Chapter 1

Roxanne's POV: "Ms. Keane, the test results aren't very optimistic. You have late-stage pancreatic cancer. Your life expectancy is expected to reduce to less than a month's time if you refuse treatment. Are you sure you want to do this? Will your husband agree to it?" "I'm sure, yes… He'll agree to it too," I said. After ending the call with the doctor, I gazed around the empty room. An overwhelming sadness rose up within me. I had thought the pain was just from gastritis, a recurring health issue that I faced. Who knew it'd turn out to be cancer? I sighed and looked at the photo on the desk. Silas, who was 18 when the photo was taken, gazed back at me. I could still remember the day we took this photo even after all these years. Snow had fallen onto the top of our heads, dusting our hair white. Silas had turned to me with a grin and asked me whether this counted as us growing old together. I felt a little dazed as I recalled how blissful our lives used to be. Silas and I were childhood friends who got together when we were both 18 years old. After graduating from university, we rented a basement unit together and I stood by his side even as he faced countless hardships. I watched as he built his business from the ground up. That was when he gave me a luxurious house and an expensive car. Since I enjoyed dressing up, he'd always have the latest collections from famous designer brands delivered to my doorstep upon release. He'd also take time out of his busy schedule to go on trips with me, as he knew I enjoyed traveling. He'd give me the best surprises during our anniversaries too. He even put all the blame on himself when we found out that I was infertile. Everyone said Silas loved me to death. But Silas was also the one who started sleeping with his secretary in the seventh year of our marriage. He gave Megan Reeds a villa, using it as their little "love nest". He went from coming back home every night to spending his nights away from home. The nicer Silas was to Megan, the worse he was to me. It seemed as if the mere sight of me was enough to make his brows knit together in irritation. Not wanting to think any further of this matter, I took a deep breath and started cleaning up the broken shards on the floor. These were from some plates that were shattered during my quarrel with Silas a few days ago. It had been the day of our anniversary, and I had been waiting for him at home after cooking us a nice meal. He'd promised me he'd return home right after work, but he ended up coming back at 2:00 am. He'd clearly been with Megan again. After an explosive argument, Silas finally said the words that killed all remaining hope within me. "I need to have a child of my own, Roxanne." I fled the house in a panic, afraid of hearing what he might say next. He didn't come running after me either. I then spent a week at the old house. I only went to the hospital for a checkup when my gastritis flared up again. Seeing how dust had gathered on the floor, I knew Silas hadn't returned home in the past couple of days. As I bent down to continue cleaning up the mess, my test results fell out of my coat pocket. I paused my movements, gazing at the document. Should I tell Silas? Would he be sad if he knew I was going to die? My eyes began to redden even as my own thoughts amused me. The Silas now was no longer the Silas I used to know. He'd probably say that I deserved this fate in that cold tone of his. I took a deep breath and continued cleaning up. All of a sudden, the pitch-black room brightened up. Someone had switched on the lights. I narrowed my eyes as I turned to look at the door. Silas was standing there with a clear lipstick mark on the collar of his white shirt. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Finally done throwing your tantrum?" Instead of replying, I quietly slipped the test results back into my coat pocket. I hadn't expected him to come back, so when the lights switched on, I flinched and accidentally cut my hand. I hurried to the kitchen to wash the wound. "Did you just attempt to self-harm? Is this another one of your tricks? You really are a spoiled brat, Roxanne Keane!" Silas scoffed. Even though I had let go of most of my expectations toward him, I was still wounded by his words. After all, Silas would never have spoken to me in such a tone in the past. Silas used to patiently console me whenever we got into arguments since he knew I was insecure. Sometimes, I'd even leave the house on my own after getting upset. But Silas never got frustrated and would even accurately locate me. When I asked Silas why he never got angry, he said, "Because I want to spoil you to the max and make sure you never, ever leave me." That had been how things were for more than a decade. Yet, everything changed the moment Megan showed up. I switched the tap off and took out a first-aid kit to bandage the wound. Silas' tone softened when he saw how quiet I was. "That's enough, Roxanne. You know I'm just putting on an act with Megan. All the CEOs and executives that I know do the same thing, yet everything remains right and dandy back in their homes. "I'll send Megan out of the country once she gives birth to our child—" Silas' phone rang before he finished speaking. He glanced at it before turning around to walk to the living room. "Where are you, Mr. Huntington? I'm all alone right now, and I'm so scared. Can you please hurry back…" Megan's coquettish voice rang out from the other end of the call. Silas consoled her in a tender voice, as if she were the most precious thing to him. I didn't utter a single word. After bandaging up my hand, I cleared the dishes on the table. They had been left out for the past week. Silas ended the call and walked out of the house without looking back. "Silas," I called out. "What is it now?" he asked impatiently. "Meg is having a fever right now, so I need to go over and take care of her. Don't you start causing trouble again." "Let's get a divorce." "Are you actually out of your mind, Roxanne Keane?" Silas' brows knitted together as he looked at me. "First, it's self-harm. Now, it's a divorce. What's next? Will you drop dead on the spot?" "What if I told you I'll be dying soon?" I asked softly. But Silas had already slammed the door shut. The noise echoed throughout the large building before silence settled in again. A sudden pain flared in my abdomen. I hurriedly took some painkillers and swallowed them. It hurt so bad. I wanted to tell Silas that I was actually going to die. I dialed his phone number with shaky hands, but the only answer I received was a busy tone. Silas had blocked my number. I smiled silently and looked at the calendar hung up on the wall. "Today marks the first day of my farewell to you, Silas Huntington," I said.