Love Fades into Darkness

Chapter 1 Ian Zahn’s footsteps were unsteady as he staggered into a hospital, clutching the 500 thousand dollars that he’d gotten by selling his kidney. His ashen face broke into a satisfied smile.

500 thousand dollars was enough to cure Leila Sutherland. It was more than worth it to exchange one of his kidneys for her life.

He was weak after his surgery, but he endured it as he clumsily jogged to Leila’s ward. He saw her from the window in the door—she was so fragile that his heart ached for her.

“Lili, that pathetic boyfriend you picked up isn’t here. Who are you putting on this act for?”

“Shut up! I’m refining my acting skills—how else will I continue tricking him?”

A familiar laugh rang out, and Ian paused as he reached for the doorknob. Tricking… him?

The people in the ward cheered.

“As expected of Lili! All you needed to do was forge some medical records to pull a fast one on that idiot. He really thinks you have cancer!”

“I heard he even withdrew all his savings for her. Do you guys know how much that was? A mere 60 thousand dollars!”

“Damn, that’s it? Lili spends hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single night at the bar—60 thousand dollars is nothing to her! I can’t believe he had the gall to give that to her!”

Ian was so stunned by the conversation that his limbs went numb. Leila had lied to him about having cancer?

Inside the ward, Leila dropped her weak act and lifted the sheets, deftly hopping out of bed. One of the people with her quickly grabbed her a chair. Her face, which always had a bright smile when she was with him, now seemed unfamiliar.

“Alright, that’s enough. He’s broke, so it’s surprising enough that he gave me all his money, even if it’s just 60 thousand dollars,” she said.

Her friends started teasing her.

“My, my. You’re not feeling bad for him, are you? Connor’s gonna throw a fit if he hears about this.”

“How can that be? At most, Lili’s just pitying him. She only hid her identity as the Sutherland heiress to date that broke guy because she wanted to get back at him for what he did to Connor. Connor is the one she loves—think about how she squatted in the slums for two years for his sake!”

“That idiot has to thank Connor, if you ask me. He wouldn’t have gotten the chance to meet someone of Lili’s status if not for Connor!”

Ian trembled uncontrollably as he listened from outside the hospital ward. His mind was a mess.

Leila played with her fingers. “I just didn’t expect it to be so easy to spend all his money. I should’ve pretended to be sick ages ago. Connor should be happy now.”

Her heartless words dashed the remnants of Ian’s hope. The blood drained from his already ashen face, and he swayed on his feet.

A passing nurse asked, “Sir, do you need any help?”

He snapped to his senses. When he saw that the people in the hospital ward were about to come out, he hurriedly thanked the nurse before ducking into a nearby restroom, barely able to remain on his feet.

He looked at his pale reflection in the mirror as Leila’s cruel words reverberated in his mind. Never in his wildest dreams would he have expected Leila, whom he thought was a broke student like him, to be the Sutherland family’s heiress! Their relationship was nothing but a lie!

The sweet memories of their time together and the harsh reality mingled in his mind.

Ian and Leila had met by accident. Two years ago, he’d worked part-time at a barbecue shop. A drunken customer had been harassing Leila. She’d asked the owner for help, but he’d ignored her.

Ian couldn’t stand it when he saw the drunken customer becoming bolder by the second. He’d grabbed a beer bottle and smashed it on the guy’s head.

This had pissed the guy off, and he’d summoned a group of men, wanting to beat Ian up. It was at that critical juncture that Leila had stood before him and held up her phone, threatening to call the police.

Ian’s heart had skipped a beat at the sight of her back. It was a cliché, but her protectiveness had been precious to him, an orphan. Furthermore, despite being a petite woman, she’d been brave enough to face a group of burly men.

Later, he’d learned that Leila was an orphan and needed to work three jobs a day, just as he did. She hadn’t even gone to college after graduating from high school because she couldn’t afford the tuition.

They had similar backgrounds and slowly grew closer as time passed. Eventually, they started dating.

Ian had moved out of his college dorm and into a cheap, tiny apartment in the suburbs with Leila—he wanted to make more money so they could get a place of their own as soon as possible.

