Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Autumn took the box from Zoe, thanked her, and walked over to the sofa to open it.
Inside was a diagnostic report.
Even though she already knew what it would say, her heart still trembled slightly as she read it.
It stated: A large shadow was found on the left side of the stomach, suspected to be a tumor, with signs of metastasis.
Clinical diagnosis: Stage 2 stomach cancer. Long–term medication recommended. Follow–up scheduled for one month later.
She took out the medication inside.
It was different from what the doctor had prescribed last time, but the labels all indicated anti–cancer drugs.
Just then, Julian–who hadn’t been home for several days—came back.
He glanced at Autumn sitting on the sofa opening the package.
But it was only a glance.
He headed straight upstairs without sparing her another look.
Even though she had long accepted that Julian no longer cared, the memory of what they once had still stirred a wave of grievance inside her.
Autumn held the diagnosis in her hand, her eyes slightly reddening.
She should’ve known better than to expect anything from him.
After a moment, she picked up a lighter.
With a click, the corner of the diagnosis caught fire.
As the flame flickered, Julian came downstairs again, holding a brocade box in his hand.
Noticing what was happening, he casually asked, “What are you burning p>
Autumn’s body flinched involuntarily.
Just as she was about to respond, Julian’s voice sounded again.
“If you want to burn something, do it outside. Don’t set the house on fire. It’d be a hassle to redo the renovations.
“1
Autumn was speechless.
His cold, emotionless tone stunned her for several seconds.
Had his disgust for her reached this point?
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Her heart twisted into knots.
Watching his retreating back, she didn’t even know how to describe what she was feeling anymore.
She was dying, and all he cared about was whether she might accidentally burn the house down and cost him money for repairs.
How absurd.
It wasn’t until the flames scorched her fingers that she snapped out of it.
Startled, she dropped the paper to the floor and watched it turn to ash.
Just like her love for Julian, her heart had already turned to ash–beyond any hope of revival.
A few more quiet days passed.
On the weekend, Autumn was woken by a phone call.
It was from her grandmother.
“Autumn, it’s your birthday today. I got you a cake and a present. Will you come home to celebrate p>
Autumn froze for a moment.
At this point, her grandmother was probably the only one who still remembered her birthday.
When she didn’t respond right away, Ginny sighed on the other end.
“Don’t worry, they all went on vacation last night. It’s just me and Irene at home today. You don’t need to worry about running into anyone p>
Autumn’s eyes welled up for a brief second.
Ginny always understood her.
She knew Autumn didn’t want to see the rest of that family, so she chose to celebrate when they were away.
It felt so good to be remembered, to know someone still cared about her.
With a smile, Autumn said, “Alright, Grandma. I’ll be there soon p>
After hanging up, she threw off the covers and got out of bed.
She quickly had breakfast and then drove back to the Lewis estate.
Seeing Autumn return, Irene beamed with joy and rushed to greet her.
“Madam Ginny went out early this morning to buy your favorite dishes. The cake’s already ordered—it should
be delivered in a bit.
“Come in, Ms. Autumn. Have some fruit first and chat with Madam Ginny. I’ll get back to the kitchen p>
Ginny, sitting on the sofa, waved her over with a warm smile. “Autumn’s home! Come sit with me and keep me
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company p>
Autumn walked over sweetly and greeted her. “Hi, Grandma p>
Ginny handed her a beautifully decorated brocade box. “Happy birthday, Autumn! This is my gift to you. Open it and see if you like it p>
Inside was a pair of emerald bangles.
At first glance, Autumn knew they were heirlooms–priceless treasures passed down in the family.
“Grandma, this is too valuable. You should give me something else instead,” she said, gently pushing the box back.