Chapter 1 01|I'm afraid you have brain cancer

Valentina's POV

The sound of the ticking clock seemed to echo faintly, yet it was all I could hear as I drifted into an agonizing daze.

What did he say? He must be mistaken. It couldn't be true.

"Mrs. Laurent." The monotone voice snapped me back to reality, and I blinked, staring at the man in the white coat.

"Mrs. Laurent, are you listening to me?" I blinked again, trying to focus on his words, but they seemed to slip through my mind like water through my fingers. The room felt smaller, the air thicker, as if everything was closing in around me.

Breathe, Valentina. Breathe.

"Repeat what you just said," I finally found my voice and demanded, but it was quieter than I intended-just barely above a whisper, yet sharp with a desperate edge I didn't recognize.

The doctor's eyes softened, but he didn't hesitate. "Mrs. Laurent, I'm afraid you have brain cancer. The prognosis is... very serious. You have only about a year to live."

A chill ran through me, the world shifting in a way I couldn't comprehend. His words echoed louder in my mind than the ticking of the clock.

"You're telling me... I'm dying?" I whispered, barely able to keep my voice steady.

He nodded solemnly. "Yes. The cancer has spread too far. Surgery isn't advisable in your case-it could do more harm than good. The best we can offer now is palliative care to make you as comfortable as possible."

The room spun as the weight of his words settled on my chest, suffocating me. Only a year. How could this be happening?

The signs-the signs I thought were pregnancy-were actually those of cancer?

"Is there really nothing that can be done? With all the advancements in medicine and technology, there has to be a cure-there should be!" I pleaded, my voice trembling as tears threatened to spill. Desperately, I searched the doctor's face for a glimmer of hope, but his silence was all the answer I needed.

"Mrs. Laurent, I advise you to come with your husband and get started-" I didn't wait for the rest of his words. I bolted for the door, my legs unsteady beneath me. The world spun, and for a moment, I almost collapsed, but I steadied myself, pushing through the dizziness. I managed to walk out of the consultation room, each step feeling heavier than the last.

I didn't know how I did it, but somehow, I made it into the backseat of the car. My heart hammered against my chest, and I could feel the driver's gaze on me, but I couldn't bring myself to look up. I didn't want to-not with the tears that kept falling despite my best efforts to keep them hidden.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" the driver asked, his voice soft with concern, but I was only able to shake my head, unable to form the words.

"Take me home, please," I whispered, my voice breaking as more tears spilled down my cheeks.

I could hear the car engine start, and as it began to move, I closed my eyes, trying to process the doctor's words. The throbbing pain in my head made it hard to focus. This morning, on my way to the hospital, I had been excited. I thought, after a year of grief from my miscarriage, I was finally pregnant. I had hoped for good news-something that might heal my relationship with Damien. But instead, I was told I had only a year to live, and I was slowly dying.

"Mrs. Laurent, we're here," the driver's voice broke through the silence, and I slowly opened my eyes, staring at the grand villa. Though lavish and filled with wealth, it felt cold-just like it had the day she returned.

I got out of the car and leaned against it, trying to steady myself. When I felt strong enough to walk, I made my way into the mansion. Mrs. Agatha, the housekeeper who had always been like a mother to me, bowed and gently took my coat from my shoulders.

"Is Damien around?" I asked weakly, and Mrs. Agatha nodded in response. She was about to say something else, but the loud sound of laughter from the sitting room caught my attention.

"Who else is here?" I turned back to her, but she looked down, unable to meet my gaze.

"The Laurent family, Madam, and-"

"Oh, isn't it the madam of this house?" a high-pitched voice interrupted, and I immediately recognized it.

"Tessa, you're here?" I asked, a hint of surprise in my voice. She scoffed, placing her hands on her hips, her gaze filled with disdain.

"What? Can't I visit my brother? Mom is here too, and you're just showing up now? You can't even respect your in-laws anymore. But I suppose I shouldn't expect anything from someone who can't even give birth to a child."

Her words hit me like a slap, and I frowned, swallowing the bitter sting. It was a surprise to see them here, especially since I hadn't been told they would be, but I said nothing. I simply offered an apology.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't aware. Damien didn't mention anything."

"Keep your useless apology to yourself," another voice cut in, sharp and condescending. I looked up to see my mother-in-law standing there, drink in hand, her eyes blazing with pure hatred as she spoke.

Not long ago, she had been laughing, but the moment she saw me, her expression soured. She looked at me like I was nothing more than dirt beneath her feet. I knew the reason. An illegitimate woman like me was beneath her son, unworthy to even share the same air.

"Look at you," she sneered, her gaze dripping with disdain. "Why would you be aware of anything? You can't do anything but eat and drink all day. You're just useless. I regret the day I allowed my son to marry someone like you."

"Even with all the food she's eating, she looks skinny-ill, even." Tessa snickered at her mother's words, and I could only close my eyes, trying not to let their words affect me.

Normally, I would apologize, even when they degraded me, but today, I had neither the strength nor the patience to endure it.

"Where is Damien?" I ignored them and turned to Agatha, who looked visibly shocked but quickly responded.

"In the bedroom, Madam."

I nodded and started to leave, but Tessa grabbed my hand, her nails digging into my flesh, making me flinch.

"Are you ignoring us?! How dare you-" Tessa began, but her mother cut her off.

"Let her go. Don't waste your breath on useless people," she sneered, pausing to eye me with a smirk. "There's a pleasant surprise waiting for you in that bedroom."

I raised an eyebrow, tempted to ask what she meant, but Tessa finally let go of my hand. I didn't want them to change their minds, so I walked toward the bedroom, but with each step, a dread settled in my chest, a gnawing feeling that something was terribly wrong.

As I approached the door, faint moans reached my ears. My stomach turned. I opened the door slowly and froze in place.

There, sitting on Damien's lap, was Caelina-his first love, the woman who had caused my miscarriage a year ago. My eyes drifted to her protruding belly, and I felt my world crumble around me.