Life was tough and tiring, but Ian had never complained. He only felt like the future looked bright.

However, a month ago, Leila told him she had cancer and needed a lot of money for treatment. At that point, they’d already been dating for two years. To him, she’d long since become his only family in the world. There was no way he could sit by and watch as an illness took her life.

To pay for Leila’s treatment, he’d withdrawn all the money he’d saved over the past four years—60 thousand dollars. However, she’d told him she would need about 500 thousand dollars to be properly cured.

When Ian had seen her lying in bed, looking weaker than he’d ever seen, he’d suppressed his fear and done something extreme—he’d gone to the black market and sold his kidney for the money.

He thought the money would be enough for her recovery and that their lives would return to being as hopeful as they had been.

He never would’ve expected this whole thing to be a lie!

Leila’s identity was a lie, and so was her cancer. Ian even started doubting that their first meeting two years ago had been a well-orchestrated act.

His face had become wet with tears without him even realizing it, and the weight of the 500 thousand dollars in his bag felt like a mockery of his stupidity.

He couldn’t believe he’d given up a kidney over a liar.

As for the other person Leila and her friends had mentioned—Connor… The only person Ian could think of who fit the bill was Connor Jensen, who was a year younger than him.

When Ian was in his sophomore year, the college had organized a public speaking competition. The champion would be awarded a cash prize of five thousand dollars.

He’d worked himself to the bone preparing for the competition just so he could get the cash prize to pay for his tuition. Thankfully, his hard work hadn’t gone to waste.

He remembered Connor placing second.

When they’d gone on stage to accept their prizes, Connor had leaned close to him and whispered, “No one has ever dared steal my thunder.”

Ian thought that was just something harsh Connor had said because he resented having come second. He never would’ve expected to have to pay such a heavy price for that.

Ian dried his tears and pulled out his phone, calling his professor, Lance White.

Half a month ago, Lance had told Ian about the opportunity for their faculty’s students to further their studies abroad. He’d wanted to recommend Ian for a spot.

However, Ian had been obsessed with making more money to treat Leila. He’d rejected Lance’s kindness without hesitation.

Now that he knew the truth, there was no point in him throwing his future down the drain for Leila’s sake. He didn’t want to continue playing this game that Leila and her high-society friends seemed to enjoy.

“Professor White, I want to further my studies abroad.”

Chapter 2 Lance sounded pleasantly surprised on the other end of the line. “I’m glad you’ve finally seen sense, Ian! I know what your concerns are—I’ll help you apply for a scholarship and think of ways to pay for your girlfriend’s treatments. At worst, we can have a charity drive on campus…”

“That won’t be necessary, Professor White,” Ian said, gently interrupting him. “I can pay for tuition myself, so leave the scholarship funds for people who need it more. As for the medical treatments… I don’t need money for that anymore.”

Lance didn’t notice anything was wrong. He thought Ian had gotten the money he needed and was happy for the latter. “That’s great! This means you can study abroad without any worries. There’s about half a month before you need to report for class, so take this time to deal with everything you need to back here.”

“Thanks, Professor White.” Ian didn’t explain anything. He clutched the straps of his bag tightly after hanging up.

He didn’t waste any more time at the hospital and left to bank in the cash to pay for the tuition. Then, he bought a ticket for a flight abroad in two weeks. He had two thousand dollars left once he was done with everything.

He pressed a hand to his abdomen, which still hurt a little. Then, he smiled miserably at the balance in his bank account.

He couldn’t help feeling glad—glad that he’d heard the truth before giving the money to Leila.

…

Ian returned to Leila’s hospital ward. He found that she was alone this time. He pursed his lips before opening the door.

Leila had made sure to keep her mocking attitude hidden. She was back to being his endearing girlfriend. “Why are you so late today, Ian?”

He curled his fingers slightly as he lowered his gaze. “I got held back by something at college.”

She didn’t suspect anything. Instead, she held his hand and looked into his eyes, the excitement in her gaze unmissable. “I have good news for you.”

