Elisa sat in the waiting area, feeling dazed, looking at the unfamiliar environment, feeling singularly alone for the first time. When she heard her name called, she got up and received her gastric endoscopy report. Looking at the images, it seemed quite normal.
“If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask your attending physician,” the nurse said.
“Thank you,” Elisa replied, taking the endoscopy report and seeking out the attending physician to help her understand her stomach’s condition. During the wait, she couldn’t help but feel anxious, fearing that she might have some untreatable illness.
The doctor carefully reviewed the report. “All indicators are relatively normal, but your stomach…” He paused.
Elisa’s heart raced. “What’s wrong with my stomach?” Her greatest worry was her stomach, as it ached unbearably every day.
“You have a stomach ulcer. Have you ever vomited blood? Apart from that, have you had any previous cases of gastric bleeding?”
“I know,” Elisa responded. “Aside from these, are there no other major issues?”
The doctor’s gaze softened. “Well, yes, but these are not minor issues. If left untreated, it could develop into stomach cancer.”
Upon hearing the words “stomach cancer,” Elisa’s fingertips involuntarily tightened. That familiar and intense feeling surged within her again.
“As for your brain, the examination showed signs of neurasthenia. Don’t worry too much; just rest well,” the doctor said.
Elisa nodded, took the report, and as she stood there, hesitant, the doctor cautiously asked, “Should I prescribe some medication for you?”
Elisa snapped back, “No, thank you. I have medicine at home. I can manage without more medication, even if it means skipping meals.”
The doctor advised her on a few things to note and told her not to dwell on it too much.
Elisa took the report and left the room. What she didn’t know was that after she left, the doctor wiped the cold sweat from his face with a tissue.
Elisa didn’t immediately return home. She sat in the hospital corridor, staring at the examination report in her hands, Calista’s words echoing in her mind. She felt extremely uneasy, and her stomach began to ache again. Elisa folded the report and placed it in her bag.
Glancing at the signs, her scattered gaze finally settled on the gynecology department. As her phone, tucked away in her bag, rang, she fished it out and saw it was Hamish calling. She quickly answered, “Hello?”
“Darling, Mrs. Rugger said you left without eating anything?” Hamish’s concerned voice came through.
Elisa replied nonchalantly, “Mmm.”
Hamish asked again, “Where are you? Have you had breakfast?”
Having completed her examination, Elisa had no intention of hiding it from Hamish. As he inquired, she disclosed, “I’m at the hospital.”
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“Not really. Just having a check-up.”
“You could have called the family doctor, Caleb, if you weren’t feeling well.”
“I know,” she replied.
“You haven’t eaten, have you?”
“I’ll go eat now,” Elisa promptly responded.
After ending the call, she walked out. There were several breakfast shops outside the hospital, and Elisa chose a congee stall. After eating half a bowl, she glanced in the direction of the hospital. Then, looking at her phone, she realized it was still early, only ten o’clock. She inexplicably wandered into the gynecology department and ended up getting an ovulation injection.
The ovulation injection had several side effects-abdominal pain, nausea, dizziness-but the main purpose was to increase the chances of becoming pregnant.
Elisa took a cab back to the villa. As soon as she arrived home, she locked herself in the bathroom and vomited, expelling the congee she had eaten in the morning. She had brought this upon herself and couldn’t bear it.
Elisa didn’t understand what she was thinking. It was as if her body had been possessed, following her subconscious to the hospital for a brain and stomach examination, and inexplicably, even getting an ovulation injection.
It was all because of some insignificant words from a woman, as if Elisa needed to prove something.
Elisa opened the second drawer of the bedside table and there… Elisa fell into contemplation. Hamish had said that the reason they couldn’t have children lay with him, yet every time he took measures.
Although she found it strange, she didn’t ask much, afraid that she might inadvertently hurt his male pride.
Elisa borrowed a needle from Mrs. Rugger… She had a strong intuition that Hamish was hiding something. If he wouldn’t tell her, she would find out for herself; liescannot be hidden forever, and she always found the answers she sought.
At four o’clock in the afternoon, Hamish sent her a text, saying he would be working late and she needn’t prepare dinner for him.
Elisa succinctly replied, “Okay.”
With Hamish absent, Elisa had no appetite for a walk after dinner. She sat on the sofa for a while, then went back to the bedroom to freshen up.
She lay on the bed, waiting. It wasn’t until nine o’clock in the evening that she heard the sound of an engine outside.
The room was soundproof, so once the door was closed, no noise from downstairs could be heard.
Elisa opened the door and went downstairs. Hamish was already inside, lying on the sofa, fatigue evident on his face, and his eyes bloodshot.
“Why have you been so busy lately?” Elisa asked as she approached, only then noticing the half-smoked cigarette in his hand. Hamish immediately stubbed it out as she came closer, dispersing the smoke with a wave of his hand.
“It’ll be over after this period of busyness. I’ll take you out for a break next week. Wherever you want to go,” he said.
“Fine,” Elisa replied, handing him a glass of warm water. “Have you eaten?”
