Chapter 2
684words
As I stared at the empty hospital room, tears began to well up in my eyes.
Meanwhile, my parents were outside, humbly pleading with relatives to lend them money to save my life.
I knew that from that day on, everyone would learn that my girlfriend had abandoned me in the hospital for her childhood sweetheart.
But what did it matter? I had to survive first before worrying about any of the gossip.
Just then, my phone rang. It was Eleanor calling. She had finally remembered me, her so-called boyfriend.
I hung up immediately. With the surgery approaching, I didn't want to hear her voice or any explanations from her. All I wanted was to focus on surviving the surgery.
However, soon after, I received a livestream link from Joseph.
In the livestream, Joseph was getting out of the car. He grabbed Eleanor's hand as they ran toward the nearby aurora.
Under the aurora, the snow-white glaciers stretched out, making the ground look like it was paved with diamonds. It was shimmering in every imaginable color. The two of them stood beneath the aurora, looking like a couple blessed by the heavens and destined for a lifetime of happiness.
As I scrolled through the livestream comments, I saw Eleanor's parents and friends. They all sent blessings. It was as if I didn't even exist.
I looked up to see my parents crouched by the door, making one call after another. They humbly begged relatives to lend them money for my treatment, promising to repay it on time.
At that sight, tears slipped from my eyes and fell onto the hospital bed. I had made the wrong choice, and now my parents were caught up in it too.
Just as I sank into sadness, a nurse came to notify me that it was time for surgery.
Before entering the operating room, my parents held my hands, forcing a small smile as they looked at me. "Victor, don't be afraid. We'll be right outside waiting for you."
I reached out, wanting to touch their faces, but the nurse pushed me straight into the cold operating room.
The surgery felt long and agonizing for them, but for me, it passed in the blink of an eye. When I regained consciousness, the first faces I saw were my parents'. They were beaming with smiles.
They held my hands and told me that the surgery had gone perfectly. The tumor had been completely removed, and since it was very small, I wouldn't even need chemotherapy or radiation afterward. I would only need proper rest.
I nodded excitedly, diligently following the doctor's instructions for my treatment.
On the day I was discharged, I saw Eleanor again. By then, Eleanor had returned to her usual appearance, though the fatigue on her face was impossible to hide.
Yet she still insisted on coming up to me. She said apologetically, "Victor, don't worry. I'll make it up to you. How about we book a hotel once you're discharged?"
I merely glanced at her with a blank expression. I rejected her outright. "No need. Using someone else's money without their permission is considered theft under the law. I suggest you return the money as soon as possible, or I'll call the police."
Eleanor looked at me with a hint of impatience. Her brows were drawn together. "Victor, don't say things like that out of anger. You know that this was Joe's birthday wish."
I scoffed. I didn't argue with her like I used to. Instead, I said indifferently, "Whatever. I'll come get my things in a few days. You'd better return my money as soon as possible."
As soon as I finished speaking, I walked past her and headed toward my parents standing nearby.
Mom watched me with concern. When she saw me walking out, she quickly draped a coat over my shoulders and said worriedly, "Be careful."
I nodded and went home with my parents.