Ian paused. Then, he asked, “What is it?”

“The doctor just came and told me that my cancer was a misdiagnosis. I’m not sick after all!”

He knew it. He shut his eyes and thought about the message he’d seen on Leila’s phone, which had been lit up just a second ago.

Connor had sent a message in a group chat. “Lili, hurry up and tell that pathetic idiot your cancer is a misdiagnosis. I’d kill to see his reaction when he learns all the money he’s spent on you has gone to waste! It’d be so interesting!”

The rest of the people in the group agreed and complimented him on his fantastic idea. Someone even bet that Ian would vent his anger on Leila.

The last message Ian had seen was from Leila. “Roger that, my darling.”

For the past two years, Leila had catered to Ian’s every need, making him think he’d found the perfect, devoted girlfriend. It turned out her attitude was aligned with Connor’s orders.

Ian was nothing but a toy to them and their friends. Still, he smiled and said, “I’m glad you’re fine.”

His calm reaction surprised Leila. After a brief moment of hesitation, she said in grievance, “It’s all my fault for not getting a second opinion at another hospital. Your hard-earned money wouldn’t have gone to waste if I had.”

Ian shook his head. “Every cent used on you is worth it.”

He would treat the money as payment for the happiness she’d made him feel over the past two years. Spending 60 thousand dollars on a couple of years with Leila, the Sutherland family’s heiress, was a win for him, no matter how he looked at it.

His words struck Leila’s heart like a hammer. As the heiress of an affluent family, she’d grown up being surrounded by people who flattered her and pretended to care about her. She’d long since grown immune to their fake pleasantries.

Ian wasn’t the same as them, though. He had no idea who she really was, so everything he said came from the heart. He’d willingly spent the money he’d painstakingly saved over four years on her and hadn’t had a single complaint despite learning that the money had gone down the drain.

Leila’s eyes flickered with emotion as she wrapped her arms around his waist. “Thank you, Ian.”

He lowered his gaze to hide the mockery in it.

…

When they returned to their apartment in the suburbs, Leila flopped onto their small bed and said, “Our bed at home is still the most comfortable one ever.”

Ian said softly, “It’s been tough on you.”

It had been tough on her, deigning to sleep on such a tiny bed with him for the past two years when she could’ve stayed in a villa and slept on a spacious bed.

Well, it didn’t matter. They would both soon be free of this torment.

Chapter 3 Leila thought Ian was just feeling bad for her after her stint in the hospital. She got up and wrapped her arms around his waist while burying her face in the crook of his neck. “I’m so lucky to have met you, Ian.”

Though Ian worked 18 hours a day, he didn’t smell bad. Instead, he smelled as fresh and clean as laundry detergent. Leila loved the smell and breathed deeply, tightening her hold on him.

She accidentally pressed against his surgical wound, making him go pale. He couldn’t help gasping from the pain.

She hurriedly released him and looked at him anxiously. “What’s wrong? Why do you look so pale?”

Ian forced a smile. “It’s nothing. My stomach’s a little upset.”

Leila pressed a hand to his belly and wrapped her other arm around his waist. “I’ll massage it for you.”

He didn’t turn her down. He shut his eyes. No amount of warmth could reach his heart, which had gone cold. Meeting Leila was the biggest misfortune of his life.

…

Ian woke up early the following morning. He rustled as he moved, and the sound woke Leila up. She blearily opened her eyes to see him moving his clothes from the closet into a suitcase.

That jolted her awake. A trace of panic flickered in her eyes. “Why are you packing your clothes? Are you going somewhere?”

“I’m going to the orphanage to visit Josephine. I thought I’d donate these old clothes, too.” Ian didn’t even look up as he continued packing.

Once he left in half a month, Leila probably wouldn’t take any of the cheap clothes he’d have left behind. She was an heiress, after all. Everything in this cheap apartment probably wasn’t even worth as much as a pair of her shoes.

He would rather his clothes be put to good use at the orphanage than be thrown in a dumpster.

Leila sighed in relief almost imperceptibly. She knew Ian had always been grateful to the people at the orphanage for raising him. He would visit them every month and donate whatever he could.

