Delayed Diagnosis

When I returned to the Butler family, which was wealthy, as the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Butler, I met Alan Gibbs for the first time.

Because he helped me out of a difficult situation once, I loved him and pursued him for five years.

He finally became my fiancé.

However, he looked down upon me for not being well-educated, lacking the elegant demeanor that a daughter from a prestigious family would have.

When my grandfather, who raised me, fell gravely ill, Alan chose to listen to Cara Butler and decided to teach me a lesson instead of helping me when I needed him the most.

My grandfather passed away helplessly, and as Alan wished, I learned to behave myself.

And I stopped loving him.

...

1.

The moment I was thrown onto the roadside in the city, I became a joke in the circle.

I, the daughter of the Butler family, had clashed with my parents' adoptive daughter and was punished by them. They froze all my bank accounts. I stormed out in a fit of anger.

I sounded brave, but I had secretly borrowed from a loan shark. He humiliated me because I failed to pay the debt.

My story had spread throughout the circle.

I had no idea how they learned the news. They gathered at the place where I was thrown out and took pictures of my disheveled state with their phones.

I didn't scream to disperse them to maintain my image as I used to.

After all, I no longer cared about my dignity, which had been worn away bit by bit by the loan shark.

Ever since I was forced to get down on my knees and slap myself, my heart no longer stirred for such so-called pride.

Elizabeth Butler, the proud girl who had always made trouble and never forgave others even when others apologized, had died.

The Butler family and Alan had shattered my spirit painfully.

Suddenly, several black luxury sedans drove up without regard for anyone else. They scattered those onlookers from rich families.

The leading car was understated, but I knew who was in that car.

Alan from the Gibbs family was my fiancé.

I looked at the car, pressed my lips together, and turned to take another route.

The car door opened, and a man in a suit stepped out.

He quickly walked up to me and was shocked as soon as he saw my face and clothes.

I knew I looked miserable.

I was still wearing the dress from my grandfather's funeral. It was stained. My exposed right hand was bruised from being stomped on by the loan shark, and my left hand wore a mismatched dirty glove. I was barefoot, and my toes were red and slightly swollen.

The loan shark's people had gripped my ankle and slammed my toes against the steps. It was so painful.

The man lowered his gaze and seemed a bit sympathetic. He said politely, "Miss Butler, Mr. Gibbs is waiting for you."

I kept my head down and didn't look at Alan's secretary in front of me.

I replied, "I can walk on my own."

Then I walked past him.

The secretary was surprised.

I had once regarded Alan as my savior and pursued him for five years. Even when he ignored me, I would rack my brain to find excuses to get close to him. But now I saw him as a threat, which indeed surprised the secretary who was used to my clingy behavior.

"Elizabeth!" The deep voice made me instinctively stop.

The secretary noticed my eyes were slightly red. He paused for a moment and still made a gesture for me to get in the car.

I dragged my weary steps, ignored the secretary's hesitant gaze, and slowly got into the car.

Alan was sitting there.

Seeing my wretched state, he didn't show concern but instead frowned deeply. He said unhappily, "I haven't seen you for half a month. How did you become a beggar?"

My heart didn't ache from his mockery as it used to. Nor did I feel disappointed because he ignored my injuries.

I simply lowered my head and replied in a low voice, "Sorry."

But I hadn't expected that either. I didn't want to be tricked into borrowing from the loan shark. I didn't want to be beaten and kicked by them. I didn't want to be forced to slap myself. I didn't want to be tied up like a dog in a corner or forced to lick food off the ground.

But more than anything else, I didn't want my grandfather's coffin to be dug up from the graveyard.

His hand paused, and he glanced at me. His tone was unexpectedly appreciative. "Cara's method isn't bad. You do seem more obedient than before…"

Before I was found by the Butler family, Cara had been staying with the Butler family in my place. But I, the Butler family's daughter, stayed with Cara's grandfather, whom I had taken as my grandfather, although he was related to Cara by blood.

