The airport was bustling and crowded. Some were hugging and crying, while others were in a rush.
From a hundred meters away, I could still clearly see my fiancé, Spencer Horne, holding another girl's hand. He looked doted on her.
The girl looked delicate as she clung to Spencer.
Spencer had always been calm and composed, never revealing his emotions. He never allowed me to act like this.
"I think... I may have mistaken others for him."
"Spencer loves me very much. It can't be him!"
"I am in a daze today. I must have been hallucinating!"
I went to the hospital this morning and ended up being diagnosed with advanced liver cancer. According to the doctor, the cancer cells had spread...
On the brink of life and death, I, who was frightened, might be mentally dazed.
But I heard him calling me, "Ava."
Ava, once an affectionate nickname for me, was a deadly weapon to me now.
Spencer and I were neighbors and childhood sweethearts.
I was an orphan adopted by my grandfather.
His mother abandoned him after his father's death.
When we were young, I didn't like him. I always felt he was a bit gloomy.
One day, I saw him surrounded by a group of kids.
They shouted, "A wild child abandoned by your mother."
Spencer silently endured it without crying or making a fuss. He was so quiet as if he didn't exist.
Overwhelmed with a sense of justice, I swung my school bag and charged into the crowd of kids.
Later, Spencer and I sat in the yard of my house, eating sandwiches.
As usual, he didn't say a word. I wanted to tease him.
"Spencer, if you always act like a boring person, you won't be able to find a wife when you grow up."
Spencer's ears turned red in an instant. He said, "You're so fierce. You can't get married."
I grinned at him and threatened him, saying, "If I can't get married, I'll marry you!"
Spencer continued to eat the sandwich in a daze. After a long time, he said, "When I grow up, I'll marry you!"
Before I could say anything, my grandpa burst into laughter. I laughed along with him.
Spencer looked up at us, his eyes shining.
The way he looked as innocent and helpless as a child had been ingrained in my mind for fourteen years. He had been on my mind from the first time we met until now.
Spencer said, "The airport is not the place to talk. Let's talk at home."
I, who had always been well-behaved, quietly went back home with him.
Spencer held the girl's hand and told me that her name was Kate Shawn!
When Spencer was abroad, he suddenly had acute appendicitis.
Fearing that I would be worried about him, he didn't tell me. After all, we were so far apart.
Kate was a nurse. Knowing that Spencer had no one to take care of him, she took great care of him.
They, who were both strangers in a foreign land, naturally had feelings for each other over time.
According to Spencer, it was precisely because he now had special feelings for Kate that he finally understood that the relationship between me and him was not related to love.
Unexpectedly, I didn't know how to retort.
"When it comes to love and relationships, love no longer holds once one side denies it."
Spencer said that I would be his sister for a lifetime and that he would always keep me in his mind.
I wanted to cry. I wanted to make a fuss... but in the end, I nodded and smiled.
The pain in my abdomen reminded me constantly that my days were numbered.
However, Spencer looked somewhat subtle.
Using not feeling well as an excuse, I ended the conversation.
Spencer stood up nervously and supported me, asking repeatedly, "What's wrong with you?"
Kate came over and pushed him away.
"Spencer, it is quite a common thing for women. Let me take care of her!"
The smell of powder on Kate disgusted me, but I didn't want Spencer to notice anything.
I had no choice but to endure it and act obediently as Kate supported me in the room.
As soon as the door closed behind me, Kate let go of my hand.
"I didn't know what an angelic bitch looked like before, but I finally saw a vivid example today."
Chapter 2 Whose Wedding House Is It?"Didn't you hear what Spencer said just now? He doesn't love you anymore. What's the use of pretending to be pitiful and seeking his sympathy?"
"I advise you to be sensible. If you keep pestering him, you will only embarrass yourself in the end."
I was so scared that I broke out in a cold sweat, but her words made me laugh.
"You say I'm an angelic bitch? Then what about you? A righteous mistress? Or a despicable person in power?"
Kate was so angry that her voice became much louder.
"The one who is not loved is the mistress!"
I didn't have the energy to argue with her. I said, "Go out. Given your distorted values, arguing with you will only lower my dignity."
Kate slammed the door and left.
I forced myself to reach for the painkiller from the bedside table and swallowed it. Then, I waited quietly for the pain to ease.
I could hear Spencer gently coaxing Kate from outside the door. I couldn't help but cry non-stop.
Two days later...
Lying in bed and resting, I was half asleep. Then, I heard knocking and banging outside.
I put on my slippers and opened the door, only to see Kate directing two workers to remove the wallpaper.
"Stop it! What are you doing?"
I rushed over and pushed the workers away, but the wallpaper had been torn halfway.
I was furious. I had personally put the wallpaper up bit by bit, and it was Spencer's favorite style.
"How did you get in?"
Kate hurriedly went forward, trying to grab me, but I dodged away.
"Ava, Spencer said that the decoration of this house was outdated. He asked me to redecorate it according to my preferences."
"Don't worry, we will pay for the decoration... Your room can be decorated according to your preferences or keep it the same..."
"You are Spencer's sister, which means you are my sister too. We will take care of you together!"
I stared at her, gritting my teeth until I tasted the taste of blood.
I couldn't help but ask, "Did Spencer send you here?"
Kate raised her chin, looking proud. She said, "Of course, ask Spencer if you don't believe me!"
"I will do that, but for now... please leave my house immediately!"
I firmly drove away the two workers. Kate looked at me with hatred in her eyes.
When I went out to throw the garbage, I deliberately chose the time when Spencer got off work.
