Chapter 4 I Have A Right To Know

While waiting to see the doctor, Rosanna couldn't help but wonder-if the diagnosis was bad, would Oliver feel sad for her at all?

She already knew the truth, yet her mind kept circling back to the question.

Her follow-up was with Dr. Gregg Scott, head of Harmony Hospital's Galactophore Department. As a seasoned expert with more than three decades in the field, he had a no-nonsense demeanor and sharp attention to detail.

Peering through his thick glasses, Gregg studied the scan carefully. "There's been a 0.5 millimeter increase in the past three months. I can't entirely dismiss the chance of malignancy."

A chill swept through Rosanna, stealing her breath. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"It's also possible the imaging wasn't exact," he replied after a pause. "If it had grown by a few more millimeters, then we'd know for sure. But with just a 0.5 increase, it's tough to say for certain."

"How likely is it to be a malignancy?" Rosanna asked, her complexion drained of color.

"Even if the growth is real, it's still under a centimeter, so it should be fine. I recommend another scan in a month. If the size increases again, then we'll consider a biopsy," Gregg said while removing his glasses to rub his tired eyes.

After a pause, he added gently, "A good mindset will be good for you. Eat well, sleep enough, and try not to dwell on things that affect your mood. Maintaining a good mood will improve your health."

Rosanna absorbed every word, committing it all to memory.

Gregg handed her prescriptions for two kinds of medicine.

When she was waiting at the pharmacy, fate decided to throw her a curveball-she ran into Oliver and Millie, the last people she wanted to see.

She turned her eyes away fast, pressing a hand to her chest as if to calm herself. She wasn't going to let those two affect her mood.

"Ms. Will-" Millie began, then quickly corrected herself. "Mrs. Marshall, are you feeling unwell? I know a few doctors; would you like me to introduce you?"

"That won't be necessary," Rosanna said briskly, lifting her chin and walking straight past them.

This time, she was proud of herself for not even glancing at Oliver.

Since Karl had driven her here earlier and had already left, she began scanning the app for an Uber the moment she stepped out of the elevator.

Traffic was a nightmare thanks to the lunch rush. No matter how many times she refreshed the page, no driver would take her request.

Suddenly, she heard a familiar car horn from her left.

She paused for a moment but didn't move.

She had noticed the car. In Qegan, there were about three cars of that make and model. Oliver's car was one of them.

Even if the car was indeed Oliver's, she didn't want to see him, especially not if Millie was with him. It was better to act like she hadn't heard the honking sound at all.

But the car horn blared once more.

"Get in," came a voice she knew too well-firm and authoritative.

Oliver's voice had a way of breaking through all her defenses in an instant.

She couldn't help it, so she turned her head and saw Oliver behind the wheel, his sharp features visible behind the half-rolled window.

One look was enough to confirm that Millie wasn't with him.

"Get in," Oliver said again, his tone brooking no argument.

As if under a spell, Rosanna got into the car, taking the passenger seat.

The car door clicked shut, and the window rolled up, shutting out the world outside.

The signal changed to green, and the car eased into the traffic.

If Rosanna hadn't bumped into Oliver and Millie earlier, she might have taken the initiative to start a conversation. But now, she had no desire to speak.

After a while, Oliver finally broke the silence. "Did you get the results?"

Rosanna leaned her head back and shut her eyes, remaining silent.

"Did the nodule grow or shrink? What did the doctor say?" Oliver pressed.

Rosanna didn't say a word, acting as if she hadn't heard him at all.

Winter sunlight streamed through the car window, casting dappled shadows on Oliver.

Despite his displeasure, Oliver kept his composure.

The car moved with the flow of traffic, stopping and inching forward until, twenty minutes later, they finally arrived at Nexus Villa.

The moment the car came to a stop, Rosanna swung the door open and hurried straight to the gates without looking back.

In her rush, she didn't realize a folded slip of paper had fallen from her coat pocket.

Oliver stepped out of the car and picked it up. It was Rosanna's breast ultrasound report.

He unfolded it and stared at the words, reading the note about "recommended follow-up in one month" over and over, feeling a strange sense of frustration.

