Chapter 3

With no suitable heart donor, Eric gradually lost weight, and the times when he was conscious were declining. I was overjoyed at the emergence of artificial hearts even though the technology had yet to mature and only a minority of people had received it. Furthermore, there were many hidden dangers which were life-threatening. Still, I signed the transplant agreement without hesitation, giving my heart to Eric and installing an artificial heart which would last for five years for myself. For only tens of thousands of dollars, I received the worst quality robotic heart. I would vomit blood and hurt from time to time. After a few steps, I'd become breathless. Other times, I'd be inexplicably weak, chills running through my body. Despite that, it was the best deal that I had ever made. Artificial heart technology was very developed now, and it was working much better in the human body. Despite that, I had run out of money for surgery. In five years, I had been through the ups and downs life had to offer. I had no more regrets because I could still see him one more time and know that his heart was still beating before I died. By the time I reached my old flat at the outskirts of town by foot, the sky was already dark. Pushing the door open into the shabby flat with a moldy smell, I shivered from the cold wind which greeted me. There was only a rusty bed and a flimsy ceiling fan in the tiny space. It was small, but I could still live here. Once, this was a place Eric and I called home, and it was in this same place where we reunited with our family. We were inseparable. That was why I made a scene and wanted to sever all ties with him when I knew that my heart could save him. Eric had protected and spoiled me for 18 years. After witnessing the different sides of life, he knew how tough our lives were until that point. For his sake, I worked day and night without whining, and he was aware of my contribution. No matter what, he would never agree to a heart transplant from me. Out of ideas, I had to feign cowardice and purposely distanced myself from him. Regardless how much he hated me, I wouldn't blame him. In the nurse's presence, I complained that he couldn't take care of his sanitary needs and the stench coming from him disgusted me. I pointed at his nose and berated him, saying that I had enough of days filled with despair. While there were other people in the room, I even said things such as telling him to end his life because he would be a burden to me alive. If he was even just a little swayed, I could leave him emotionlessly. On the day he ignored me, I tossed the severance agreement at his face with a smile. As tears mixed with snot streamed down his face, Eric signed his name with force on the paper. On the other hand, I took the agreement and proceeded with the surgery. I claimed that I'd leave the country with all the money and never return again. However, I would hide next to the door during sunset, watching in secret as he slowly recovered under Fiona's care. Nobody would have guessed that I, who had supposedly left the country, was hiding in the dark and not daring to show myself. Even I would've never guessed that I could still meet him one more time before dying. The cold and humid flat would become my dying place. All was good as long as he was happy. On my lockscreen, Eric was majestic. Even though I was proud of myself, I couldn't help feeling bitter. ... A series of anxious ringing woke me up, and the doctor informed me that the payment was unsuccessful. Reading the late payment warning written in red, I smiled in a self-deprecative manner. There weren't many people whom I could contact anymore. After some hesitation, I dialed Macy's number, begging her to help me look for a job, regardless of how tiring it would be. Eric thought that I had abandoned him and fled with the money to save his life, so he hated me to death. If he knew that I was down and out, he'd definitely be over the moon. Although my heart had given warning signs, I still had to work to pay off the accrued medical bills from before. Though I said that I didn't mind dying, when a chance of living presented itself to me, I would cave and try clinging onto it. Macy didn't believe that I'd be such a heartless person and was heartbroken at what I had been through all these years. Without hesitation, she got a job for me in her eldest son's hotel. Meanwhile, Eric was organizing a class reunion for his beloved younger sister and was in need of servers. The pay was 500 dollars a day, enough to keep me alive with a few months of medications. When I arrived at the hotel in a rush, I accidentally bumped into someone's warm chest. As I raised my head, I found myself looking into Eric's startled and complicated gaze.