“I’ll go with you,” she said. She’d regularly accompanied him on trips to the orphanage after they’d gotten together.

Ian didn’t want her to go with him that day, though. This was his last time seeing the orphanage’s principal, Josephine Langdon, and the children before he left the country. He wanted to have a proper farewell with them.

Fortunately, Leila’s phone rang before he could reject her. She clutched it tightly when she saw the caller ID and said a little nervously, “My boss is looking for me. I need to take this call.”

She hurriedly got out of bed and headed to the bathroom, shutting the door. Perhaps she’d forgotten that they lived in a tiny apartment—how good could the soundproofing be?

Ian heard Connor’s voice loud and clear over the phone. The latter said, “Come shopping with me, Lili. I’m in a bad mood today, so you have to spend time with me.”

Leila agreed without hesitation. When she came out of the bathroom, she gave Ian an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, Ian. I took too much time off work because of my hospital stay, and my boss wants me to go back to work today. I can’t go to the orphanage with you.”

He didn’t expose her lie and merely nodded calmly. “That’s fine. Do what you need to.”

With that, Leila hurriedly got dressed and left. Ian watched her, thinking about the countless times she’d hastily left in the middle of the night or on their rare date nights. Each time, she would tell him it was because her boss wanted to see her.

He’d felt bad about her working for such a slave driver and had asked her to get another job. However, all she’d done was wrap her arms around him from behind and press her face against his back, sounding helpless. “I’m not afraid of being worked to the bone. I only worry that I don’t have the money to marry you and give you a better life.”

Her sweet words had moved him to bits. From then on, on top of his three part-time jobs, he’d started running errands on campus, hoping to earn as much as he could. He couldn’t let Leila down when she was working so hard for their future.

In hindsight, he was an absolute fool.

…

Ian had promised the children at the orphanage that he would bring them snacks on his next visit. So, after packing his clothes, he headed to a shopping mall. He didn’t have much money left, but at least it was enough to put smiles on the children’s faces.

He bought two huge bags full of snacks and lugged them to the subway with difficulty. As he walked past a car dealership, he heard a familiar voice.

“Just buy them all. Why go to the trouble of looking at each one?”

Ian turned in the direction of the voice to see Leila smiling helplessly yet indulgently at the man before her. He was all she could see. She complained about trouble, yet she kept her arm linked with his as she followed him around.

Ian didn’t remember much about Connor since it had been two years since their last interaction. Still, it wasn’t hard to guess that he was the one with Leila—he exuded wealth.

It seemed Leila had gone to be with Connor every time she told Ian her boss wanted to see her.

Connor’s expression darkened, and he said sullenly, “You’re willing to spend all day and every day with that peasant, yet you don’t even want to look at cars with me.”

Leila snaked an arm around his waist and looked at him dotingly. “That’s not true. I’m helping you get revenge, aren’t I? Let’s just buy all the cars here so we can move on to looking at watches. I’ll spend the whole day with you today.”

She waved a hand and told the sales clerk to ring up three cars of the same model but in different colors. She also left instructions for the cars to be sent to a villa neighborhood in the south of the city.

The sales clerk evidently knew who they were and accepted Leila’s black card with a practiced familiarity. “Your total for today is 30 million dollars, Ms. Sutherland. Please come again!”

30 million dollars. That was a number that almost made Ian fall to his feet.

He and Leila had dated for two years, and all the gifts he’d received from her were cheap T-shirts and keychains. The most expensive thing she’d gotten him was a watch that was just over a hundred dollars. He couldn’t bear to wear it and had stored it safely in its box.

Yet there she was, spending 30 million dollars just to make her childhood sweetheart happy. It seemed like something she often did—this was what Leila was truly like.

Ian couldn’t stand the sight of her and Connor splurging and acting all lovey-dovey, so he turned to leave. However, the bags he held ripped under the weight of the snacks he’d bought, making everything spill everywhere.

The noise attracted Leila’s attention. When she met Ian’s gaze, he clearly saw her eyes widen. He also saw the panic and anxiety in her gaze.

