Chapter 2：A Million-Dollar Farewell Gift
566words
The sharp scent of disinfectant filled my nostrils.
"This seems rather premature. If you're looking for arrangements for an elderly relative, we have some excellent discounted packages that are both economical and dignified..."
I stood in the hospital lobby, phone pressed to my ear, listening to the cemetery staff's shocked attempts at dissuasion.
Since marrying Dane, I'd never splurged on myself. Not once.
I'd devoted myself to his parents, his sister, him—never sparing a thought for my own needs.
So this time, I paid the bill without a second thought.
"No need for alternatives. I want it. And just to be clear—it's for me."
This burial plot was my final gift to myself.
The staff member fell silent before awkwardly ending the call. I took a deep breath and headed for the hospital exit.
Dane's driver, David, waited outside. He opened the car door with practiced courtesy. "Ma'am, you look pale. Are you feeling alright?"
I opened my mouth to respond when my brother Mike strode toward us, his face tight with concern.
He was always buried in work, and I rarely saw him these days.
The moment he reached me, he asked urgently, "What did the doctor say? How bad is it?"
Mike and I had been distant since childhood. This was the first time he'd ever shown genuine concern for me.
For a moment, I was stunned, a bittersweet warmth spreading through my chest as tears threatened to form.
I didn't want my family devastated by my impending death, so I decided to keep it to myself.
I forced back the sob rising in my throat, managed a slight smile, and feigned nonchalance. "Everything's fine, don't worry—"
Mike visibly relaxed, then his expression shifted as he cut me off mid-sentence.
His tone dripped with reproach. "You're being ridiculous. As if Flora would ever harm you. Why drag everyone to the hospital? You're just making her feel guilty."
"Why can't you just let this go? I really don't get you, Sophia. Why stir up all this drama?"
The smile froze on my lips as an icy chill spread through my body.
So his relief wasn't for me—it was fear that Flora might face consequences.
"So this is how you all see me?"
A bone-chilling sensation crept up my neck as excruciating pain ripped through my body. My vision blurred momentarily.
The wolfsbane was taking effect.
Each day would bring worse agony than the last, until death finally claimed me.
I pulled my coat tighter, forcing myself into the car as my pale fingers dug into my palms. I looked at Mike's stunned face and whispered, "Sometimes, I really wish we weren't related."
Mike's pupils contracted in shock. Then his phone rang, panic flashed across his face, and he bolted toward the hospital without a backward glance.
No doubt news about Flora's fainting spell.
I watched his figure grow smaller as he ran. With a sigh, I rolled up the window and told the driver, "Let's go home."
"Aren't you waiting for the boss?"
David asked, clearly surprised. In his eyes, Dane and I had always been inseparable.
Before, I would always wait for Dane, no matter how long it took.
But this time, I simply closed my eyes and murmured, "Not anymore."
