The Words I Left Behind

Jasmine looked down at her hands in her lap.

She had seen William take Jennifer to the amusement park before—saw him patiently pose for photos with her, again and again.

This wasn't about comparing herself to Jennifer.

It was just that going to the amusement park with William had been a childhood dream of hers.

This fourth thing on her list was for the little Jasmine who never got to do it.

William was there in body, but his mind was somewhere far away. His eyes stayed glued to his phone.

Jasmine had to call his name four or five times before he finally looked at her.

When night fell, William urged her to leave three separate times, but she ignored him.

Then, the lights on the Ferris wheel lit up in the distance.

Her eyes lit up too. She pointed toward it, full of hope.

"Just ride this one with me. After that, we can go."

William froze when he saw the faint glow in her eyes. After a moment, he pressed his lips together and said flatly, "Even if the Ferris wheel takes us to the very top, I still won't fall in love with you."

The silence stretched, the seconds ticking by.

Jasmine's eyes stung, and she turned her head quickly.

"What are you talking about? I've just never ridden one before, that's all."

Just then, William's phone rang, cutting through the moment. On the other end, Jennifer said something in a rush.

After hanging up, William left again in a hurry.

This time, he didn't even apologize.

As the Ferris wheel rose to the very top, Jasmine looked down at the city glowing below her.

Tears slid down her cheeks as she whispered, "Happy birthday, Jasmine."

-

After that day, Jasmine was rushed to the hospital with a high fever.

Machines beeped steadily by her ear, but to her, it was as if the world had gone completely silent.

In her fevered dreams, Jasmine thought she saw William standing by her bed. But even after seeing her in such a half-dead state, there wasn't a hint of pity in his eyes.

Instead, he gave her a wide, cruel smile.

"Serves you right. Karma always comes for the wicked. You might as well die now, then I won't have to waste my time finishing that stupid last task of yours."

In the dream, Jasmine was so angry that her teeth clenched.

But her heart?

It ached painfully.

She forced herself to wake up with a sharp breath.

However, the person she wanted to see wasn't there.

"Thank God, you're finally awake. Do you know how long you've been out?"

Jasmine had always been strong-willed, and the world she lived in was full of people who only cared about power and reputation.

The Spencer family had fallen, and William clearly didn't care about her. Everyone knew he would be the first to laugh at her downfall, so they had all picked sides long ago and cut ties with her.

The only person left at her side was a close friend who was also the nurse who had been quietly caring for her, Tania Judd.

When she heard Tania's words, she looked over in panic. "What day is it today?"

Tania thought Jasmine was upset again about how little time she had left. She tried to hide her expression and spoke gently, trying to comfort her.

"The 28th. Jasmine, you—"

Jasmine cut her off. "My wig. Where is it?"

Tania paused for a second, surprised. "It's right here. I kept it safe for you."

Jasmine's fingers curled slightly as she took the wig from her hands. Her gaze was lowered, her thoughts unreadable.

"While I was out, did anyone come to see me?"

Her voice was cautious, and her fingers clutched the wig a little tighter when she spoke.

Tania felt a dull ache in her chest at the sight of her like this, but she didn't want to lie to Jasmine.

"Jasmine… William hasn't come."

She quickly turned her head, blinking away the redness in her eyes.

Not only did he not show up, but he wouldn't even listen to the calls and hints Tania had made.

"Coma? What kind of joke is that? Jasmine would never be the one in a coma," he had said coldly.

"I'm busy. I don't have time to play along with her nonsense. Aside from that last thing she wants, I'm not doing anything else for her. Tell her to stop wasting everyone's time!"