A Love Beyond Life

Jace's mother rushed into the ward with a group of people. "Hold her down, sign the papers." Her arrogance had returned; she was no longer the desperate woman who had begged me earlier. "I didn't even get a chance to read the documents before they forced me to sign and press my fingerprint onto them. "Sharon, from this day forward, you and Jace have nothing to do with each other. Take your gambling-addict father and get out of Hensford!" I let out a bitter laugh. "So, this was your plan all along. Huh?" Cecilia looked at me with disgust. "People like you don't deserve to bear the Hawthornes' bloodline." Cecilia tossed a check onto the bed and strode out of the hospital room, her high heels clicking sharply against the floor. That was when I realized I had been deceived. Not only had she used me to save Jace, but she had also taken the opportunity to drive me away. My body felt heavy as I dragged myself to the ICU, desperate for a glimpse of Jace. Unfortunately, the bodyguards at the door blocked my way. "Please, just let me see him. I just want to see him from a distance, please?" I needed to know if he was okay. I needed to know if my lung was a match for him and if there were any signs of rejection. I had already lost our child; I couldn't bear the thought of losing him too. A towering bodyguard shoved me aside, sending me crashing to the floor. "No one is allowed in without Ms. Cecilia's permission." I hit the floor hard, pain tearing through my wounds, making it difficult to breathe. Just then, a figure passed by and the bodyguards immediately stepped aside to make way. I quickly grabbed the hem of her coat. "Doctor, please, let me see Jace." She looked down at me with an air of indifference. "I'm sorry, but the patient's family has requested that no one disturb him." "I am his family. I'm his wife. Please, I beg you." I had never humbled myself like this before. Never. She simply gave a cold laugh. "Ms. Lennox, please leave." I saw her name tag, Mila Sage. She was the doctor who had performed my surgery. In that moment, everything clicked. She was the doctor Cecilia had bribed. I struggled to my feet and returned to my room, only to be told that I hadn't paid my hospital bills and had to leave immediately. Cecilia hadn't given me any time to think. Almost simultaneously, my father's creditors called. They threatened to throw him off a thirty-story building if I didn't pay them. I felt all the strength leave my body. I sat on the edge of the bed, found a sticky note in my bag and wrote a message for Jace. Then I took the check Cecilia had left and left the hospital. By the time I managed to get my father back from the debt collectors, my wounds had bled through the bandages. "I'm sorry," he sobbed. "I failed you. Cut ties with me, go back to your husband." I closed my eyes in despair, tears slipping down my cheeks. "I can't go back." I had taken the money. So, I had no right to return.

A year later, the only five-star hotel in Kevern was hosting a prestigious event. After setting up the water and stationery for the meeting, I leaned against the wall, taking shallow breaths. I had never fully recovered from the surgery. After escaping to Kevern with my father, I had spent the year on the run, settling in this small town far from the bustling cities. The salary wasn't excellent, but it was just enough to get by. Cecilia had only given me $70000, which wasn't nearly enough to cover his debts. Plus, she had blacklisted me, so no company in Hensford would hire me. "Sharon, there's a signing ceremony later. You'll be in charge of serving coffee to the guests." "Okay." I had just finished preparing the coffee when I saw Jace walk into the hall, surrounded by an entourage." I never imagined we would meet again in this kind of setting. My heart pounded, my breath caught in my throat. I quickly turned my back, gripping the edge of the table tightly. "Yancy, could you please take the coffee for me?" "No way! The manager specifically picked you because you're pretty. If I go, I'll scare the guests away." A sharp pain shot through my chest. It was clear that he was doing well without me. Maybe being with me had been his biggest mistake. Every time I saw his name in the financial news, I wondered why he had ever loved me in the first place. "What are you waiting for? Mr. Hawthorne likes iced Americanos and Mrs. Hawthorne prefers lattes. Hurry up and take it over!" I adjusted my breathing, walked over to the tray and lowered my head as much as possible for fear that Jace would see it. "Your coffees, sir, madam." As I placed the iced Americano on the table, I caught Mr. Hawthorne's gaze. His eyes were like ice, piercing right through me. The next second, he threw a cup of coffee right at my face. "The thought of drinking something you touched makes me sick." It was iced coffee, yet my face burned as if it had been scalded. "I'm sorry. It was my mistake for not meeting your expectations." I lowered my head even more, but I couldn't stop the tears from falling. Tears mixed with the coffee, bitter and humiliating. I dropped to my knees, scrambling to clean up the mess. The manager rushed over, apologizing profusely before pulling me away. "What the hell did you do? Did you stick your fingers in the cup or something? I've worked here for years and I've never heard a customer say a server was disgusting!" He was so furious that he could barely speak. I took off my name tag. "I'm sorry, Manager. This was my fault. You can fire me, I won't object." "Fire you? What good would that do? This was Mr. Hawthorne's first time bringing his wife to a public event and you just had to ruin it! Do you know how lucky we are that no reporters were around? Otherwise, I'd be out of a job too!" All I could do was apologize. By the time my manager was done scolding me, my shirt was soaked with coffee. "Clean this up and go help outside the venue. If we weren't short on staff, I would've kicked you out already!" I went to the restroom to clean myself up when a woman walked in. I instinctively looked away, avoiding eye contact.

