"Okay." Samuel took the appointment slip and stared at the name on it. His expression showed apparent reluctance.

Luna had never been this concerned about him, so he must have been wondering what made me so special to earn her attention.

Samuel rushed to the hospital's pulmonology department and asked the doctor about my condition. Bound by patient confidentiality, the doctors didn't share much.

"Edward Richardson? I remember him," one doctor said. "He's a handsome young man, but it's a shame he's so young and dealing with such a serious illness." The doctor shook his head regretfully.

"What's wrong with him exactly?"

The doctor turned to him with a questioning look. "What's your relationship with him?"

"I'm his friend. I've noticed he's been a bit out of sorts lately, so I came to check on him." Lying and acting came naturally to Samuel. He casually said a few words and handled th

I set the file box on the nearby desk and asked, "Connections? Backdoor dealings?"

Nicholas snorted. "Everyone knows you're Ms. Sherwood's husband. Isn't that a connection?"

"I've been her husband for a while now. If I wanted to steal a project from your department, I wouldn't have waited until today to make my move."

Then, I cleared the clutter on the table. "Since no one is sitting here, I'll take this spot."

Nicholas stood in my way with a smirk of contempt plastered on his face. "I'm sorry, Mr. Richardson. There's a seat for everyone at the table in our department, and we don't have any extra seats for you. Honestly, I think the best place for you would be on Ms. Sherwood's lap."

Laughter erupted around us, and collective amusement filled the air. 

I wondered how Luna would react if she heard this. Though our marriage was strained, I wouldn't let them mock her. I knew the sales

After more than six hours, my dad was finally wheeled out of the operating room. Since the anesthesia hadn't worn off, he was still unconscious, and his frail body was hooked up to tubes. I caught just a glimpse of him before the doctors hurried him off to the intensive care unit.

"Mr. Richardson, your father is in a very critical condition, but he has a strong will to survive. The surgery was successful, but the follow-up care will be expensive. Please make sure you have sufficient funds ready," the doctor explained.

His words felt like a punch to the gut. Without Luna's help, I finally realized I wouldn't even be able to save my dad's life. 

Sure, I had this commission now, but what about next time? Even begging on the streets might not cover the bills. What would happen to my dad if I really died in six months? Would he have to follow me into the grave?

The thought made me seethe with anger at how unfair life was. Money always seemed to end up in the pockets of those who didn't need it, while love went to people who already had plenty. It felt like suffering only targeted those who were already struggling.

As I watched my dad being wheeled away, the uncertainty of when I'd see him again washed over me like a tidal wave of anguish. 

He had struggled his entire life and never enjoyed a moment of happiness. If he recovered and discovered I was gone, what kind of devastation would that bring him?

I silently vowed to stay alive a bit longer. At the very least, I wanted to wait until he was in better shape so I could help him cope with my eventual absence.

…

I left the hospital and returned to the office. As I approached Luna's office, I could hear Samuel and her chatting and laughing inside.

I wanted to ask her why she had suddenly stopped paying for my dad's medical treatment. How could she be so indifferent while happily chatting with another man?

When we married, the agreement clearly stated that the Sherwood family's resources had nothing to do with me. Yet, they had assured me that my dad would receive the best care. Now, that support had been cut off out of the blue. What happened?

I didn't even bother knocking and just pushed the door open. When they saw me, their smiles froze, and their conversation ended tacitly.

Luna frowned and shot me a reproachful look. "Do you not know the courtesy of knocking before entering?"

"I have something to ask you." I was too lazy to argue with her and only wanted answers.

Samuel approached me with a foolish grin. "Mr. Richardson, thank you for your hard work over the last couple of days. If I had recovered, I would definitely be working on this project with you—"

I shot him a cold glare. "Get out of here before I lose my temper."

He could tell I wasn't giving him an inch, and his dissatisfaction was apparent in his eyes.

Since Luna was there, Samuel hesitated to drop his facade of civility. Instead, he looked at her with a pitiful gaze as if hoping she would take his side. 

Surprisingly, she didn't defend him like she used to. "You should leave."

"Ms. Sherwood, I—"

"Out!"

Samuel wanted to whine like a spoiled brat but didn't dare to defy Luna's command. He reluctantly trudged toward the door. 

As he passed me, I caught the cold glare in his eyes that was filled with barely contained hatred, sharp and unforgiving.

Finally, it was just Luna and me in the office.

"So, what do you want?"

"Why did you stop paying for my dad's medical expenses?" I demanded.

Luna smiled after hearing that. "Edward, I paid for your father's treatment costs, and I'm also the one who gives you the commission. Since you have money now, I don't think you need me to cover those costs anymore."

So, she did it on purpose. Even though she promised me my commission, this ruthless capitalist was just looking for a way to take it back. I finally understood that she had never intended to give it to me in the first place.

"But we agreed on this when we got married. Why are you changing your mind now?" I didn't ask for much because I just wanted my dad to have a chance to live.

"Did your commission vanish before you even had a chance to enjoy it? Consider this a small lesson. I hope you'll think twice before offending me again. Got it?"

Luna lifted my chin with a finger. Her gaze was full of contempt, as if she were playing with a pitiful stray dog.

My eyes burned with disappointment as I stared at her. The pain in my chest tightened with every breath. I could feel my limbs trembling, and cold sweats drenched my back. At that instant, I felt like every ounce of strength had drained from my body.

"Luna, are you trying to drive me to my death? Well, if that's what you want, you've got it. I'm really dying."

There was nothing left to say between us. I shoved her hand away and slammed the door behind me.

…

After I left the office, Luna didn't get up and follow me. She bent down to pick up an appointment slip that had fallen to the floor and stared at the words—Edward Richardson, Pulmonology Department. It must have slipped from my pocket earlier.

There had to be a lot of questions going on in her mind. Why had I gone to the hospital without telling her? And what did I mean when I said I was dying?

As she reflected on my strange behavior over the past few days, her heart skipped a beat, and she had a bad premonition.

Just then, Samuel returned to the office. He said in a soft voice, "Ms. Sherwood, did I cause you any trouble? I can talk to Mr. Richardson and clear things up."

Luna grabbed his hand, and her face painted with worry. "You need to go to the hospital right now and find out what's wrong with him. Get back to me as soon as possible. Hurry!"

She reassured herself that I would be fine and told herself my fate was in her hands regardless of what happened.

"Okay." Samuel took the appointment slip and stared at the name on it. His expression showed apparent reluctance.

Luna had never been this concerned about him, so he must have been wondering what made me so special to earn her attention.

Samuel rushed to the hospital's pulmonology department and asked the doctor about my condition. Bound by patient confidentiality, the doctors didn't share much.

"Edward Richardson? I remember him," one doctor said. "He's a handsome young man, but it's a shame he's so young and dealing with such a serious illness." The doctor shook his head regretfully.

"What's wrong with him exactly?"

The doctor turned to him with a questioning look. "What's your relationship with him?"

"I'm his friend. I've noticed he's been a bit out of sorts lately, so I came to check on him." Lying and acting came naturally to Samuel. He casually said a few words and handled the situation with ease.

"I can't go into details, but your friend doesn't have much time left. You s

Chapter 13