UNFORGETTABLE FRAGRANCE

Chapter 001

"Mrs. Song, I regret to inform you of this news. You have ovarian cancer. We need to perform surgery as soon as possible to prevent it from spreading elsewhere. Although it's still in stage one, there are significant risks, and there will be little chance of pregnancy in the future if it's not treated promptly."

Yudith stood frozen and pale at the news. Having a child had never crossed her mind because, even though she had been married for three years, her husband had never touched her. Despite all her efforts to be a good wife, he had never acknowledged her. It was as if she didn't exist to him. She could never have imagined that her life would take such a turn.

"Mrs. Hamilton, you need to inform your family. You'll need someone to take care of you after the surgical procedure."

Yudith didn't utter a word, her mind too overwhelmed to process the news. She simply took the results the doctor handed her and left the hospital in silence, hailing a cab to return home.

When the maid received her, she immediately noticed Yudith's pale face and sorrowful expression.

"Ma'am, what's wrong? You don't look well. Are you feeling sick?" Nani asked, concerned.

Yudith shook her head in response.

"I'm fine," she said and went straight to her bedroom.

She sat on the bed and gazed at the nightstand, where a photo from her wedding with Max stood. She had thought it would be the happiest day of her life, but on their wedding night, Max made it clear he didn't love her, that he was in love with someone else. He told her she was only his wife on paper, and there would never be a place for her in his heart.

At the time, she hadn't understood. If he loved someone else, why did he marry me?

That question was never answered. Back then, her heart ached because, without realizing it, she had fallen in love with him. She thought that with time, if she worked hard to be a good wife, maybe he would come to appreciate her. But that day never came, and she had since lost all hope. She had endured these years in a house that felt more like a prison than a home, all for the sake of her grandfather. But now, she was tired.

Lying on the bed, Yudith's mind was a mess. She had no family. She had been raised by her grandparents, as her mother had died when she was a child, and she had never known her father. Her grandmother had passed away a few years ago, leaving only her grandfather, who was already advanced in age. For the first time, Yudith felt utterly alone and defenseless.

She thought about telling Max. Even if he didn't love her, maybe he could accompany her to the doctor next time.

Feeling sleepy, she drifted off. When she opened her eyes, it was already dark. She got up, took a shower, and changed into her nightwear. She went downstairs, thinking Max must have returned from work by now. She met the maid, who was carrying a cup of tea to Max's study.

"Ma'am, dinner is ready. I'll serve you shortly," Nani said.

"It's fine, I'm not very hungry. I'll take the tea to Mr. Hamilton myself. You can go."

Yudith took the tray with the tea and walked down the hallway toward the study. As she approached the door, she heard Max's voice. He seemed to be on a call, his tone soft and sweet. It was obvious he was speaking to a woman. The sound pierced her heart. He had never spoken to her with such tenderness. To her, he was always cold and distant, like a block of ice.

She knocked on the slightly ajar door. When Max saw her, his expression instantly changed. The warmth in his eyes turned to disdain.

"What are you doing here?" Max asked sharply.

Yudith stepped closer to the desk and placed the tray down.

"Are you deaf?! Get out of here right now!" he shouted, his tone filled with hatred.

Yudith trembled, staring at the floor. She struggled to find the words but knew she might not get another chance. Gathering her courage, she gripped the hem of her blouse and looked up at him.

"Could you come with me to the doctor next week?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"What? Why are you asking me? Do you think I have time to waste on you? Besides, I don't want Cecilia finding out I was seen with you in public. She'd be humiliated. You're nothing but a rat, and I couldn't care less about anything concerning you. Remember your place. Also, as far as I recall, I've never touched your filthy body. If you're pregnant, it's clearly not mine. Get out and don't bother me again."

Yudith stood silently as his harsh words cut through her like a thousand knives. Tears streamed down her face as she wondered what she had done to deserve such hatred. She wasn't asking for his love, only a shred of kindness. But even that seemed impossible with this man.

There was only one solution to end this. She wiped her tears and lifted her head.

"Let's get a divorce," Yudith said, her voice shaking.

"What? A divorce? Who do you think you are to demand a divorce?" Max replied incredulously.

Yudith interrupted him.

"I know I mean nothing to you. It's true, I'm just a country girl. And you have someone you love. I'm sure you're planning to marry her someday. This is for the best. I'll leave quietly, far away. And if you won't give me a divorce, I'll find another way to leave."

"Yudith, don't test my patience!" Max shouted, slamming his hand on the desk.

Startled, Yudith stood trembling before him, her tears falling like rivers once more. But she didn't stay silent.

"Why? Why do you despise me so much? Fine, if you don't love me, I never asked you to. But what did I do to deserve such cruelty from you? If I disgust you so much, why won't you let me leave? You'll never have to see me again," she stammered through her sobs.

"You want to know the truth?!" Max exclaimed.

"Do you want to hear that you're the daughter of the whore who seduced my father and caused my mother's death? Since your mother's dead, you'll pay for her sins. Do you understand?!"

Yudith shook her head, unable to believe what she had just heard.