"Sharon, do you regret it? Abandoning Jace while he was still unconscious for a measly seven million? Do you even know how much he makes in a single day now?" That was Cecilia. She was still as ruthless as ever. That woman always exaggerated the truth, turning the seventy thousand check into seven million. That surgery left me with irreversible damage. It wasn't until I went to Kevern for a check-up that I found out my right lung had been completely removed. My health had deteriorated over the past year. My breathing was getting weaker and last week, the doctor gave me a critical diagnosis. He said I might not survive if I didn't get treatment. I turned to face her, my voice unwavering. "I don't regret it." I don't regret giving up my lung to save Jace. I had done my research and I knew lung transplants had a high rejection rate. The fact that his body accepted mine perfectly was the best possible outcome. The woman in front of me curled her lips into a smirk. "You really are a disgusting gold-digger." It was then that I recognized her. She was the surgeon who had performed my operation, Mila Sage. Was she Jace's mysterious fiancée? She finished washing her hands and was about to leave when I instinctively reached out to stop her. "Wait, you're Dr. Sage, right? You were the one who operated on me back then … " Before I could finish, Jace grabbed her wrist, not sparing me even a glance. His cold voice echoed in my ears. "Honey, why are you talking to a stranger?" Mila clung to his arm, pouting. "It's your fault for spilling coffee all over her earlier. I just wanted to apologize." My words caught in my throat, unable to utter a sound. He called me a stranger. Jace, who once risked his life to save me, now treated me like a stranger. I gripped the wall for support, barely keeping myself from collapsing. The manager reassigned me to the lobby. By the time their meeting ended, it was already 8 p.m. My ankles were raw from my high heels when I got the news that I had to work overtime. "Sharon, Lowen from the restaurant called in sick. You'll have to help serve dishes for a while." "Manager, my shift is over." "I'll pay you overtime, alright?" I had no choice but to grit my teeth and push through. I went upstairs to the restaurant to help out. I thought I had successfully avoided any unwanted encounters, but I still ran into Jace. The hallway to the private dining rooms was long and there was no way to avoid him. I could only step aside to let him pass, but he stopped right in front of me. "How much for one night?" I was stunned. It wasn't until I saw the mocking smile on Jace's lips that I realized what he was talking about. "Sir, I'm just a waitress. I'm not selling myself!" I spoke too quickly and almost bit my tongue. He scoffed. "You'd go with an old man, so don't pretend you have any pride. How much do you want for a night with me? A hundred thousand? Two hundred thousand?" I knew my face must've turned pale, but there were cameras here. So I couldn't throw the food in the man's face. I clenched my jaw and forced myself to respond. "Sir, don't make baseless assumptions about others."

