She had a new daughter now?
Good.
At least someone would be there to keep her company in the future.
Then why did my heart hurt so much?
Just as my eyes began to sting, the little girl added, “But I’m adopted.
“Mom said she used to have a daughter too, but that daughter didn’t want her anymore.”
I froze for a moment.
Maybe that was for the best.
In our previous life, she spent half her life suffering because of me and never truly gained acceptance from the family.
In this life, she finally had a daughter she could be proud of.
I reached out and gently patted her head.
The little girl tugged on the hem of my dress and pointed down the hallway.
“Mom asked me to bring you to meet your future husband.”
I followed her down the corridor, my nerves growing more unsettled with every step.
What kind of person was the Cooper family's infamous troublemaking heir?
Could it really be him?
A man as distant and aloof as he was—how could he have become the crazy lunatic everyone talked about?
The little girl stopped in front of a wooden door, waved goodbye, and skipped away.
I stared at the door, my heart pounding.
Then I pushed it open.
A tall man stood by the window.
He turned around when he heard me come in.
That familiar yet cold and chiseled face instantly came into view.
It really was Julian Cooper.
He looked more mature than he had five years ago, and far more indifferent.
The moment I saw him, memories flooded back.
The day I cruelly dumped him.
The day I told him he was a nobody who could never give me the future I wanted.
Instinctively, I turned and bolted for the door.
“Where do you think you're going?”
He reacted instantly and crossed the room in just a few strides.
He grabbed my wrist and yanked me into the room.
The door slammed shut behind us and was immediately locked.
He threw me onto the sofa and looked down at me from above, his eyes full of mockery.
“So, Miss Smith. You walked away without a second thought back then, and now that you've seen I’m the Cooper family's heir, you're feeling guilty?”
I opened my mouth to speak.
But his rough handling aggravated my fragile condition.
A violent wave of dizziness crashed over me.
The world before my eyes instantly twisted and darkened.
I didn't even get the chance to explain before I lost consciousness completely.
I didn't know how much time had passed before a cold touch startled me awake.
I forced my eyes open.
Julian was sitting on the edge of the sofa, checking my physical condition.
His expression was darker than I had ever seen it.
The moment he saw I was awake, his voice turned cold as ice.
“Suzy, what’s wrong with your body?”
I looked at his tense expression and knew there was no hiding it.
He studied medicine.
Five years ago, he had already been the brightest star in medical school. There was no way he wouldn't notice how weak I had become.
I calmly pulled my hand back.
I smoothed the wrinkles from my dress and met his gaze.
“Brain cancer. Late stage.”
His entire body stiffened.
The indifference in his eyes shattered instantly.
I ignored his shock and continued, “Mr. Cooper, I agree to the marriage.
“But I have one condition. After we get married, don’t tell my mother anything about me.”
Julian stared at me without blinking.
His chest rose and fell violently, and his hands clenched into tight fists.
I looked at his pale face, expecting him to lose his temper.
But he said nothing.
He stared at my bloodless face for a long time before slowly closing his eyes, concealing every trace of emotion.
When he finally spoke, only a single hoarse word came out.
“Okay.”
The tension that had been holding my nerves taut finally eased.
What I wanted to tell him was:
“I’m sorry. You’re the only one who can carry this burden now.
“But my mother is different.
“I’m not afraid of her hating me; I’m afraid of her worrying about me.
“Hatred is easier to bear than longing. When I’m gone, she’ll still have her adopted daughter by her side.
“She’ll probably think it’s better for a vain, money-hungry daughter like me to stay as far away as possible.”
I looked at Julian and said sincerely, with complete calm, “Thank you.”
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