The Heart I Kept Chapter 1

I chased after Julian Thorne for ten years.

He deeply despised me, never giving me a kind look.

Until I was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

He finally started to care about me, even planning a grand proposal.

Just when I thought my suffering was over and happiness had arrived.

He placed an organ donation agreement in front of me.

"Since you don't have long to live anyway, why not give your heart to Claire?"

He coaxed me in a low voice.

Julian Thorne would never know.

On this very day, I discovered my cancer diagnosis was a mistake.

I accepted a job offer from across the ocean and finally decided to leave him.

* * *

When I walked out of the hospital, I was still running a high fever, feeling dazed.

Julian's call came through.

"Where are you? Didn't I tell you Claire has a heart condition and can't be left alone?"

I blinked, and two lines of tears ran down my face, my heart aching as if pierced by a knife.

I wanted to say, be nicer to me, Julian, I have terminal cancer, I'm dying soon.

But I knew, in Julian's eyes, I was just a desperate admirer who had persisted for ten years.

He only cared about Claire, his first love with the heart condition.

"I'm coming right away, don't be angry."

In the last moments of my life, I still cared about him, not wanting to upset him.

When I arrived at Claire's house, I was soaked, clothes clinging to my body.

Claire sneezed.

Julian's disgusted gaze swept over me.

"You brought all this dampness inside. Claire can't handle this."

I bent down, hiding the terminal cancer diagnosis deeper in my bag, my heart twisting in pain.

"I know."

I wiped away a tear.

Claire and Julian were playing the piano, a duet.

Watching their intimate figures from behind, I had never felt so superfluous.

"Wen, can you go upstairs and get a painting for me?"

Claire turned her face and smiled at me.

When she had this expression, nothing good ever happened.

Last time, she drove a shard of a broken wine glass into my palm, then complained to Julian that I was too careless.

The time before that, she added crushed peanuts to my food, sending me into anaphylactic shock.

My shoulders trembled.

"Hurry up, why are you so slow?"

Julian sneered, his cold gaze landing on me.

Sure enough, while carrying the painting downstairs, Claire let go without warning.

I tumbled down the stairs like a ball, landing amidst shattered glass, my entire back riddled with wounds.

Claire gasped, as if she wasn't the one who pushed me.

"I really liked that painting!"

She started crying pitifully.

Julian picked up the painting from the floor, not even thinking to help me up.

"It's all your fault, clumsy idiot. I can't believe you can do anything right!"

He sneered, kicking my leg.

But when Claire made mistakes, he didn't say that.

Last time I had food poisoning, he told Claire, "It's okay, Wen is tough, she won't die that easily."

But I was really dying.

I stood up with difficulty, barely able to stand due to the high fever and blood loss.

A flicker of pity crossed Julian's brow, and he reached out a hand as if to support me.

"My heart feels a bit uncomfortable."

Claire clutched her chest, instantly drawing all of Julian's attention.

"Stop pretending. If you're hurt, go treat it. Standing here, do you want me to feel sorry for you?"

Julian scolded me.

I turned around and saw my music composition on Claire's desk.

But this was something I prepared for a competition, never shown to anyone.

"Where did you find this?"

I snatched the score back, protecting it tightly in my arms.

Julian snatched it back from me without hesitation.

"Claire is having a piano recital soon, she needs a piece."

I understood instantly.

Only Julian had the key to my house.

When I shyly played this piece for him to express my love, was he moved by me, or rejoicing for Claire?

My tears flowed like a fountain.

Then I suddenly remembered, I have terminal cancer, no more chances.

These are all worldly possessions, let Claire have them all, I don't care anymore.

The smile on my lips provoked Julian. He sternly questioned why I was so petty.

Behind him, Claire's mocking and triumphant gaze fell on me.

Overwhelmed by the shock, my knees gave way, and I fainted, losing consciousness.