Chapter 2: Baby Zuli
My mom travels abroad, and grandpa thought that she is only traveling to see the world herself. So, he regularly sends her enough money. Until one day, during grandma's 1st death anniversary. she came home with a four-month-old baby in her arms.
Grandpa was furious, he finally understood everything. So that's why she can't undergo treatment because she was pregnant. She chose to protect the baby in her womb than to save her life.
He suddenly had a granddaughter but somehow, he feels empty and happy at the same time. How much time that he missed? Why can't he see that his daughter is hiding something from him?
He is already a failure husband, is he a failure father too? Grandpa was upset and didn't talk to mom for the whole month. While great-grandpa didn't visit the mansion again out of anger.
My mom didn't mind and was indifferent like she already knows that this would happen. She also stayed mum about my father, and she never mentioned anything about him. As if my real father didn't exist in the first place. After a month of staying at home my mom finally collapsed, she didn't want to go to the hospital even if grandpa persuaded her many times. Grandpa is worried sick so, he sent her to the hospital to check her condition.
The result is clearly what he anticipated from the start. After hearing the doctor's words, grandpa can't take it anymore and broke down in front of mom like a child. He kneeled to ask for forgiveness, saying repeatedly that it was his fault. Mom also cried out of sorrow, while great-grandpa just stood there stiff as a pole, he just watched both of them with heartache apparent in his eyes.
For the 23 years of my mom's life, she said she never regretted anything except that she can't watch me grow up.
She wrote everything in her little journal and told grandpa to store it. She even warned my grandpa that he is not allowed to read it, and he can only hand it to me on my 15th birthday as a present.
Like grandma, my mother also died because of leukemia. It makes me very afraid, thinking that I'm also going to die the same way. I'm afraid of dying young, but I have no choice.
Maybe it's a coincidence or a form of compensation. but actually, God did a good job taking care of me and I never lack anything. I'm beautiful and I have a very blessed life.
I'm surrounded by great people who care for me. A loving grandpa, caring servants who treat me like family, and even friends whom I can count on.
My life is great and I feel content until I met Cai Nicholas Eckart.
At that exact moment, I clung to an illusion that if I can't live long then I want to have him. I started to follow him around where ever he goes. Since I was always sick since young, he would always visit me. Because grandpa Vincent would always scold him.
It was then that I realized, that Cai never wanted me in the first place. He only agreed to marry me because grandpa Vincent asks him to. At first, I was delighted that I can even fly straight to heaven and I didn't consider Cai's feelings, nor did I ask if he liked me or not.
Our family decided that we should marry after I turned 20, after the announcement on my birthday, our fate is sealed. A few months before our wedding I busied myself preparing everything. I wanted everything perfect on my special day. Cai didn't show up from beginning to end, I didn't mind I was so excited to care.
After his head got injured, his personality got even more cold and distant. He easily gets irritated and his thoughts are also getting harder and harder to decipher.
On the day of our wedding, while the dresser and makeup artist are busying around me.
My nose suddenly bled, and all the people in the room were horrified. At that moment I already had a bad premonition and my whole body shook.
Linda was very worried but I begged her to keep it a secret for the time being. I really can't ruin my wedding, right? I give my all just to make it happen.
After our wedding, my husband disappears like smoke, and he rarely comes home. Even if he did, he would only stay for 3 days. I felt like, I'm his mistress who was being kept and not his lawfully wedded wife. His 4 years of hard work started paying off and he always had a very busy schedule.
I didn't bother him either and let him be. Maybe I am so optimistic about our relationship or I am just naïve. So, I didn't mind my husband's indifference toward me.
Due to his rising popularity, we have to keep our relationship with the public. Many popular female artists are having kinds of scandals towards him. I know he will never cheat on me. The problem is he never clarifies anything to the media or even to me, his wife. Even if I wanted to argue with him, he wouldn't even care.
He also did nothing like these matters are unrelated to him. I was disappointed, deep in my heart I felt hurt and neglected. But I can't complain to anyone, my grandpa warned me repeatedly. That a loveless marriage is cruel for both sides, but I didn't listen. This is what I want in the first place and I wanted to be his wife even if I become a ghost.