His lips pressed into a thin line, his voice unbearably cold. "Oh, right. I almost forgot you're someone who thinks even seven million isn't enough. Why would you settle for just a hundred or two hundred thousand?" I turned and walked away, refusing to engage any further. But Jace grabbed my wrist. "I am curious, though. If you have already taken the money, why are you still working here as a waitress? Hoping to hook another rich fool?" I struggled to free myself from his grip, then hurried to the private dining room. After handing the dishes to the server inside, I left as quickly as possible. Another second there and I would have suffocated. My breathing grew unsteady. I gasped for air, but it felt like no oxygen was reaching my lungs. Darkness clouded my vision and then I collapsed. Just before I lost consciousness, I heard a familiar voice calling my name, "Sharon." However, I knew it couldn't be him. I had a long dream. It spanned the ten years from when I first met Jace to when we broke up. Back in university, I was just a broke student while he was the prestigious student council president. No matter where I worked part-time, I would always "coincidentally" run into him. Our marriage was an accident. Right after graduation, my father fell into a gambling addiction. Not only did he lose everything we had, but he also managed to ruin a job opportunity I had already secured. Jace extended a lifeline. "Marry me and I'll fix it for you." That's when I found out he was actually rich and didn't have to work part-time to make ends meet. He went against the world to marry me, living with me in a tiny rental apartment and taking the subway to work every day. We were once the most ordinary couple in the world. I still remember how he would beam with joy just because I cooked a meal for him, praising me, "Honey, you're amazing." God knows how much I wanted to have a child with him. My mother died giving birth to me and my father raised me roughly. I had a weak constitution, so it wasn't easy for me to conceive. We tried everything to have a baby. Even when his startup company was growing rapidly, he still made time to go with me for IVF treatments. The moment we found out I was pregnant, his eyes were filled with the entire universe. He hugged me tightly and said, "If it's a boy, he and I will protect you together." Sadly, that child never saw the light of day. At the end of the dream, his cold face appeared. "Sharon, I find you disgusting. You better disappear completely and never bother me again!" I desperately tried to grab his hand, but he drifted further and further away. The hospital room was filled with the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor. I struggled to open my eyes, only to see my father sitting by the bed, tears streaming down his face. "I'm so sorry, Sharon. It's all my fault. I've been a burden on you." A wave of disappointment washed over me. I forced a bitter smile, mocking myself for even thinking that Jace had come to save me. "Dad, I want some water." "When the manager called me last night, I was scared to death," he said, his voice trembling. "Sharon, tell me the truth. What are we going to do about your health from now on?"

I turned my gaze toward the window. A small bird perched on the ledge as if exhausted from flying. "Dad, stop the treatment. It's a waste of money. You should keep it for yourself." At that moment, I lost all interest in the world. Everything I had gritted my teeth and fought for suddenly felt laughable. Jace built a billion-dollar company from scratch without relying on his family. At the same time, I am just an arrogant nobody who thought she was something. I was going to die anyway. Why keep struggling? Just then, my phone rang. I picked it up and answered. "Sharon, don't say I never look out for you. Mrs. Hawthorne needs a guide to take her around Greenhelm Mountain and she specifically asked for you. The tip is $5000 a day." "Manager, I'm still in the hospital." "So, what are you waiting for? If you're fine enough to pick up the phone, you're fine enough to work. Do you know how many people would kill for this job?" True enough. A day's tips were indeed equivalent to my month's salary. "Okay, I'll go." After hanging up, my father grabbed my hand. "Don't go. You've been on a drip all night, your body can't take it. Sharon, it's all my fault, I'm the one who ruined you. I'll change, I promise I'll change … " He sobbed uncontrollably. His hair was streaked with gray, his youthful energy long gone. "Dad, don't worry. I'm not dying anytime soon. I've been like this for a while now. I just need to go home and grab a few things before heading to the mountains." Soon, my dad took me to the hotel on his electric scooter. A black business van was already parked at the entrance, clearly waiting for someone. The moment I stepped inside, the manager dragged me to the lounge area. "Mrs. Hawthorne, Sharon is here." Mila didn't even look up. She said casually, "Help me put on my shoes." I was momentarily taken aback and the manager immediately pressed my head down. "What are you waiting for? Not everyone has the privilege of putting on Mrs. Hawthorne's shoes." He grinned obsequiously, but to me, it felt like my face was being pressed into the dirt. Still, what did dignity even mean anymore? I knelt down, took her ankle in my right hand and reached for her sneakers with my left. "Just as I was about to put them on her, she suddenly stepped down hard. The sharp heel of her stiletto dug into the back of my hand. I gasped in pain and looked up at her. "Oh, sorry. I was replying to a message, I didn't notice," Mila said without a trace of sincerity. Pain shot through my hand as if my bones were about to break. I wanted to walk away right then and there. Still, the manager leaned in and whispered, "Don't forget, you've already taken two months' salary in advance. Even if I fire you, you still need to pay it back." I clenched my teeth and swallowed my pride, silently finishing the task. "I really don't understand why Jace thinks you're disgusting," she said with a smirk. "Your service is actually quite good. I'm very satisfied." She got up and walked away. I had no choice but to pick up her bag and follow. I didn't even notice the piercing gaze locked onto me from behind.

