Eric stood on the spot in a daze, a mixture of fear and surprise creeping into his eyes.

After a moment, he shook his head, looking shaken and doubtful. "Ms. Kingsley, what did you say? That's impossible."

He was quick to deny it, as if he was sure of his own guess. Then, he nodded firmly, and his expression eased up suddenly.

Rising to his feet, he patted off the dirt on himself and snorted. "I must have lost my mind to believe you. You're really capable, Ellie. You could even convince Ms. Kingsley to put up an act with you."

Macy stroked my face, tears welling up in her eyes. When she heard him, she shook her head in disappointment.

While Eric glowered at me with uncontrollable aloofness and fury in his eyes, I coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood and pulled a weak smile. 

At the sight of the pity which flashed past his eyes, my eyes crinkled. "Eric, this may be my last time calli

The doctor's eyebrows shot up in surprise at Eric's appearance, and he looked between me and Eric. "Are you the patient's family?"

Eric straightened his back and gazed at the doctor with unwavering eyes. "Yes."

At the same time, I said, "He's not."
 
Both of them were startled. The doctor peered at him, and then at me before waving his hand. Ignoring Eric, he took out the agreement for a new artificial heart and placed it on the table.

The doctor said, "The components of the artificial heart you installed five years ago are badly damaged. A new generation of artificial hearts will arrive soon, if this is delayed—"

"What artificial heart are you speaking about?" Eric asked. 

The doctor's eyebrows shot up again at Eric's sudden gasp of shock.

Blood drained from Eric's face as he crouched down and met my gaze. "Tell me, what did he mean by artificial heart from five years ago?"

I loo

The first generation of artificial hearts had problems with serious rejection reactions. Just a little discomfort was enough to cause me excruciating pain. Moreover, I was the one who was allergic to alcohol, not Fiona.

Seeing the hesitancy in Eric's eyes, I snickered softly. "If I drink it, will you waive the 300,000 from before?"

Eric balled his fists and tightened his jaw. "Sure."

His firm answer encouraged me to throw my head back and pour the liquor down my throat. Since I didn't have long to live, I had no need to heed the doctor's advice for me to refrain from alcohol.

The strong liquor jolted my brain, and the burning liquid ran down the scar on my chest, sending waves of trickling pain.

Acid churned in my stomach , and I bent over unwittingly to retch, as though I was about to cough up my entire heart.

After I finished one bottle, Eric swatted the bottle away, looking grim. "That's enough!"

His voice cut off everyone's laughter in the room.

He clenched my shoulders so tightly that I felt as though he was about to crush my bones.  "Ellie Welsh, you did well. Well done!"

Numbly, I shrugged him off and saw the reflection of my pale face from the spilled wine and broken liquor bottle.
 
Just when I was about to pick up the liquor from the floor and drink it from my palm, Fiona suddenly pulled me up, concern written all over her face.

"It's undignified to drink off the floor like an animal. Eric, don't make things difficult for her. Just tell her to do something simple like… taking off her clothes." She looked at me with a smile, yet her eyes carried disdain. "One piece for 100,000 dollars. How about it?"

For a moment, I said nothing, shaking off her hand without a word. 

As Eric watched in disbelief, I removed my working uniform and unbuttoned my shirt. When I reached the last button, he flipped the couch in anger.

My heart could no longer sustain the constant pressure. A belated and excruciating pain struck me, and I threw up a fresh mouthful of blood.

I appeared as if I didn't notice a thing, undoing the last button covering my dignity, my hands robotic but trembling.

Eric's eyes were bloodshot, and he growled in a deep voice, "Stop."

I forced a smile and fell to my knees weakly. Shattered glass pieced into my knees, blood oozing out.

Panicking, Eric wanted to pick me up, but he was shoved aside by Macy, who had rushed over. She held me in her arms and placed a shirt over my body, heartbroken.

Amidst the chaos, the horrifying scar on my chest was revealed. Eric's face crinkled, and he kneeled in front of me fearfully.

Macy shielded me in her arms and glared at him, yelling, "You're a beast! Ellie already gave you her heart, but you're still humiliating her in this manner. Will you only be happy to see her dead?"

Eric stood on the spot in a daze, a mixture of fear and surprise creeping into his eyes.

After a moment, he shook his head, looking shaken and doubtful. "Ms. Kingsley, what did you say? That's impossible."

He was quick to deny it, as if he was sure of his own guess. Then, he nodded firmly, and his expression eased up suddenly.

Rising to his feet, he patted off the dirt on himself and snorted. "I must have lost my mind to believe you. You're really capable, Ellie. You could even convince Ms. Kingsley to put up an act with you."

Macy stroked my face, tears welling up in her eyes. When she heard him, she shook her head in disappointment.

While Eric glowered at me with uncontrollable aloofness and fury in his eyes, I coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood and pulled a weak smile. 

At the sight of the pity which flashed past his eyes, my eyes crinkled. "Eric, this may be my last time calling you. No matter what you think of me, I don't blame you."

As my consciousness slipped away, I hea

Chapter 6