Chapter 1 The Light In His Life

"Aunt Susie, I'm doing fine in school. You don't have to send me money anymore. I'm healthy, and there's no need for you to visit, what with your work schedule being so full."

When the call was over, the smile and calmness Tristan Stanfield had just managed to show vanished.

He stared at the medical examination report he was holding, tears welling up in his eyes and a lump forming in his throat.

On the final page, the report stated, "Diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Hospitalization for treatment is urgently recommended!"

Leukemia!

Tristan couldn't believe what he was reading.

The thought that he could have leukemia was beyond him.

Leukemia. That meant blood cancer!

"Aunt Susie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hide it from you. But I... I had no other option. I didn't want to be a burden to you."

Tristan clenched his teeth, whispering in a low voice.

Teardrops trickled down from his eyes. As tears fell onto the examination report, the word "leukemia" became blurred.

His vision became blurry.

In that moment, Tristan wished more than anything that this was all just a nightmare, hoping to soon wake up.

Yet, this cruel twist of fate wouldn't spare him his feelings.

Indeed, this was yet another harsh blow in his life.

Tristan, whose parents died when he was a child, was left with nothing but a simple bronze ring.

His aunt, Susie Brooks, had taken him in, and through sheer determination, he had earned a place at Singve University.

He had dreams of graduating, securing a good job, working hard to earn money, and repaying his aunt for her love and support.

Just as he was starting to see a bright future ahead, he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital by his classmates.

The diagnosis was leukemia.

The cost of treatment could reach up to 500, 000, assuming that everything went smoothly and a suitable bone marrow donor was found.

Tristan took a deep breath, steeling himself with determination. "No, I cannot surrender!"

Throughout the years, he hadn't just relied on his aunt. He had worked part-time jobs while studying, saving money to lighten the financial load on his aunt.

The money he had saved was with his girlfriend, Ellie Harrison, for keeping it safe.

Thinking about Ellie made Tristan feel a warmth spread through him, and his gaze turned determined.

To him, Ellie was gentle and kind-hearted. Unlike other students who sneered at his need to work, Ellie had looked past what others thought and chosen to be with him.

Tristan believed Ellie was the beacon of light in his darkness.

With this thought, a spark of hope lit up in him.

He planned to get his savings from Ellie and then proceed to the hospital for a thorough check-up.

Could there have been an error in his diagnosis?

Without delay, he reached out to Ellie.

Yet, after several rings, the call unexpectedly cut off.

His brows knitted together in concern, and he tried once more.

This time, after a long wait, Ellie picked up.

"Ellie, where are you? I need to see you. There's something important we need to discuss," Tristan said.

Ellie sounded rushed and slightly irritated on the phone. "I'm at the library, swamped with studies. Can we talk about this tomorrow?"

Before Tristan could respond, she ended the call.

Tristan stood there, taken aback, and then let out a deep sigh.

Tomorrow?

How many "tomorrows" could he realistically count on?

Just then, two girls walked by, deep in conversation. He couldn't help but overhear their chat.

"Who's that girl we just saw at the entrance of the dorm? She managed to snag Kevin Vance."

"Oh, that's Ellie Harrison. She's my neighbor in the dorm. Really pretty, and she's got guts too. She went ahead and organized a whole ceremony to declare her feelings to Kevin, the rich heir."

The girls giggled and moved on.

But Tristan remained frozen, as if struck by a bolt of lightning.

Ellie?

Kevin Vance, the wealthy heir?

A ceremony to declare her feelings?

A cloud of disbelief enveloped Tristan's mind.