Chapter 002

-She didn't know much about her mother because she died when she was young, but her grandparents always told her good things about her. They told her that she was a talented jewelry designer, but that a disease took her life when she was still young.

Max got closer to Yudith, pointed a finger at her, and looked at her with a grim expression.

-Do you know who your father is? -he asked with a tense voice.

Yudith had no answer to that question.

-Come on, tell me! Answer! -Max yelled, his eyes bloodshot with anger.

Yudith trembled with fear. She couldn't answer because she had never known her father, and her grandparents had never talked about him.

-Do you understand now? -Max added, his voice full of rage-. The mere fact that you are the damn spawn born from the relationship between my father and your mother, that whore, disgusts me to the core!

Max took a deep breath, trying to control his anger, but continued with even more fury:

-My mother killed herself because of her. Seeing your face repulses me. And don't think you can escape. I'll find you, drag you back, and lock you in this house for the rest of your life. The only way you'll leave here is dead, do you hear me?

Yudith's ears were ringing. She felt a tremor in her body and a sharp pain in her chest. Everything she had just heard was too much for her. She ran and dashed up the stairs like a bullet. She entered her room and jumped straight into a cold shower. The water poured over her back, but she couldn't even breathe properly.

It was impossible to imagine that her first love, her only love for three years, could be her blood brother. Thinking of that possibility was like a knife stabbing her chest.

Max had always been distant. He spent most of his time at work while she made lunch for him and waited for him at the company entrance. But Max always ignored her.

One day, someone reported her as a stalker and called the police. Yudith thought Max would clear up the misunderstanding, but he simply said he didn't know her. She spent the night at the police station, and when she returned home, she had to endure more insults.

-I don't want to see you in my company again -Max had said coldly-. Pathetic, thinking you're my wife when everyone knows Cecilia is my real fiancée. You're nothing but a shadow compared to her.

Over time, she lost all hope. Although she thought many times about returning home, when she spoke to her grandfather on the phone, he told her with such enthusiasm how well they were taking care of him and that he no longer lacked his medicine.

Yudith didn't want to disappoint her grandfather, so she swallowed it all slowly. The memories of all the injustices made her feel even more miserable. The water kept falling as she cried bitterly, hugging her knees.

Hours later, she stumbled out of the shower, took off her wet clothes, and dried herself a little with a towel. She lay on the bed lazily, pulling the blanket over herself in a fetal position.

The next day, she opened her eyes and saw the clock on the wall. It was well past noon. She felt awful: a severe headache and a dry throat tormented her. She sat up in bed, trying to process Max's words about her mother.

She knew he was cruel and cold, but she never imagined he was so evil as to marry her knowing they might be siblings. What kind of person in their right mind would do something like that?

That thought took her back to the day she first saw him.

She had been born in a small town. She only finished high school due to financial limitations. She couldn't go to college, so she worked in a café to help with household expenses and her grandfather's medicine.

One day, while leaving work on her bicycle, she saw a luxury car parked in front of her house. She pedaled quickly to see who was there. When she got there, she noticed a driver leaning against the car, waiting for her.

-They're expecting you, miss -the man said politely.

Confused, she entered the house. In the living room, she saw her grandfather sitting on the couch and a young man standing in front of him. As she approached, the man stood up and walked toward her. He was tall, handsome, like a soap opera actor. That made her nervous.

-Hello, Miss Song. My name is Maximiliano Hamilton -he said, taking her hand and giving it a small kiss on the back.

Yudith was about to respond, but her grandfather interrupted her:

-My daughter, come, sit by my side.

She sat down, puzzled.

-Grandfather, what's going on? -she asked, looking at both of them with concern.

-Mr. Hamilton is here to ask for your hand in marriage.

Yudith was in shock. They had never talked before. How could they get married when they were complete strangers?

-Daughter, I'm old, and I won't be able to take care of you much longer. Let him do it for me -her grandfather added.

-What about you, Grandpa? What will happen to you if I leave? -she asked, tears in her eyes.

-Don't worry about me. Mr. Hamilton has already hired someone to take care of me.

Her grandfather's words made her cry even more, but she nodded with resignation.

In the following days, Max visited her every day. Although his tone was not sweet, it wasn't rude either. He talked to her about the big city, while she watched him, impressed by his looks and his seductive way of speaking.

Ten days later, the wedding took place. It was a ceremony without guests, but Yudith was happy. She had dreamed about the future. How naïve she was.

The sound of the door pulled her out of her thoughts.

-Ma'am! The food is ready. Are you coming down to eat? -it was the voice of Mrs. Nani.

-Just bring me a glass of warm milk and two painkillers -she responded weakly.

The servant quickly complied. When she returned, she found the door open. She entered and saw Yudith sitting by the window, staring at the blue sky, lost in her thoughts.

Nani noticed that the young woman didn't look well at all.

Chapter 003

-Ma'am! You don't look well. You should go to the hospital, -the maid said, a bit alarmed.

-There's no need, Mrs. Nani. I'll take some cold medicine and feel better, -Yudith whispered hoarsely. -Is Mr. Max home?

-No, -the woman replied.

