I couldn't shake the feeling that Rupert had been seeing Lillian behind my back for a while. And now, with my terminal diagnosis, he didn't even bother pretending our marriage was still intact.

Just as I was getting disgusted by everything, my mother-in-law, Morwenna Flynn, stepped out of her room and shot me a judgmental look.

"Rupe handles everything around here. What have you ever done all these years? Now you even get yourself diagnosed with some disease that's going to drain all our money. You really deserve to die!" she snapped.

I got up, looked at Morwenna and Rupert, and couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous this all was.

"What have I ever done, you ask? Did you forget, Morwenna? I paid half of the down payment on this house!" I retorted. "And you're still asking what I've done? Maybe you should ask yourselves what you and Rupert have actually done!

"I'm not even going to get into what's going on between Rupert and Lillian. The most he did after losing his job was some light cleaning around here. Sometimes, he even makes me do it! How is that 'handling everything'?

"Don't I have a job? And it's my paycheck that's been keeping you both afloat! So, tell me, what have I done?"

Morwenna stood there, her face going through a bunch of different expressions as if she wanted to say something, but Rupert's glare shut her up.

I scoffed and continued, "And you, Morwenna. I used to think you were fair and would have my back. But now I see you're just like him! You two are the real family here, and I'm—"

Before I could finish, Rupert slapped me across the face. My ears were ringing. I clutched my cheek and shot him a death stare.

Since Rupert lost his job, he and Morwenna have been counting on me to keep things running. All he did was clean up a little here and there, and they acted like that was him holding down the fort.

Were they out of their minds? And now he actually had the nerve to hit me!

"Half of that money in our savings is mine!" I shouted.

Rupert and Morwenna probably thought I'd just break down in tears. They didn't expect me to stand my ground, yelling back without a trace of fear.

Seriously? I was already dealing with a terminal illness. What more was there to be afraid of?

Their faces were a sight after I said that, but the facts were clear. They wanted to argue, but couldn't come up with anything.

I added, "You're giving me that money back! Or we're taking this to court. Even if I can't be cured, I'd rather burn it all than leave a cent for Lillian!"

"It's not happening, Anne. Let it go. I'm not giving you a darn thing," Rupert shot back.

He glared at me, his eyes cold as ice.

"If you've got the guts, go ahead and file for divorce," he said. "But I'm not signing off on it. What's the big deal? All I have to do is stretch this out through the cooling-off period, right? I'm fine with that, I can wait! Now that you've made your stance clear, I'll outlast you, and the money's staying mine!"

I stared at him in disbelief.

Rupert must've thought I was backing down. He tried to smooth things over. "Why make this so ugly, Anne? If you just play along and cooperate, I'll make sure you're taken care of until the end."

All I could feel was regret when I heard him spout such nonsense. How the heck did I end up with a guy like this? How could I have been so blind, even putting all my hard-earned money into a house with him and marrying him?

I looked around at what used to be our cozy, welcoming home. Now, it felt like a total freezer in here. I clenched my fists so tight that my nails were digging into my palms.

Whining and waiting until the Grim Reaper found me? Not a chance. I wasn't just going to roll over and let people like Rupert and Lillian snatch my money without a fight.

I tried to steady myself. Then it hit me—I still had my wedding jewelry made of gold. Maybe that could help me get back on track.

I decided to go with the flow with Rupert and Morwenna for the time being. I told them I was feeling overwhelmed and just needed a moment to clear my head.

I explained that I'd been under a lot of pressure, but after thinking it through, it made sense what they were saying.

We went back and forth for a while, but eventually, my expression seemed to win them over. Honestly, being an orphan, it felt like I had no choice but to lean on them for now.

I sat on my bed, staring around the room, hoping for a chance. Sure enough, Rupert was heading out later that afternoon.

The moment he stepped out, I knew it was my only chance. My heart was pounding, but I moved quickly and quietly as I searched the room.

Just as I grabbed the gold wedding jewelry, I saw Morwenna standing in the doorway, her eyes full of suspicion.

"What are you doing in here?" Her words cut through me like a blade to the heart.

My brain started racing. I quickly tossed the jewelry into the trash can, then grabbed the bag, trying to stay calm.

"Oh, nothing," I said. "I saw the trash was full, so I thought I'd take it out. Didn't you say Rupe's been handling everything at home? Since I'm still feeling fine, I figured I'd lend a hand. After all... I'll need the family's money for my treatment."