Hamish straightened up. “I have.” After taking a few sips, he placed the glass on the coffee table.
He glanced at her and patted his thigh, gesturing for her to sit on his lap.
The living room was brightly lit. Hamish was only wearing a simple shirt, quite a departure from his usual meticulous attire, with even the top few buttons unfastened and no tie. This relaxed appearance, so different from his usual serious and restrained demeanor, carried a hint of allure.
Elisa hooked her arms around his neck and sat on his lap, a familiar gesture. Hamish enjoyed her closeness and often had her sit close to him or on his lap, asking to be held.
His hands encircled her slender waist, and he buried his chin in the crook of her neck, showing natural and affectionate movements. Unable to resist, Elisa ran her fingers through his hair and caught a faint scent of alcohol as she breathed in with his rhythm.
“Have you been drinking?” she asked.
“Yes,” Hamish replied hoarsely. He knew Elisa didn’t like it when he smoked or drank. Not only had she caught him smoking, but she also now detected the smell of alcohol on him.
“I’m sorry, I had a drink,” he apologized, his voice lazy and magnetic, transmitting like an electric current into Elisa’s ears.
“Weren’t you supposed to be working late?” Elisa questioned him.
“Yes, I was out for some contract negotiations,” he explained. Chiwood’s business world was mostly dominated by Old Burns, with a portion in Finn’s hands. If he wanted to make a mark in Chiwood’s business sector, it was extremely difficult to make any headway.
Elisa used to have many people lining up in Bankshire, eager to collaborate with her. Now, she had to summon twice the usual spirit just to take a step, to ensure that she never let her guard down.
With her back against Hamish’s chest, Elisa could feel his heartbeat and the rhythm of his breathing. “How did the negotiations go?” she asked.
“It’s done,” he replied.
“Have you been busy with these matters lately?”
“Yeah, still not done,” he sighed.
As Elisa drew closer, she could sense Hamish’s exhaustion and weariness. She felt sorry for him and hated her own helplessness.
“Did you get the medical report back?” she inquired.
“It’s in the bedroom,” he answered.
“I’ll go check on it later.”
Contrasting Hamish’s scent of alcohol and tobacco, Elisa exuded a faint fragrance, reminiscent of gardenias.
Hamish was addicted to her scent. He held her and they went upstairs to the bedroom. Elisa showed him the medical report she had received today.
Hamish quickly skimmed through it, flipping through several pages, and his expression relaxed. “That’s good. Other than these two, you didn’t get any other tests done?”
“No, the doctor said my health is normal, but I must take the medication on time,” Elisa replied, her face clouding at the mention of medication.
“Then follow the doctor’s advice,” he said.
Thinking about the ovulation injection she had received that morning, and considering that these were the most fertile days for her, Elisa didn’t want to miss any chance to uncover the truth.
After watching Hamish enter the bathroom, she removed her clothes and wrapped herself in a blanket.
Completely unaware of Elisa’s intentions, Hamish emerged from the bathroom to find her lying with her back turned, and assuming she was tired and wanted to sleep, he didn’t think much of it. When he got into bed, the woman who had been facing away suddenly turned and nestled into his arms. As he attempted to embrace her, his touch… froze him.
“Elisa?”
Elisa, clearly feeling a bit shy, buried half of her face in the blanket, something she had never done so assertively before. Seeing Hamish’s stiff expression, she smirked, swiftly leaned forward, and planted a quick kiss on his lips.
Elisa had never seen Hamish in this state before. His dark pupils seemed filled with watery colors, and due to his excitement, the veins on his neck bulged. The corners of his eyebrows seemed lightly shaded, and with each breath, his fan-shaped eyelashes trembled ever so slightly.
Elisa, drenched in sweat, leaned against Hamish, unwilling to let go even though the heat made it hard to breathe.
That night, she had another nightmare, more vivid than any before. She dreamt of being alone in a hospital, a doctor handing her a stack of test reports, with four clear words: “You’re nearly dying.” The report displayed a few unmistakable words-advanced gastric cancer.
Clutching the report, she wanted to go home, unable to distinguish whether it was a dream or reality. The intense familiarity, as if she had experienced it long ago, persisted even in her dream.
Braving the rain, her clothes drenched, she struggled to find her way home. Tears mixed with rain blurred her vision until she stopped, her chilled skin as pale as paper, devoid of any color. Then, a man in a white shirt appeared before her. Despite his proximity, she couldn’t see his face clearly.
The man stood in front of her, sheltering her from the rain. “Don’t cry, little one. I’ll carry you home…”
His gentle tone, so familiar, made her burst into tears, crying harder as she reached for his back. The dream ended before she could touch him.
Elisa opened her eyes, tears streaming down her face, feeling cold. She rubbed her eyes, gasping for air, her heart aching as if pierced by a sharp object, leaving her disoriented for a while.
For a moment, she felt her strength drain away, as if she were a lifeless body, a sense of powerless emptiness spreading through every corner of her being. Restless and anxious, her head began to ache. She wanted to jump out of the window, as if that was the only way to see the man from her dream.