Farewell, My Beloved

I watched Madeline’s frail act and felt a surge of disdain.

She clung to Marcus as if afraid he might vanish at any moment. Was she really that pitiful?

No wonder Marcus was willing to stay by her side, to care for her like this.

But I knew the real Madeline. Beneath that seemingly innocent exterior lurked someone cold and ruthless.

She hadn’t killed me with her own hands, but after I died, she meticulously peeled my skin away, as though crafting an artwork. I could never forget that.

Suddenly, Madeline jerked awake, seemingly from a nightmare. She gripped Marcus’s hand tightly. “Marcus, I had a terrible dream. Am I going to die? What if the cancer can’t be cured?”

Her eyes were red, tears streaming onto Marcus’s arm. Marcus looked at her, filled with helpless sympathy and pain.

He pulled her into his arms, trying to comfort her.

A flash of slyness appeared in Madeline’s eyes, as if she had picked up on Marcus’s inner turmoil.

“Marcus, have you reached your wife yet? Maybe you shouldn’t stay with me, you should go look for her,” she said, her voice tinged with worry and urgency.

Marcus’s hand instinctively went to his pocket, feeling the pill bottle. His grip tightened.

His mind was a whirlwind of confusion.

“Don’t worry about her. She’ll come back when she’s done sulking,” he said, frustration creeping into his tone.

“Get some rest. I’m going to check with the doctor about your condition,” Marcus said, standing up to leave the room.

Madeline watched him go, a smirk of satisfaction playing on her lips.

Marcus walked out, finding a doctor. Unexpectedly, instead of asking about Madeline, he pulled out the pill bottle from his pocket.

“Doctor, can you tell me what these are?” Marcus’s voice was tense, filled with anticipation.

The doctor took the bottle and furrowed his brow.

“These are cancer medications,” he replied solemnly.

Marcus froze, his body rigid.

His voice trembled as he asked, “Cancer medication? Are you sure?”

A wave of panic and unease washed over him.

The doctor nodded, glancing again at the label on the bottle. “Isn’t this for Caroline? She didn’t come for her chemotherapy yesterday, and we couldn’t reach her by phone. What’s your relationship to her?” the doctor asked, puzzled.

“I’m her husband,” Marcus’s voice was low and hoarse.

His mind was spinning, something inside him beginning to crumble.

The doctor frowned. “She’s been coming in for chemotherapy for a while now, but I’ve never seen you here. You should really be more attentive as a husband. That poor girl always comes alone. She’d just nibble on some bread when she was hungry. You haven’t exactly been a very supportive husband.”

The doctor’s words pierced Marcus like a needle.

He stood there, his mind blank, unable to process anything.

Images of me enduring chemotherapy all alone flooded his mind... and his heart ached deeply.

Marcus’s phone suddenly vibrated, shattering the silence in the air.

He absentmindedly answered the call, the urgent voice of a police officer echoing in his ear.

“Captain Parker, the DNA results are in. You need to come to the station right away.”

He jumped to his feet, not even bothering to inform Madeline, and dashed out of the hospital room, racing toward the police station.

As he ran, a deep sense of unease settled in his chest. He could feel it – something was slipping beyond his control.

Bursting through the station doors, he was met with a heavy silence.

The officers wore somber expressions, each one reluctant to meet his gaze.

They handed him the report cautiously, their eyes filled with a silent sympathy that made Marcus’s heart race with dread.

“What are you handing this to me for? Just tell me who it is,” Marcus demanded, his voice shaking as he fought to stay composed. But the panic rising inside him was impossible to hide.

No one responded. The room remained deathly quiet, and no one dared meet his eyes.

Finally, one officer gathered enough courage to speak softly, “Captain Parker, you should see for yourself.”

With trembling hands, Marcus took the report. He hesitated for a moment before opening it, his gaze falling on the name.

Instantly, his eyes reddened, and tears welled up.