Chapter 5: The Diagnosis He Was Never Meant to See

A week passed after Catherine and Laura left the Frost residence.

The once lively mansion had become strangely silent.

No fresh breakfast waited on the dining table.

No neatly pressed suits appeared in James's closet.

No warm light remained on when he returned home late at night.

For years, Catherine had quietly managed every detail of his life.

Only after she disappeared did James realize how much she had been doing.

Still, he refused to admit he missed her.

"She's only trying to force me to apologize," he muttered.

"She'll come back eventually."

Meanwhile, Catherine began chemotherapy.

Every treatment left her exhausted.

She often spent hours vomiting before forcing herself to smile in front of Laura.

"Mom, are you sick?" Laura asked one evening.

Catherine gently stroked her daughter's hair.

"Just a little tired."

"Don't worry."

"I'll always be with you."

Laura smiled innocently.

"Then I'll take care of you too."

Catherine turned away before her daughter could see the tears in her eyes.

The next morning, she attended another appointment with Dr. Emily Carter.

After reviewing the latest scans, the doctor's expression became even more serious.

"The treatment isn't slowing the cancer as we'd hoped," she said quietly.

"Mrs. Frost... you need to prepare your family."

"You shouldn't go through this alone."

Catherine smiled faintly.

"I don't have family anymore."

"I only have my daughter."

"Then let Laura's father help."

"He deserves to know."

"No," Catherine replied firmly.

"He already chose someone else."

"I won't burden him with my death."

Dr. Carter sighed helplessly.

"You're thinking about everyone except yourself."

"That's what mothers do."

After leaving the hospital, Catherine sat alone on a park bench.

She carefully wrote another letter for Laura.

If one day she wasn't there anymore...

She wanted her daughter to know how deeply she had always been loved.

Across town, James searched for an important contract inside his study.

Unable to find it, he remembered Catherine had always organized his documents.

"Maybe she left it in the storage room," he muttered.

After nearly an hour of searching, he finally discovered a small envelope hidden inside one of Catherine's old boxes.

His name was written neatly across the front.

Curious, he opened it.

Several medical reports slipped onto the floor.

James frowned.

"Bellridge General Hospital?"

He picked up the papers casually.

The words on the first page immediately froze him in place.

"Stage Four Metastatic Cancer."

"Estimated Survival: Three to Six Months."

His breathing stopped.

"Impossible..."

He hurriedly flipped through the remaining reports.

Chemotherapy schedules.

Biopsy results.

Doctor's recommendations.

Every document carried Catherine's name.

"No..."

"This has to be fake."

Without thinking, James rushed out of the house and drove straight to the hospital.

Inside Dr. Carter's office, he placed the reports on her desk.

"Tell me these are forged," he demanded.

Dr. Carter looked at him in surprise.

"You're Mr. Frost?"

"Yes."

"Answer me."

The doctor's silence said everything.

"I'm sorry," she said gently.

"Your wife specifically requested that we not inform you."

"The diagnosis is genuine."

"She's been fighting this alone for weeks."

James staggered backward.

"Why..."

"Why didn't she tell me?"

Dr. Carter looked at him quietly.

"Perhaps because she believed you no longer cared."

Those words struck harder than anything else.

Images flashed through James's mind.

Calling Catherine a gold digger.

Introducing her as a nanny.

Ignoring Laura's birthday.

Holding Brenda while rejecting his own daughter.

Every memory suddenly became unbearable.

"How long..." he whispered.

"How much time does she really have?"

"No one can say for certain," Dr. Carter answered honestly.

"But every day matters now."

James slowly walked out of the hospital.

For the first time in seven years...

Fear settled inside his heart.

Not fear of losing his marriage.

Fear of losing Catherine forever.

Meanwhile, Catherine returned home carrying groceries.

Laura ran into her arms happily.

"Mom!"

"Look! I drew our new home!"

Catherine smiled warmly as she admired the colorful drawing.

There were only two people in the picture.

A mother.

And her daughter.

"Where's Daddy?" Catherine asked softly.

Laura tilted her head before answering honestly.

"He doesn't live in our home anymore."

Catherine hugged her tightly.

"You're right."

"Our home is wherever we're together."

Outside the apartment building, a black luxury car quietly came to a stop.

James stepped out slowly.

He looked up toward the balcony where Catherine and Laura were laughing together.

The medical reports still rested on the passenger seat.

His hands trembled.

For the first time in years...

He realized that the woman he had spent so long pushing away...

Might soon be gone forever.