Ethan's for rushing things.
I was wheeled to my father's ward,which was crowded with people.
Before I entered,I heard him cursing,his voice weak.
"Where's that bastard Ethan?Divorcing behind my back!Thinks he's someone now!"
I called softly,"Dad."
He glared."What did I tell you?Has he even been to the hospital lately?Where is he?"
"Director,calm down.The paper review's tomorrow.He's swamped."
"Good,good,good,"my father said,his face grim."We're all just stepping stones for him."
His breathing grew ragged,his face contorted.Chaos erupted,and he was rushed to the ER.
I waited outside,my stomach cramping.
No one apart from me knew what he meant.