Chapter 4 “Ian, didn’t you… Didn’t you go to the orphanage?” Leila stammered.

Ian pointed at the snacks scattered on the ground. “I came to buy the children some things before heading over.”

She instinctively tried to hide her black card. “I… I’m here with my boss’s son while he shops! My boss had something to do today and told me to accompany his son because he wanted to buy a car. This isn’t my card.”

Her explanation only served to show how panicked she was, and her last sentence reeked of overcompensation.

Ian looked at the three sports cars Leila had just bought. He didn’t recognize the brand, but the fact that they’d cost 30 million dollars was enough to blow his mind. That was a number he couldn’t even begin to imagine. He said, “I didn’t know your boss was so rich.”

Leila was afraid she would say the wrong thing, so she didn’t respond. She started to hurry forward, wanting to help Ian pick up the snacks. However, Connor grabbed her by the wrist, stopping her from doing anything.

He said, “Leila might be your girlfriend, but she can’t help you. She has to go shopping with me—that’s her job for today.”

Leila faltered and looked at Ian hesitantly. “I have to act on my boss’s orders, Ian. I—”

“I understand. Anyway, I can handle this myself. You guys go ahead,” Ian interjected. He was unworthy of having both Connor and Leila put on such an act for him.

All he wanted was for them to be gone. He crouched and started picking up the snacks.

Leila’s fingers twitched, but she still allowed Connor to drag her away.

…

Ian got to the orphanage and gave out the snacks, delighting all the children. They surrounded him and chattered away. He couldn’t help feeling warm when he saw their sincere smiles.

When Josephine saw that he was alone, she asked, “Where’s Leila? Why didn’t she come with you?”

Ian pursed his lips, not sure how to answer.

Josephine thought he and Leila had gotten into a fight. She patted his shoulder and said, “I watched you grow up, Ian. I know you’ve always wanted a family of your own. Leila works three jobs to make money so she can have a home with you, and she stood up for you in a time of danger.

“Whenever she comes here, she gets along so well with the children. It’s not every day that you find a woman as wonderful as her, so don’t do anything rash just because you’re mad. If something is wrong, you two should sit down and talk about it!”

Bitterness surged in him. He hadn’t told Josephine about Leila’s “cancer”, so she had no idea he’d sold his kidney to “save” her before ultimately discovering it was all a lie.

He and Leila had been together for two years, so he knew how well she treated him. But did that diminish everything he’d done for her?

He’d given her his heart, which was why it had hurt so badly and bled so profusely upon learning the truth—his heart had shattered into pieces.

…

When Ian got home, he saw Leila waiting for him after preparing a meal. She sounded apologetic and looked upset with herself as she said, “I had to accompany my boss’s son as part of my job, Ian. That’s why I had to leave you there. I swear I won’t do it again once I’ve made money.”

He’d already heard similar lies countless times, so hearing it once more no longer affected him. He made a faint sound of acknowledgment before sitting at the table and starting to eat. The meal was particularly silent that night, perhaps because Leila was still reeling from almost getting caught.

As soon as Ian put his cutlery down, she put on a mysterious look and pulled out a box, handing it to him. “I know you didn’t have it easy caring for me when I was in the hospital, Ian. My boss’s son was pleased today and gave me a tip, so I got a gift for you. Open it and see whether you like it!”

Ian saw her expectant gaze and took the box. He opened it to see a tie inside with a brand he didn’t recognize. However…

He surreptitiously stroked the bottom of the box, where he felt the stickiness of the remnants of glue. He curled his lip mockingly. He bet the tag had just been removed. He didn’t know much about these luxury brands but was aware that only free gifts would have stickers on them indicating they weren’t for sale.

Leila had spent 30 million dollars on expensive cars for Connor to pacify him, yet she’d only given Ian a free gift. Perhaps to her, an orphan like him was only worthy of things that cost nothing.

She was surprised by his lack of reaction. He always treated all her gifts like they were precious treasures, yet today, he didn’t seem to care. She asked, “What’s wrong? You don’t like the color? I don’t know much about ties, so I asked the sales clerk to help me pick one.”