That's what I thought in my head but I could feel that my affection towards him is started drifting off. Since the last incident on my wedding day, it took me almost 3months before I have the time to visit the hospital. it's due to my school papers and house affairs. I decided to go to the hospital in secrecy.
After a series of medical tests, the doctor diagnosed me with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia CML. He told me it's curable, he also said that either I wait for a bone marrow match or undergo chemotherapy.
I am not surprised because I already anticipated the outcome, but it is still a big blow to me. My life as a married woman had only just begun. I wanted to have a child too, live a long life as normal people do.
After I left the hospital, I went to look for my grandpa and wanted to share the sad news with him. But when I saw his exhausted face, I hesitated. The company is not doing well due to internal strife, grandmas first brother wanted to dominate the company, saying that it was his elder sister's company, to begin with. so, he is just taking it back.
Although that jewelry company is indeed built by my grandma's hard work, grandpa also put a lot of effort to make it big after grandma died. So, the second great uncle's words are really hard to swallow.
Taking to heart the burden on my grandpa's shoulder, I decided to let it go.
The case with my mom and mine is the same, same diagnoses and same treatment process. The only difference is she was already pregnant when the doctor diagnosed her, so she can't possibly undergo treatment. I'm afraid to die, but I'm also afraid that someone might find out that I'm sick.
I'm afraid to tell my husband, what if he finds out that I am already dying. Will he force me to divorce him?
I'm afraid to lose everything, and it's driving me crazy. So, in the end, I chose to keep it a secret and keep it to myself.
I went to help my grandpa and sometimes manage the company to lessen his burden. Most of the time I stayed at home, like a good little wife. I even went to different kinds of workshops to learn the basics of being a good wife, I grow up in a rich family after all. I diligently learned Cooking, gardening, and even embroidering. I put a lot of effort just to save our straying relationship and I carry on with my life as I would normally do.
When I turned 22, my grandpa had a heart attack and died. The only person who cares for me the most had also decided to leave me in this empty, and barren world.
Since then, I have also lost my will to live my condition is even worsening. What can I do? I've already married Cai for almost 3 years and my husband doesn't even care about me. So, I decided to file a divorce and end our marriage at least before I die, so I can let him go. I've sold all the properties I have including the old mansion. Donate everything to the orphanage and decide to die quietly.
I don't know if Cai signed the divorce papers, or not. I don't even care anymore. It's already been 2 months since the last time I saw his face, and it was during my grandpa's funeral.
I heard that he is shooting a drama outside the country, and it will take them a few months before they finish the project. It is better this way after all she didn't need to see his cold face until her last breath.
Because she might die out of irritation instead. That guy didn't even know how to talk using human language and would always stare at her with his cold and expressionless eyes, at least she can skip talking nonsense explaining why she needed to file a divorce, and just end their marriage peacefully.
I stayed in the hospital where my grandma, and mom died. The hospital room was also the same, Grandpa customized the two VIP rooms and merge them into one.
he filled it with the famous painting that my grandma likes. There is also an enormous chandelier dangling above the sofa. My mother liked to appraise kinds of stones, and that chandelier was also her creation before she died. The whole room was screaming with money everywhere you look.
Anyone who entered this room might also think that the owner of this hospital is crazy. Even I who is the one using the room thought my grandpa is crazy.
the customized room was too strong for my taste, but taking to heart my grandpa's effort I let him be.
he distinctly wanted to lessen the depressing atmosphere surrounding the hospital. I put grandpa's military uniform with his heroic badge near the shelf after he died. I also put our family picture on the top of the fireplace, my last contribution to the room.
The hospital is the last property that I was reluctant to sell, and in the end, I entrusted it to my nanny for her to manage.
On my deathbed, my nanny is the only person by my side. I don't want anyone to look at me with eyes overflowing with sympathy, regret, or pain.
Maybe this is the last selfishness that I want to hold on to until my last breath.
Zuli's eyes moistened slightly, thinking about her past life. she regretted it! She regretted everything.
Shaking her head to remove all the unnecessary thoughts of her past life. Zuli hastened her footsteps to find her grandpa.