Chapter 10

"Hello." I reached out to shake the man's hand. "My name's Dylan Carter. Just call me Dylan. We're all friends here!" Dylan was very kind to me. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder as he led me into the gym. Once inside, I was greeted with the sight of muscular men working out. I remembered how I used to frequent the gym before my diagnosis because Abigail once mentioned she liked men with lean muscle and a defined eight-pack. I'd worked tirelessly to build myself up just to catch her eye. But now, I no longer cared about what she thought. I was only focused on earning enough to pay for Kayla's treatment. Although it was technically work, the day passed easily. Dylan looked out for me, even ordering lunch to make sure I didn't go without a meal. At closing, he called me over. "You'll mostly be cleaning the equipment. There's no heavy lifting," he said, handing me a thick envelope. "Here's three months' pay upfront to help you get started. And if you need anything, just ask. A friend of Sophia's is a friend of mine." Dylan's words touched me to the core. Life had numbed me to kindness, so these gestures of genuine care felt almost overwhelming. I thanked Dylan, gripping the envelope, and left. On my way out, I stopped by somewhere for a simple and cheap meal. As I was heading home, my phone rang. It was George. Ever since Kayla's became ill, fear washed over me each time his name appeared on my screen. I braced myself for the worst and took a shaky breath before answering carefully, "George, did something happen to Kayla?" He chuckled softly. "No. She's awake and asking to see you." My heart raced, and my grip tightened. In the background, Kayla's voice piped up, "Samuel, why haven't you come to see me?" My heart softened, and I lowered my voice. "I'll be there soon, Kayla. I promise." Knowing she was alright gave me a renewed sense of purpose, and I felt energy surge back into me. I rushed to a toy store and bought her favorite doll set before heading to the hospital. At the entrance to her room, George greeted me with a smile. "Go on in. She's in good spirits today," he said. I nodded excitedly and pushed open the door. Kayla's face lit up when she saw me, her big eyes sparkling joyfully. She waved eagerly. "Samuel! You're finally here! I missed you so much!" I went to her bedside, gently brushing her hair back. Seeing her surrounded by tubes and machines stirred a painful ache in my chest, but I swallowed hard, holding back tears. "I'm sorry, Kayla. I was busy these past few days, but look, I brought you a present. Do you forgive me?" I unwrapped the toy and placed it on her pillow. She hugged it close, beaming. "Thank you, Samuel. I love it!" At the doorway, George's eyes filled with tears as he watched. This small, joyful moment was more precious than words could describe. In that year, the times when Kayla had been awake were painfully rare. Either she regained consciousness when I couldn't make it to see her, or by the time I managed to visit, she had already fallen back into a coma. This cycle had gone on for so long that finally being able to exchange a few words with her had felt like a gift, and even George sympathized with the rarity of the moment. Before I left, Kayla had clung to my hand, asking me to come see her often. I promised, but tears slipped down my face once outside her room. "Kayla, I swear I wouldn't let anything happen to you," I whispered as I took a deep breath. I resolved to work as hard as possible, saving up for her surgery while hoping for a breakthrough in her treatment. … Early the next morning, I arrived at the gym. As I walked in, excited applause and cheers greeted me. Curious, I changed into my work clothes and investigated, only to find Joshua lifting weights at the center of attention. Abigail stood proudly beside him, dressed to perfection as always. Since she made their relationship public, Joshua tagged along with Abigail everywhere. I knew she had genuine feelings for him. This was the longest relationship she had among her lovers. Besides, Joshua was an expert in keeping her wrapped around his finger. So, she couldn't care less about what people say. I didn't want to cause any trouble, so I turned away to focus on work. However, Joshua's brooch caught my eye. It was the latest release from Bulgari, "Love Blossoms," a limited edition brooch of only 11 pieces worldwide and priced at over 130 thousand dollars. I didn't expect Abigail would spare no expense in buying a gift for Joshua. The bitter resentment that had been simmering in me grew darker. She had spent hundreds of thousands on a meaningless trinket for him but wouldn't spare even a fraction of that to help save Kayla's life. As if sensing my gaze, Abigail had turned to look at me. When our eyes met, a flicker of shock crossed her face. "Samuel? What are you doing here?" I looked at her coldly, and my body trembled with rage. "You refused to give me a single cent for Kayla's surgery, yet you could throw away hundreds of thousands for a pointless brooch for him!" I stumbled forward, shouting, "Is that how worthless Kayla's life is to you?" In a flash, Joshua stepped in front of Abigail valiantly and huffed, "This is a gift from her. If you have a problem, take it out on me, not her." "Get out of my face!" I snapped, raising my hand and slapping him hard. My vision blurred with anger as I watched him stagger back. "Samuel! Stop it!" Abigail rushed over and kicked me to the ground. I had never seen her this furious before. I took a steadying breath and gritted my teeth. "The two of you pathetic lovers, get out. Just the sight of you both disgusts me." My words struck a nerve with Abigail. She looked at me coldly and sneered with disdain, "Samuel, did you think I couldn't put an end to this?" I breathed heavily and glared at her. "And what exactly can you do?" I was a dying man. What could she possibly do to make me afraid? But her following words made the color drain from my face.