ManyWriters

After my husband's business went bankrupt, I received a late-stage breast cancer diagnosis.
To raise money for treatment, I sold all my jewelry and clothes, and even borrowed $100,000.
When I returned home, I noticed a string of numbers had appeared above my husband's head.
Every time he spent money on another woman, the number above his head would increase by one.
As I watched the numbers above his head constantly increasing, I realized his bankruptcy was just a lie!
He had his arm around my cousin's shoulders, his face animated with excitement. "Don't worry, once that bitch is dead, I'll buy you a huge diamond ring!"
But what he didn't know was—
The one with breast cancer was him!

Husband Diagnosed with Breast Cancer

The days that followed were filled with joy as my daughter and I traveled abroad.


Probably thinking my days were numbered, he didn't even bother to hide it anymore, openly flirting with my cousin.


Everyday, he posted photos of the two of them together on social media.


I looked at the numbers above Damien's head in the photo, growing wildly, and smiled sarcastically.


They thought they had my life insurance to fall back on, spending money like water.


I called to check on Damien's assets, and in just a month, they had already turned negative.


Add to that the fact that without my restraint, Damien indulged in smoking, drinking, and debauchery - his condition must be deteriorating rapidly.


Looking at Damien's increasingly gaunt face and the unnatural swelling in his chest, I laughed coldly to myself.


That night, my daughter and I boarded a plane back home.


I first took my daughter to school, then returned to Damien's place.


Near noon, as soon as I opened the door, I saw my cousin feeding Damien.


She wore a ring identical to my wedding band, dressed in my newly bought pajamas.


The decor of the house had also changed dramatically, from its original simple elegance to today's gaudy extravagance.


The cozy little home I had carefully cultivated for ten years had become unrecognizable.


"Y-y-you, how did you come back......"Damien awkwardly stood up.


I looked at the multi-million dollar figure above his head and responded coldly, "Pack my things."


Then, catching a glimpse of my cousin's wide-open neckline and her ample cleavage, I sarcastically remarked, "So this is what you meant by 'taking care.' You've taken care of him all the way to the bedroom."


"Should I ask Damien to pay you? After all, even hookers aren't cheap these days."


My cousin slammed her chopsticks onto the table with a loud clatter, her voice shrill as she shrieked, "The one who isn't loved in a relationship is the third wheel! You're practically dead, so stop taking up space and making people sick!"


She then proudly pushed out her chest, "Can you even call yourself a woman without breasts? If I had your disease, I'd find a place to wait for death alone. I'd never come out and disgust people!"


I gave Damien a wry smile. Uncomfortable under my gaze, he finally spoke the truth, "Jolene, don't blame me. I'm a normal man, I can't go without a woman."


"When I think about you having surgery to remove your breasts, it just makes me feel... uneasy..."


Before he could finish, he suddenly clutched his chest in pain, his features contorted. A murky yellow liquid seeped from his chest, forming a mottled wet stain on his white T-shirt.


The thick fluid oozed from his nipple, a symptom of late-stage breast cancer.


I looked at Damien's pitiful state and chuckled softly, feigning surprise as I pointed at his chest. "Why haven't you gone to the hospital yet? Late-stage breast cancer is not something to be trifled with!"


I glanced at the food they had prepared, shaking my head in mock disappointment. "Fried chicken, beer, seafood - these are all things you should be avoiding. No wonder your condition has worsened so quickly!"


Damien scoffed, thinking I was cursing him. He sneered, "What's this? Realizing your days are numbered and trying to drag me down with you?"


"I'm not afraid to tell you! I've had enough of you! If it weren't for your life insurance, we'd have divorced ages ago!"


"If you know what's good for you, you'll keep quiet and behave. Who knows, I might even take pity on you and buy you an urn when you kick the bucket!"


I smiled, pulling out the hospital diagnosis report from my bag and slapping it on the table. "Open those beady eyes of yours and see clearly who's really on death's door!"


Chapter 4