Ian set the box aside and shook his head. “You don’t need to spend anything on me.”

They were about to break up, after all. He didn’t want to have anything monetary linking them anymore.

Leila was relieved by his words—she thought he felt bad about her spending her money on him. She smiled indulgently and said, “It’s perfectly normal for me to buy things for my boyfriend. Besides, you used all your savings on me. It’s only expected that I do the same.”

Ian curled his lip without saying anything.

…

Ian was tired from the trip to the orphanage, so he washed up earlier than usual before getting into bed. The following morning, he was rudely awakened by a phone call.

He answered it blearily to hear Lance’s anxious voice on the other end of the line. “Your thesis was reported for data falsification—the college is launching an investigation!”

Chapter 5 Ian’s drowsiness was instantly dispelled. Data falsification was a serious offense and one that would ruin anyone who wanted to go into research. If the college found him guilty of this, he wouldn’t be able to graduate, let alone have the chance to further his studies abroad.

He couldn’t understand it. He’d worked hard for a month to obtain the data presented in his thesis—why would someone have reported him for falsification? And who had done it?

“Professor White, you know I obtained all the data through experimentation. There’s no way I could have falsified or plagiarized it,” he said.

Lance sighed heavily. “My trust isn’t enough. You need proof. But now, you only have less than half a month until graduation. Even if you can produce the timeline of your experiments, it won’t be in time for the college administration to verify it before your graduation.

“The only way to resolve this is to speak to the person who has accused you of this and convince them to retract the complaint.”

Ian hurriedly asked, “Who’s the one who lodged the complaint?”

“Connor Jensen.”

A wave of helplessness washed over Ian when he heard that name. Why was Connor refusing to let him off the hook? Wasn’t it enough that he’d had Leila play him emotionally? Did he want to leave a permanent ink stain on Ian’s academic career, too?

The spot on the bed beside Ian’s was cold. Leila was missing. He didn’t have Connor’s number and had no idea where to find the latter.

He was left with no choice but to do an online search on Jensen Group’s address. He quickly got dressed and hurried to the company, trying his luck and hoping he would run into Connor there.

Ian waited outside the building from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, standing there for four hours without having a drop of water. He’d yet to completely recover from having a kidney removed, so his body couldn’t handle the exertion, hunger, and thirst.

Just as he was about to pass out, two familiar figures exited the building—Connor and Leila.

Ian gnashed his teeth and clamped a hand over his surgical wound as he stopped them.

Leila didn’t expect to see him there and sounded a little flustered. “Ian, what are you doing here?”

Ian’s mind was on getting Connor to retract the complaint. He couldn’t bother about anything else. He said, “Mr. Jensen, the data for my thesis was based on research and experiments I conducted in the lab. I didn’t falsify anything, so please retract your complaint.”

Leila evidently knew nothing of this. “How did this—”

Connor smiled as he cut her off, but his gaze was cold. “But I still doubt you, Ian. What do you expect me to do? I’m sure the truth will surface once the college administration conducts its investigation.”

That would take at least half a month. Ian didn’t have time for that.

“Please tell me what it will take for you to retract your complaint, Mr. Jensen.” He knew Connor was doing this on purpose. Instead of wasting time beating around the bush, it’d be better to get straight to business.

Connor played with his car key nonchalantly, not even bothering to spare Ian a glance. “You ruined my mood when I was buying a car yesterday, so how about you apologize to me now? Do it loudly, and don’t stop until I forgive you. Then, I’ll retract the complaint. How about it?”

Leila frowned slightly. Her hands twitched by her sides, but she ultimately remained silent.

Ian took a deep breath and suppressed his swirling emotions. Then, standing at the entrance to the company where people came to and fro, he said loudly, “I’m sorry! Please forgive me!”

Everyone’s gaze landed on him. He’d never been this humiliated in his life—he felt like he’d been stripped naked and thrown onto the streets for people to mock.

He didn’t have a choice, though. “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

Connor chuckled. “Why is your voice so soft?”