Morwenna stared at me, clearly skeptical, but with no real proof, she turned and walked off.

I seized the moment to slip out of the room. All I could think about was turning those pieces of jewelry into cash. At least that might give me a chance to survive.

I walked into the jewelry store, feeling hopeful, and handed the pieces to the salesperson for a quick check.

But then, the news hit me like a ton of bricks. They weren't even real gold—just 'gold-plated silver'. The jewelry was a thin layer of gold over cheap silver.

My heart sank. All my hopes deflated in an instant. I'd picked out those pieces myself for my wedding. How was this even happening? The gold plating looked so real that I never even doubted it!

Just as I stood there, completely shocked, Morwenna and Rupert walked in with smug grins.

"I knew you were up to no good," Morwenna said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Good thing we stayed sharp and had Rupert swap them out."

Rupert looked totally pleased with himself. He stepped forward and grabbed my arm, his voice laced with danger. "Luckily, I thought ahead. Otherwise, we'd be screwed. I've already given the real pieces to Lillian as an investment. She'll help us turn them into even more cash.

"As for these gold-plated pieces of junk, think of them as your burial gifts. Consider it our last 'favor' to you. Don't worry, babe. Once you're out of the way, I'll make sure to bury them with you."

His words sliced through me, over and over, like a knife.

Furious, I fought back, trying to break free, but suddenly, my body felt like it was shutting down from all the rage. Everything started to blur, and their mocking laughter rang in my ears.

No, I couldn't just collapse here!

I tried to clench my fists, to pull myself together, but out of nowhere, a wave of pure hatred crashed over me, and everything went black.

When I opened my eyes again, everything around me felt both familiar and strange. I blinked as if I were stuck in a long dream, struggling to tell what was real and what wasn't.

The room was exactly the same as it always had been, but the warmth and peace that used to be there were gone. All I felt was the cold air and an empty chill in my heart.

This place, which had been my haven after 20 years of wandering, now felt like the last place I wanted to be.

Ever since I found out about my terminal illness, the whole vibe here changed. All the happiness was replaced by indifference, and I felt like I didn't belong anymore.

I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh at that thought.

Now, not even my fainting spells were enough to get Rupert and Morwenna to lift a finger and take me to the hospital. My value was gone the moment that harsh diagnosis came through.

I could hear Rupert's voice from the living room, thick with sarcasm. "Oh, you're awake? I thought you'd be out for days."

There wasn't a trace of concern in his voice, just pure disdain. He didn't even offer me a glass of water. Back then, he would've been here in a flash, water in hand, making sure I was okay.

I lay on the bed, closed my eyes, and didn't bother to reply.

"You woke up just in time for the meal. You're honestly such a freeloader, hanging around waiting to be fed," Morwenna chimed in.

Her laugh was so harsh that it felt like nails on a chalkboard.

Just moments ago, a strong, spicy smell hit me, and I knew right away what was on the menu for today.

Sure enough, when I walked out of the bedroom, I could see the table loaded with all kinds of spicy dishes from across the room. It was their way of silently taunting and tormenting me.

I took a deep breath, trying to ignore the discomfort as I made my way to the table. The fiery red dishes on the table felt like some cruel reminder of my situation.

I shot a cold glance at the dishes without saying anything. Whether it was in my head or not, I could feel the nausea rising, so I turned and headed back to my room.

Their smug laughter echoed behind me.

Rupert was chewing loudly in the living room, each bite obnoxiously loud. He didn't seem to care how rude it sounded.

Instead, he grumbled, "Next time, don't make it so spicy, Mom. You're so caught up in dealing with Anne that you're forgetting about me. This spicy stuff is wrecking my stomach."

Morwenna reluctantly hummed in reply.

They were talking about "dealing with" me like I wasn't even there. I couldn't help but wonder just how much they wanted to see me gone.

I stood behind the door, listening to all of it, my anger and despair kept piling up. I just couldn't deal with this life anymore.

"I want a divorce!" I shouted.

Rupert's voice came right after, dripping with sarcasm. "Do whatever you want. I'm not signing anything. You can wait all you want, and we'll see how long you can last."

His tone was calm and sure like he'd already figured me out.

I froze, staring at the closed door, feeling all sorts of emotions. I realized trying to get a divorce legally was probably a waste of time.

Rupert made it clear with his attitude. He was going to stretch this out and wear me down until my illness drained me completely.

But I wasn't about to just sit back and watch it all fall apart. If that way wasn't going to work, I'd find another one.