-Alright, you may go, -Yudith said, dismissing her as the maid left, closing the door behind her.

Yudith took the glass of milk along with the pill. She coughed a couple of times, feeling the scratch in her throat. Lying down again, she fell back asleep.

Several days passed without her being able to eat anything, relying only on cold medicine and a glass of warm milk. Her fever worsened, and her body grew weaker with each passing day.

Apparently, Max hadn't returned home since their last argument. Yudith wasn't surprised; he was probably in the arms of his beloved Cecilia, as he often was. It was no longer unusual for him to stay away from home.

The next day, Mrs. Nani knocked softly on the door and entered, carrying a tray.

-Ma'am, I brought your favorite dish. Please, eat at least a little. You're too weak; you need to eat something.

Nani's voice was genuinely concerned, but Yudith didn't respond.

Nani thought she might be asleep, but upon looking at her, she saw that Yudith was pale as a sheet of paper. Having gone days without eating, she appeared even thinner.

Worried, Nani took the tray back to the kitchen. Then she went to the dining room, where Max was having breakfast.

Mrs. Nani was somewhat afraid of him, but she felt sorry for Yudith's condition.

-Mr. Hamilton...

-What is it? -Max asked, looking up.

The maid lowered her head slightly, nervous.

-Sir, the lady is unwell. She hasn't eaten or gotten out of bed for several days. She also refuses to go to the hospital. I'm quite worried about her.

Max remained silent for a few minutes as Nani stood in front of him, trembling with nerves.

-Alright, I'll go see her, -he replied, frowning.

Wiping his hands, he climbed the stairs quickly. He had never entered Yudith's room before; this was the first time.

He turned the doorknob, finding it unlocked, and stepped inside. Approaching the bed, he stood over her. Yudith was unconscious from the fever.

He observed her for a moment. She was very pale, and it was obvious she had lost a lot of weight since he last saw her. However, he thought it might be one of her tricks to get him to let her go. After all, he had never seen her like this.

-Yudith, you know I don't have much patience! Get up and eat something right now! Or do you plan to starve to death? -Max shouted angrily.

No response came. He stepped closer and lightly tapped her cheek. As soon as he touched her, he realized she was burning with fever.

He called her name several times, but Yudith didn't move. Panic overtook him. He picked her up in his arms, rushed down to his car, and drove her to the hospital.

When they arrived at the emergency room, the doctors immediately intervened. They gave her an IV and medications to reduce her fever before moving her to a private room.

A nurse came in to draw blood for tests. Max watched from the sofa beside the room. He glanced at his phone-it was almost 9 a.m.

A little later, Dr. Victor Meyer entered to examine Yudith. Seeing her, he immediately recognized her as the patient he had seen just a week ago, the one he had diagnosed with cancer.

-What happened to her? -he wondered.

Reviewing her test results, he found that she had severe pneumonia.

Max had stepped out to make a call. When he returned to the room, the doctor asked:

-Sir, are you a relative of the patient?

-Yes, -Max replied without hesitation.

-The lady has severe pneumonia. It seems she was exposed to cold weather for too long. Additionally, her blood cell count is very low, not to mention she hasn't eaten properly for days.

The doctor paused before continuing:

-I suggest a small blood transfusion. This will help her recover faster and reduce risks. Since you're her relative, if you're willing, we can do it today. Otherwise, we'll need to find a donor, which could take more time.

Max thought for a few seconds before responding:

-Alright, I'll do it. Although I'm not sure if our blood types are compatible.

-Don't worry; we'll find out soon enough, -Dr. Victor assured him.

The doctor guided Max through the procedure and took him to the lab on the third floor, where he gave orders for priority blood testing. While waiting, Max silently made another request to Victor.

As he returned to the room, Max tried to understand what had driven him to agree to donate blood to a woman he clearly despised. He couldn't find a rational explanation.

When he re-entered the room, Yudith was still deeply asleep. Grabbing his jacket, Max left the hospital and headed home. By the time he arrived, it was already afternoon. He needed a shower and planned to ask Mrs. Nani to care for Yudith.

Upon arriving, Nani was waiting for him at the door, looking concerned.

-How is the lady? -she asked.

-If you want to know, pack some comfortable clothes and essentials. Come with me to the hospital, -Max replied.

Nani obeyed, hurrying upstairs to pack pajamas, slippers, warm blankets, and personal care items. Meanwhile, Max showered and changed into casual clothes.

They returned to the hospital around 3 p.m. Yudith still hadn't woken up. Mrs. Nani organized everything in a drawer.

Max's phone rang-it was a work call. He stepped out of the room to answer.

At that moment, Dr. Victor entered the room.

-Good afternoon, ma'am, -the doctor greeted.

-Good afternoon, doctor.

-The man who brought the patient, is he Mr. Hamilton?

-Yes, but he's on a call right now.

-Alright, I need to speak with him. Let him know I'll be waiting in my office at the end of the hallway, to the right.

-Okay, doctor, I'll let him know.

-Perfect. I'll take my leave now.

-Wait, doctor! -Nani called out.

-Yes? What is it?

-Why hasn't the lady woken up yet?