On the day I found out I was dying, Evan Buck, my husband, came home with a “dating contract” he had signed with his assistant, Cherry Mello.

“She threatened to kill herself if I didn’t agree to date her for three months.” He continued with a sincere gaze. “But don’t worry. It’s just indulging a young girl’s wish. You’re the one I love. I promise you, after three months, she’ll resign, and we’ll never hear from her again.”

I knew that when Evan made up his mind, there was no talking him out of it.

Just like how I had long seen the unmistakable longing in Cherry’s eyes when she looked at him.

However, he said I was overthinking and refused to dismiss her.

Looking at the man I had loved for ten years before me, I quietly slipped the terminal diagnosis behind my back.

Three months.

What a coincidence.

That was exactly how much time I had left.

Seeing that I did not lash out, my partner let out a breath of relief.

“Ana, could you sign it too?” He held out a pen with an uncomfortable look. “Cherry said she doesn’t want to be a mistress. According to her, the contract only counts if you also sign it.”

I took the absurd document from him and skimmed through it.

“Party A, Cherry Mello, and Party B, Evan Buck, will enter a romantic relationship for three months. During this period, both parties are to fulfill the duties of a couple and are entitled to the corresponding rights. Party C, Ana Newton, acknowledges and consents to physical intimacy between Parties A and B, including hugging and kissing. Throughout the contract period, Party B, Evan Buck, is prohibited from engaging in any romantic or intimate behavior with Party C, Ana Newton.”

I looked at Evan with a stunned gaze.

He rubbed the back of his neck. A flicker of guilt crossed his face.

“Don’t take it seriously. It’s just playing house with a young girl.”

“Okay, I’ll sign.”

I took the pen and signed my name without protest.

Evan let out a relieved sigh as he took the contract from me.

“That’s my Ana, always so understanding. I’d better get this to Cherry right away. Don’t want the girl hurting herself again.”

My nails dug deep into my palms, but I kept a look of concern on my face.

“Drive safe. Be careful on the road.”

Evan pressed a quick kiss to my forehead before walking out without looking back. He failed to notice that I had covered my mouth and coughed behind him. When I lowered my hand, it was stained with bright red blood.

I stared at it for a moment in a daze.

Were I not sick, I would have made a scene for sure, or maybe I would have just divorced him and started over.

However, I had changed my mind.

I found myself wondering if Evan would feel a little regret when he finally found out that the three months he spent playing house with someone else were the last three months of my life.

When Evan got home past midnight, he opened the door only to find a table full of cold food and me, asleep with my head resting on it.

He froze for a second. Guilt flashed across his face.

“You waited for me? Why didn’t you call?”

I rubbed my sleepy eyes and let a trace of loneliness seep into my voice on purpose.

“It’s okay. I’m just glad you came home.”

I stepped forward to help him out of his jacket. When I looked up, I noticed his swollen lips. Catching my gaze, Evan instinctively touched the corner of his mouth and winced.

“That girl’s like a puppy. Once she bites, she doesn’t let go.”

The tips of his ears turned red. There was a faint smile tugging at his lips, like he was reminiscing about something he could not say out loud.

Then, he met my reddened eyes.

His smile faded. He pulled me into a tight, tender hug.

“Ana, I know this isn’t fair to you, but I can’t just stand by and let her hurt herself. Don’t worry, it’s just three months. I’ll make it up to you after that.”

I rested my head against his chest and smiled bitterly to myself as I thought. “But Evan, there is no ‘after’ for us anymore.”

The following day was Saturday.

The first official day of Evan and Cherry’s contracted relationship.

The pain had made my sleep restless. I woke up just as dawn was breaking. As usual, I made a full breakfast and walked Evan to the door. He stood there for a moment, looking like he was hesitating to say something.

I gave him an understanding smile.

“You can go. I’ll be fine.”

He wavered a moment longer, then finally said it.

“Cherry wants you to come along. She says that you not being here makes her feel like the other woman.”

I clenched my jaw so hard it ached before managing to force out a smile.

“Sure.”

When we picked Cherry up, she refused to get in the car.

“Ana, can I sit in the front? I heard the passenger seat is reserved for the girlfriend.”

I did not answer. I just looked at Evan.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. In an exasperated tone, he said, “Cherry, don’t start. Just get in the car.”

However, Cherry’s eyes immediately filled with tears.

