Pay With Your Heart

Chapter 22: Cruel Fate ｆ𝘳e𝒆w𝗲𝐛𝘯𝐨νe𝚕.cｏ𝓶

A thick mist of silence was hovering over Jae-Hyun’s office as he stared at the test results in his hands with a deep frown on his face. Dissappointment, fear, pity and worry were the mixed emotions he was feeling at the moment.

Lifting his face up, he looked at the elegant woman who didn’t look like she owned this test result with so much pity in his eyes. This woman is his best friend’s mother -Mrs Lee.

“Jae-Hyun tell me what’s wrong” Mrs Lee asked as she sat up straight on her seat. The worry in Jae-Hyun’s eyes were evident to her, and she knew it doesn’t mean well.

“Come on tell me what it is. The drugs aren’t working right?” She urged as she shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

“I’m afraid yes” Jae-Hyun said in a low voice as he glanced at her. A heavy kind of feeling swept through his heart at the word ‘Yes’. This was a cruel fate to someone like her.

Jae-Hyun couldn’t accept the fact that it has finally come to this, that he could no longer do something for her. He was feeling frustrated and angry that nothing was working for her. All therapy has failed, and not one could help prolong her life.

“Well you don’t have to feel sad about it. You look like you swallowed a frog. I’m afraid the nurses will be dissapointed to see their crush like this” Mrs Lee laughed in an attempt to cheer him up.

.....

She had guessed what the result will be so she had come mentally prepared. For her own research, she has discovered the prognosis of her illment to be staggering low, even below 5%.

Jae-Hyun could see through her laughter, and he knew it was not a happy one, but one faked to uplift his mood. Mrs Lee was that kind of a person, one who was easily read. Her emotions are always so clear on her face no matter how hard she tries to hide it.

She was the ideal mother, friend and wife anyone would ever wish for, but her only mistake was overstepping her boundaries while trying to help her son.

“How long?” Mrs Lee finally asked her most dreaded question. Jae-Hyun could feel his heart ache as the muscles of his heart squeezed tightly.

“Thr– Three months” He said with a pained tone.

“Okay...That’s good enough” Mrs Lee nodded with a sad smile.

“But you have to speak with the chairman about it, most especially Dan-Han. I don’t think I can keep this secret from him for much longer” Jae-Hyun said sadly, while Mrs Lee sighed exasperatedly.

The thought of telling her son and husband that she was about to die, was something she hated with all her heart. How can she do something that cruel to the people that loves and look up to her.

“I know. Dan-Han is your friend and you want to be completely loyal to him” She paused and reached for Jae-Hyun’s hand. “Please help me for a little while longer, I promise to tell him the truth when the time comes. I’m just waiting for him to find someone for himself first someone he’ll love and cherish, someone who will fill the place I hold in his heart, and who’ll get him through the pain of losing his mother”

“And I don’t want him to forgive me for what I did to him out of pity. I deserve his anger , but he deserves more. I want him to be happy because that son of mine is a good man. Even with what I’ve done and cost him he still loves me still. I don’t want to see him sad because of me. Let me find him someone, that will be my parting gift to him” She said smiling.

The other thing she didn’t say was she didn’t want to be a burden to her family. She was sure if they knew, they’ll willingly put their life on hold just to be there for her, and to her, her son and husband doesn’t deserve that.

“Just help me for a little while longer okay” She pleaded again.

Jae-Hyun didn’t know what to do. He loves her like his own mother. “Okay. But promise you will talk to them soon and also promise to take your drugs faithfully” Those were all he could ask for.

“Yes I will, thank you” She said smiling brightly at him.

“Oh! and Jae-Hyun please do find yourself a girlfriend too. Is that grey hair I see on your head?” She teased as she picked up her bag to leave.

“What grey hair?” He asked as his hand flew to his head and combed his fingers through it. He frowned when he saw Madam Lee laughing. She just had to pull that joke on him he thought as he rolled his eyes inwardly.

“Goodbye Jae-Hyun” she said waving her free hand as she walked out of his office.