Ian shut his eyes and endured the discomfort in his abdomen. He raised his voice and repeated robotically, “I’m sorry! Please forgive me!”

Everyone watched him mockingly, including Connor. He continued apologizing, saying it so many times that he lost count. Connor didn’t show any sign of wanting to speak, though.

The pain in Ian’s abdomen intensified, and he couldn’t take it anymore. He collapsed.

Right before his eyes slid shut, he saw Leila bolt toward him, looking panicked.

Chapter 6 White was all Ian saw when he regained consciousness. Leila noticed that he was awake and hurriedly clasped his hand, looking anxious. “You scared the hell out of me earlier, Ian.”

He subtly pulled away, his heart calm. They’d dated for two years—it wasn’t possible for her not to know what he was like. Yet, she’d stood by silently when Connor had picked on him.

Ian knew the petite figure who’d once stood protectively before him had ceased to exist. Along with it went the remnants of whatever love he’d still harbored for her.

“Why did you suddenly pass out?” Leila asked.

A doctor entered the ward as soon as the words were out of her mouth. He looked grim. “Ian Zahn, right? Your report shows that—”

“I know my body, doctor. You don’t have to go into it,” Ian hurriedly interrupted.

The doctor’s gaze traveled between him and Leila. Then, he sighed and left.

For some reason, Leila couldn’t help feeling a little panicked. “What’s the problem with your body? Are you down with something, Ian?”

She didn’t notice, but her tone was shaky.

Ian grimaced. “It’s nothing—just low blood sugar. It’s an old problem.”

Leila knew he’d been plagued by that for a long time and sighed in relief. Then, she looked at him and said awkwardly, “I’m sorry, Ian. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to speak up for you earlier. You know Connor is my boss’s son, right? I would’ve lost my job if I’d offended him.”

Her eyes darted around as she spoke. She didn’t dare meet Ian’s guileless gaze.

Whether or not she was aware of Connor’s accusation, she’d still chosen to side with him. That was a fact.

Ian ignored the painful throbbing of his heart and pulled the covers over himself. “I understand. You should get back to work. You don’t want to delay anything.”

Leila’s guilt surged when she saw how considerate he was of her despite being so weak. She stared at him for a long while before placing a hand on his head over the blanket. “I promise I won’t let you suffer like this in the future, Ian.”

What a touching promise. It was too bad it was a lie.

…

After Connor retracted his false accusation, Ian got his degree as expected. Things also proceeded smoothly for his studies abroad.

The doctor tried to convince him to spend a few more days in the hospital, but he insisted on being discharged. When he returned to his rented apartment, he saw that everything was as they had been when he’d left. It looked like Leila hadn’t returned while he was in the hospital.

Just then, he received a push notification for a news article. He instinctively tapped on it to see what it was.

“Breaking news! Jensen Group and Sutherland Group are joining forces through marriage! The engagement ceremony is in seven days!”

Ian’s breathing hitched. So, that was what Leila had been busy with for the past few days—her engagement.

He checked his email for his flight details. He only had six days to go before he could leave everything behind. He sighed and started packing all the matching items in the apartment. Matching cups, towels, keychains… He and Leila didn’t need them anymore.

He put everything into a box and got up to head downstairs to throw it away. Unexpectedly, he ran into Leila right after leaving the apartment.

She saw the things in the box. Her voice was shaky as she asked, “Why are you throwing those things?”

Chapter 7 “We don’t need these anymore. You can buy them again in the future,” Ian said cryptically.

Leila and Connor would buy new ones once they got married, after all.

Ian headed back upstairs after throwing the things. He happened to hear Leila on the phone with her voice lowered. “Don’t worry, Connor. I’ll make sure he attends our engagement party.”

Connor scoffed on the other end of the line. “I’d like to see the look on his face when he learns his girlfriend of two years is actually my fiancée. He loves being the center of attention, doesn’t he? I’ll make sure he gets the limelight!”

Ian clenched his fists tightly, only loosening them after a long while. He grimaced. It was too bad their plans were going to fall through this time.

When he entered the apartment, Leila gave him an invitation. “I have an event i