Cara's father died in a construction accident, and after her mother sent me to Cara's grandfather's home, she disappeared.

I didn't have much time to ponder why Cara was suddenly mentioned. Alan dismissively gestured for me to go over. "Come here."

I sat as far away from Alan as possible. I didn't look at him since getting into the car. My eyes were fixed on the carpet beneath my feet.

Hearing his words, my eyes filled with resistance, and I didn't move.

2.

Seeing that I didn't respond, Alan intensified his tone. "I told you to come here."

I still didn't respond. My back straightened, which seemed to keep my dignity, even though my dignity was shattered when I was forced to submit.

Without my response, the car fell into silence.

Perhaps Alan wasn't used to such an atmosphere, or maybe he was growing impatient. He reached out to me.

As his hand approached, my back tensed. Unfortunately, I was sitting by the window and had no place to escape.

The moment his hand grasped my arm, I caught a whiff of alcohol.

The smell triggered a flood of memories in my mind.

Because I made a mistake, my parents took away my bank cards. So I returned to my grandfather's home angrily.

Then I found he was seriously ill.

I didn't have any money and called my parents. But they didn't answer my call.

Later, a few rich young men from Alderwood came to me with smirks. "We heard you need money. You can beg us. Maybe we're in a good mood and will lend you some."

Whenever I closed my eyes, the scene where Grandfather was lying in bed and coughing violently came into my mind. He sometimes even coughed up blood.

So, without hesitation, I begged them.

It was silent in the room, except for the sound of my head hitting the floor. I kowtowed so hard that my forehead still hadn't healed.

In the end, they tossed three red notes at me and left with a mocking remark.

They said, "Miss Butler, Mr. Gibbs said your sincerity is worth only that much."

Because of that, I was tricked into borrowing from the loan sharks.

And my grandfather passed away due to delayed treatment.

After his funeral, I had to pay the money I borrowed. I called Alan and wanted to borrow some money, but he just laughed coldly and hung up.

The memories made me breathless. Goose bumps rose on my arm that Alan held. I felt like I was being suffocated by a snake, which sent a chill down my spine.

I was dizzy and nauseous, and I felt like vomiting.

I forcefully shook off Alan's hand and hunched over. I gripped the front seat with one hand and covered my neck with the other hand, which was wearing the broken glove. I started retching violently.

I had eaten little these days, so nothing came up.

But Alan still covered his nose with a tissue. His gaze was filled with disgust as he warned me sharply. "Elizabeth!"

I ignored him and continued to retch until the urge subsided.

The veins on Alan's forehead bulged. I knew he was on the brink of anger.

I didn't act coy or try to charm my way out as I used to.

I was well aware that I had no right to cause a scene.

I was trembling as I was so weak. I hung my head low and gripped the back of the front seat with some force. "Sorry… I'll clean it up for you. I can sit in the car behind. Sorry for dirtying your car."

Alan paused and cast a suspicious glance at me.

After a moment of silence, he suddenly reached out and tried to touch my forehead.

Watching his hand get closer, I was completely stiffened.

I knew I shouldn't avoid it. If I did, Alan would get angry, and I used to fear his anger the most.

When he got angry, he would belittle me until I felt worthless, embarrassed, and upset.

I remained tense in my seat and repeatedly told myself not to dodge.

But the moment his fingers touched me, I felt nauseous and suffocated again, and I couldn't help but turn my head away from his touch.

Alan's hand froze in mid-air, unmoving.

When he looked at me, I sensed his anger and impatience.

I felt dizzy again.

I shook my head, and Alan's face disappeared from my view, replaced by the scene where my grandfather was lying in a hospital bed with tubes all over his body.

I vividly remembered that the doctor stopped his treatment because I failed to borrow any money.

I knelt by his bed and cried uncontrollably.

My grandfather struggled to speak, but he still managed to force a smile and asked, "Are they nice to you?"

I covered my face and sobbed so hard that I couldn't speak.