“Ana gets to have you for a lifetime. I had to hurt myself just to have you for three months. You promised me yesterday that you’d love me only and treat me like I matter during these three months.”

“Alright.” Evan cut her off before turning to me with a pleading look.

I gave him a sad, understanding smile.

“It’s fine. I’ll sit in the back.”

The car pulled away.

Cherry was in high spirits. She tore open a bag of chips and casually asked, “Want some, Ana?”

Before I could answer, she had already picked one up to hold it to Evan’s lips. “Here, baby, open up. Let me feed you.”

Evan cleared his throat. “Don’t call me that. I don’t like it.”

Cherry flashed him a teasing, knowing smile. “That’s not what you said yesterday.”

Evan nervously glanced at me in the rearview mirror. All he saw was my pale face and my gaze blankly fixed on the window.

The date was at an amusement park.

Cherry was practically glowing with excitement.

One minute she was shouting, “Baby, come ride the roller coaster with me!” The next, she was clinging to Evan’s arm, dragging him to a claw machine. Then, she was whining for him to feed her bites of ice cream.

I dragged my sick body along on autopilot.

Watching my husband flirt with another woman right in front of me, for a moment, I could not tell which hurt more, my body or my heart.

In the restroom, I splashed cold water on my face. I tried to clear my head.

When I looked up, Cherry was standing there with her arms crossed. She was shooting me a provoking look. The sweet-girl act was gone.

She dropped the pretense and snorted. “You really are thick-skinned. You’re staying despite everything.”

I put on a frightened voice. “What do you mean? You said you’d leave after three months!”

Cherry let out a mocking chuckle. “You’re so naive, Ana! Tell me, in three months, who do you think will be the one leaving? You or me?”

She glanced at herself in the mirror with confidence, then reached out and lightly patted my cheek.

“Men always choose the younger, prettier girl. What exactly do you think you have that can compete with me, old lady?”

Panic flashed my face. My voice broke as I pleaded. “Please don’t take Evan from me. We’ve been together for ten years. I can’t live without him.”

A cruel smile spread across her face.

“Fine. Then get on your knees and beg.”

Tears slipped down my face as humiliation burned through me. Only then did she finally look satisfied.

“You actually would’ve done it? I was just messing with you, old lady.”

She smiled sweetly.

“Don’t worry. Your precious Evan is just a little distraction to me. Playing with you two is way more entertaining than teasing a dog. When I get bored, I’ll give him back.”

With that, she turned and walked away with her hips swaying and a smirk on her face.

Once she was gone, my tears vanished instantly.

I pulled the recorder out from inside my clothes. My expression turned cold.

“Oh, Evan, what face will you make when you find out the true colors of the sweet, innocent girl you’ve been protecting?”

I was actually looking forward to seeing it.

When I stepped out of the restroom, Cherry rushed over and slipped her arm through mine with a bright smile.

“Ana, Evan and I are going to the haunted house next. Come with us.” She added in a lowered voice. “You’d better keep what just happened to yourself. But honestly, even if you told him, he wouldn’t believe you.”

I pulled away from her and walked unsteadily toward Evan.

“I’m not feeling well. You two go ahead. I’m going back.”

Evan frowned when he saw me.

“Why do you look so pale? You should go home and rest.”

Cherry immediately pouted. “Come on, baby, I’m scared. It’ll be easier if there are more people. Let Ana stay just for this one game.”

Evan hesitated, then looked at me.

“Can you hold on a little longer? I’ll drive you back after this.”

I held his gaze for a moment, then nodded. My body was barely holding on. The haunted house’s freezing drafts did not help. I swayed and reached for Evan’s arm, just looking for something to steady myself.

Then, Cherry let out a shriek and clung to him like a koala.

Evan sighed. His voice was soft with affection as he said, “You’re such a scaredy-cat. Why insist on coming in here if you’re so afraid?”

He shook my hand off without a second thought, then scooped Cherry up into his arms and carried her forward.

He did not notice me stumbling behind him.

Nestled in his arms, Cherry looked over his shoulder at me. Her eyes were filled with a mix of pity and mockery. When they exited the haunted house, Evan set Cherry down and turned to look back inside. I dragged myself out of the darkness, agonizing step by agonizing step.

My body had reached its limit. My legs gave way. Pain wracked every inch of me. Just as I crossed the threshold, everything went black.

“Ana!”