I didn't want Kate to laugh at me, nor did I want to cause unnecessary disputes.
For some reason, I didn't take the elevator. I walked down the safe staircase.
When I was about to reach the first floor, I heard a familiar voice. It seemed to be Spencer talking.
I tiptoed and peeked around the corner, only to see Spencer gently wiping Kate's tears.
"Don't cry. Your make-up is ruined! Of course, we should listen to your voice when it comes to the style of the decoration. The decoration style Ava chose isn't my thing. Besides, it is we two who will be living together in the future!"
Kate pouted and looked up at him. Acting like a spoiled child, he said, "I just don't like the way she looks. Can't we sell this house and buy a new one?"
Spencer suddenly frowned and impatiently said, "This house cannot be sold. You better not have this idea!"
Seeing that Kate was about to cry again, he sighed and became gentle again.
"This house has such a good location, and it's close to my company. Selling and buying a house requires a lot of procedures, which is very troublesome!"
"Didn't you say before that you would be happy regardless of wherever you lived as long as you were with me? Why are you being so picky now that there is a ready-made wedding house?"
Kate obediently nodded, saying, "Spencer, I will listen to you! I was angered by your sister. I didn't consider it so much. After all, this house is written under both of your names... In her mind, I am just an outsider!"
Pinching her cheeks, Spencer said dotingly, "Of course, you are my wife. No worries. I will discuss it with Ava in a few days to see if we can add your name to it. From now on, this house will belong to the three of us."
I stepped back a few steps, leaning against the cold wall and gasping for breath.
Every word of Spencer disappointed me so much.
Chapter 3 A Home for Three People?On the day of my college graduation, Spencer proposed to me.
The company he worked for would send him abroad for a year of study after his graduation.
The house was settled by both of us before he went abroad. To give me a sense of security, he settled our home first.
Because of his words, I had been busy for a few months. In the end, I chose this house close to his company.
He went abroad. I stayed here to decorate our future home, doing everything myself.
"And now he says this house is outdated, but it has only been half a year since the house was renovated."
"Is it that he doesn't like my decoration style? Or is it that my feelings for him are worthless?"
To be honest, I had been thinking about it all night yesterday. I thought it was time for me to sell this house.
Given the relationship between the three of us, we couldn't have further entanglement. Moreover, I did need money for treatment.
With my condition like this, leaving Spencer was just a matter of time.
I just didn't expect Spencer to be so calculating towards me.
"A home for three people?"
"How ridiculous!"
"Spencer, whom I love, shouldn't be this kind of person!"
"He is gentle, attentive, loyal, and loving, and he loves me deeply."
"But he now has been transformed into another person!"
"He is not the Spencer that I love, and it is not worthy for me to keep clinging onto him!"
I told Spencer that I should sell this house.
Spencer suddenly appeared very sad and excited.
"Ava Reid, do you know what you're saying? This is our first home. How can you sell it?"
"Have you forgotten how much effort you put into this home? Are you willing to let it go?"
I looked at him as I couldn't help but laugh.
"His acting skills are truly remarkable."
"If I hadn't overheard their conversation in the hallway, I would have thought he was reluctant to let it go!"
I glanced at Kate. With her eyes filled with hopeful anticipation, she was carefully concealing herself.
I smiled, saying, "Spencer, don't you have a new lover now? She will put in even more effort for you... What does the past matter? You've forgotten me anyway!"
"I admit that I have tried to sow discord between Kate and him."
"But they betray me and plot against me. Of course, I can fight back."
Kate's eyes flickered, and she uncomfortably cast her gaze on the floor.
Spencer sighed and reached out to rub my head.
I instinctively avoided him, feeling disgusted.
He stiffened for a moment. Then, he naturally put his hand down.
"Ava, don't be sulky, okay? New and old lover? What are you talking about? You are my sister. Kate is my lover. We are all family..."
Family used to be a comforting and warm word for me.
As Spencer repeatedly mentioned it, I became extremely disgusted with it.
"Sister? A sister who was once engaged to you? Spencer, did you ever ask Kate's opinion? Is she indeed okay with it?"
Kate bit her lip and stared at me fiercely with hostility in her eyes.
Spencer said nothing more. Staring at me quietly, he had flickering light in his eyes. I wondered what he was thinking about.
A while later, he said harshly, "No way that we will sell the house. You'd better give up on this idea."
He pulled Kate and went back to his room.
Feeling more disgusted, I was furious.
I have been having a lot of dreams these days.
As soon as I closed my eyes with exhaustion, I felt like going back to the days when I stayed in my grandpa's courtyard.
Seeing my grandpa getting busy in the courtyard, I could no longer hold myself back. Suddenly, I burst out crying,
My grandpa went over to hug me, coxing me the way he had done in my childhood.
"Ava, you have suffered."
"Yes, I have suffered so much."
"It's been ten years. Why haven't you come to see me? You bad old man!"
"Without you, no one supports me. Even Spencer dares to bully me!"
Grandpa smiled and let go of me, carefully wiping away my tears.
"Did you scrape your heels again?"
I instinctively looked at my heels, not knowing when they were scraped. There was a faint trace of blood, but I didn't feel any pain.
My grandpa sighed. He squatted down, took off the shoes from my feet, and threw them out of the courtyard.
"If the shoes don't fit, don't wear them! No matter how expensive the shoes are, they are not good shoes if they hurt your feet!"
I stepped barefoot on the cement floor. With the icy touch hitting my heart, I felt enlightened suddenly.
I grinned and smiled at my grandpa, but his face became more and more blurred...
I reached out in panic and bumped into something, making a crisp sound.
"Smack."