He lit a cigarette, took a few drags, then flicked it to the ground before dialing a number from his contact list.

As the call connected, another incoming call from Karl flashed on his screen.

He rejected it, finished his current call, and then dialed Karl back.

"Sir," Karl began. "I traced the package Mrs. Marshall received yesterday. Just like in past years, it was first sent from Jiford to Ekadence, then forwarded here to Qegan. As for the original sender..." He paused for a moment. "Still a certain Mr. Burton."

"I see." Oliver ended the call with a clipped tone.

The cold wind brushed past him, and whatever warmth had been left in his eyes was gone.

To accompany Oliver's mother's friend, Rosanna had changed her half-day leave to two days last night. Upon going upstairs, she immediately canceled her leave for the afternoon and the next day on the TV station's OA system.

She had always been dedicated to her work.

As a news anchor, she didn't have fixed hours, and the station didn't require her to clock in as long as her tasks and advertising quotas were met.

But Rosanna held herself to a different standard; she poured everything she had into her job.

With no family in Qegan and only Leah to call a friend, and with Oliver being the last person she could rely on, she had no choice but to depend on herself. So, she put great importance on her career.

Thankfully, her effort hadn't gone unnoticed. In just two years, she had climbed from a regular field reporter to one of the top anchors at the station.

She worked late, never took unnecessary days off, and even turned scheduled breaks into extra workdays.

So when she had called in yesterday asking for an extension on her leave, Kyle Watson, the station director, couldn't help but ask her if something bad had happened.

Rosanna changed into soft, cozy loungewear, walked to the fridge, and pulled out a few ready-to-eat meals.

Once the food was warmed up, she added two generous spoonfuls of olive oil to them, something she hadn't done in ages.

Gregg's words lingered in her mind. Until she got the final results of the next examination, she wasn't going to neglect herself anymore, whether it was her body or her emotions.

She would eat the carbs she had sworn off, enjoy the fast food she had once banned from her plate, and, most importantly, stop wasting a single breath on Oliver, the man who could ruin her mood in minutes and keep her angry for hours.

He could do whatever he wanted outside their home. She was done caring.

When Oliver walked in, he was surprised to see Rosanna eating something like that.

"Skipping your camera diet today? Did the results of the examination affect your mood?" he asked, eyeing her plate.

Rosanna took another bite, unbothered, acting like he wasn't even there.

"I saw the report. The nodule is only 2.5 millimeters. There's nothing to worry about," Oliver continued, setting the paper down on the table. "You've been quiet ever since we left the hospital. Are you purposely giving me the silent treatment because you are upset with me?"

His words struck a nerve. Rosanna set her fork down and replied calmly, "I'm not upset with you. I just don't feel like talking."

Millie had gotten a bump on her head, and Oliver had been ready to rush her to Klenridge to see a top specialist.

But what about her?

She had a nodule growing inside her, and he, her so-called husband, didn't even lift a finger to get her better care. Instead, he picked a fight with her.

Her response softened the tension on Oliver's face. "What exactly did the doctor say?" he asked.

"It's all in the report; you've already read it," Rosanna answered, holding back her anger, though there was still a hint of displeasure in her voice.

"I'm not asking about the report. I want to know what the doctor said," Oliver said, grabbing her wrist, his smile mocking. "You're my wife. I have a right to know if you have a serious illness."

Rosanna winced from the force of his grip and glared at him. "What kind of husband cares for his wife like this?"

"Care?" Oliver let out a chilling laugh. "I don't need to care for you; you already have someone who does. I'm a businessman, Rosanna. I make decisions based on gain and loss."

The negative emotions Rosanna had tried to suppress surged up. "So, tell me, Mr. Marshall, what exactly do you plan to do?"

"Pack your things. You're coming with me to Klenridge for a full checkup. If they find anything serious..." Oliver's eyes held unreadable emotions. "We'll get a divorce."

Every word felt like a blade, slicing Rosanna's heart open, making her ache.

In her most vulnerable moment, even her husband was ready to walk away.

How heartbreakingly pathetic that was.