Before the darkness swallowed me, I saw Evan sprint toward me. There was panic and concern written all over his face.

I woke up in the car to find Evan driving toward the hospital.

Weak as I was, I stopped him. “I’m fine. Probably just heatstroke. Just take me home.”

Evan let out a sigh of relief.

“You almost gave me a heart attack, Ana! We’re going home now.”

Five minutes later, he left me by the side of the road just because Cherry said they were going to be late for a movie.

Evan gently patted my hair. “Text me when you get home. And if you still feel unwell, go to the hospital. Don’t tough it out, okay?”

I nodded obediently and watched as they drove away together. The truth was, I did not want to go home. That warm little place that used to belong to me and Evan only. Thinking about being there just made me sick.

I swallowed two painkillers with a bottle of water, then carefully touched up my makeup.

An hour later, I stood outside an old house and rang the bell. The door swung open and my mother’s face lit up the moment she saw me.

“Why didn’t you call first? I don’t even have any food prepared for you.”

Then her brow furrowed.

“You’ve gotten so thin. And you look terrible. Come on, we’re going to the hospital.”

Even with a thick foundation. Even with my brightest fake smile. She saw right through me. Of course she did. I did not have much time left. And the people who truly loved someone could always tell.

I bit my lip until it bled. Unable to contain it anymore, I threw my arms around her and sobbed. All the feelings I had bottled up over the past few days finally broke loose. All the fear and hurt came pouring out all at once.

My mother was my one weakness.

She was also the real reason I had swallowed every humiliation and played the part of the understanding wife over the past few days. My father had died when I was little. She had raised me and had gone through every hardship on her own.

Just when things were finally looking up, I learned that I was going to die.

What would she do without me? Thus, I made up my mind. In these last months, no matter how Evan treated me, I would never leave him. The deeper he hurt me, the heavier his guilt would weigh.

Then, once I would be gone, maybe that guilt would make him take good care of my mother in my place. After comforting my mom with a mix of lies and soothing words, I went back to the house.

I took out my journal and started writing down everything I had endured that day.

That was part of the plan too.

After my death, this gloomy journal would be another gift I would leave for Evan.

It was past midnight when Evan finally came home.

He pushed open the bedroom door and met my eyes, which were red, swollen from crying. For a brief moment, something in him faltered, like a sharp pinprick in his chest.

For the first time, he thought about ending the contract.

I only gave him a gentle smile.

“You should get some rest. Staying up this late isn’t good for your health. There’s some soup in the fridge. Have a little if you’re hungry, but don’t overdo it.”

With every word I spoke, the guilt in his eyes deepened. The next morning, Evan wrapped his arms around me and said that he would stay home all day and spend time with me. I nodded. My eyes were glistening with gratitude.

However, Cherry showed up in the afternoon.

“Ana, I’m sorry about yesterday. I shouldn’t have picked the amusement park in that heat.” She clung to Evan’s arm and swayed it playfully. “Baby, I found a much nicer place today. It’s quiet and peaceful. It’ll be good for Ana’s health too.”

Just like that, Evan, who had promised to spend the whole day with me, broke his word again. When they reached the spot, Evan felt a strange sense of familiarity.

Then Cherry pulled him onto the old wooden swing, and it hit him.

This was where he and I had started our relationship.

Cherry settled herself on his lap. Her tone was soft and teasing as she said, “I heard this is where you and Ana shared your first kiss. So I want one too.”

It was June, but I felt like I had been plunged into ice water.

This intimate and private moment of ours, Evan had shared it with her. Right in front of me, Cherry leaned in and kissed my husband.

Evan startled and instinctively glanced toward me, but she nipped lightly at his ear.

“Focus.”

Evan gasped. He muttered, “You little devil.” Then he kissed her back hard.

I had no idea how long it lasted. Time seemed to stop. The ache in my chest spread like a flood. The pain in my body peaked, and I suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood before falling backward to the ground.

The last thing I saw was Evan shoving Cherry away and sprinting toward me with panic written all over his face.

A few tears fell onto my face. They were cold.

For the first time ever, I saw Evan cry. He was panicking, sobbing, calling my name, but my consciousness slipped into darkness.

That was okay.

A wife who died of a broken heart because of him. A diary, raw and honest. And a voice recorder with some very interesting content.

Those were the gifts I had so carefully prepared for the man I had loved for ten years.