Greenhelm Mountain was rugged and unpredictable. I had only been there a few times, so I wasn't confident leading the way. Alas, Mila insisted on exploring the undeveloped areas. "Miss Lenox, I'm not a professional guide. I can't predict the dangers ahead, so I can't take you there." Mila's expression turned cold. "Sharon, do you still think you're the high-and-mighty Mrs. Hawthorne? Have you forgotten? You and Jace divorced a long time ago." I could never forget. Even though I never wanted to leave Jace, I had no choice but to run away like a rat in the dark. "This has nothing to do with that." I tried to explain the danger, but Mila turned away and walked forward. I had no choice but to chase after her, my backpack weighing me down. If we went any further, there would be no phone signal. I couldn't afford to take that risk, but she suddenly stopped. She turned around and gave me a strange, almost eerie smile. "Want to hear a secret? That note you left for Jace back then, I threw it in the trash. So, from beginning to end, he never knew you were forced to leave. In his eyes, you're nothing but a heartless traitor." My fists clenched. "You're going too far!" She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then let me tell you something else. I teamed up with his mother and put on a whole show. Jace thinks you ran off with some rich old man and abandoned him. In his eyes, you're nothing but a pathetic loser." Tears welled up in my eyes and the anger brewing in my chest exploded. I shoved her. "Shut up!" The next second, a figure rushed over and shielded her. Jace held Mila protectively in his arms, towering over me with a cold, scornful gaze. "I must have been blind to ever give my heart to you." "Jace, listen to me … " I didn't know how long he had been standing there or if he had heard what Mila just said. But he didn't listen to my explanation and pushed me to the ground. "You have no right to say my name. Isn't money what you want? Here, take it. Consider it a tip. Ten thousand. Just don't even think about hurting the people I care about." He threw a handful of cash at me, but it felt more like he had slapped me across the face. My palm scraped against the rough gravel, breaking the skin. Then, the blood seeped out. I remembered how, once, when I accidentally cut my finger while chopping vegetables, he had panicked and insisted on taking me to the hospital. Meanwhile, now, he was speaking to Mila in a gentle, soothing voice. "Baby, are you okay? If you wanted to go hiking, why didn't you call me?" "You were busy. I didn't want to bother you." "But I'm your husband. How could that ever be a bother?" *** I didn't dare to lift my head. Their affectionate words rang in my ears, stabbing into my heart like tiny needles. It hurt so much I could barely breathe. I couldn't believe that the man who once promised to protect me for a lifetime was now calling someone else his wife right in front of me. I sat there for a long time. The couple's voices slowly faded into the wind. When I finally looked up, they were gone. The hike had drained me, but I still reached for my backpack, pulling out a first-aid kit to clean my wound. It turned out that when a person was genuinely heartbroken, they couldn't even cry. My eyes burned, but not a single tear fell. I kept wondering, why couldn't Jace have just listened to me for one more second? We were so in love before. I could have accepted us becoming strangers again, but he clearly saw me as an enemy. I was so useless. I couldn't even part ways peacefully with the person I loved the most. Later, when I couldn't find the alcohol wipes to disinfect my wound, that last bit of helplessness overwhelmed me. I slumped to the ground, whispering over and over again, "I lost it … I lost him … " Finally, tears streamed down my face. In the vast, empty wilderness, my cries echoed, raw and unrestrained. I cried until I had no more strength left. I stared blankly at the sky, but even the blue sky and drifting white clouds couldn't bring me peace. It wasn't until the sun began to set that I forced myself to stand up and start making my way down the mountain.

Unexpectedly, my foot slipped and I accidentally fell to the cliff. At the moment of falling down, I even thought that it would be better to die like this. After all, there was nothing left in this world worth holding on to. However, fate had other plans. Maybe this was my punishment for past mistakes. Instead of crashing straight to my death, I hit a tree branch on the way down, which slowed my fall. The pain was unbearable. My leg was severely broken, the bone almost visible through the torn flesh. I had a small first-aid kit, some water and a bit of food. If it were daytime, I might've been able to hold on until rescue arrived. That was if someone even reported me missing. Still, the real problem was the mountain's unpredictable weather. Once the sun went down, the temperature would drop drastically. I had only worn a thin jacket for convenience while hiking. I opened my bag, only to remember I'd given the food to Mila earlier when she said she was hungry. My phone's screen was shattered and there was no signal. I had no way of knowing which direction to go to find coverage. I grabbed a dry branch, trying to prop myself up, but the moment I moved, I realized I couldn't feel anything below my waist. At that moment, I gave up. I dropped the branch and lay back wholly. Even if I died here, no one would care. At the hotel where I worked, I was always alone. The only person who ever spoke to me was Lior, the cheerful one. Other than that, I had no close connections. The sky darkened. The damp air crept into my bones, making me feel even colder. I found a sticky note and a pen in my bag, intending to write a farewell letter. Too bad my hands were trembling so much that I could barely form words. In the end, I only managed to write a single sentence, less than I had written when I left the hospital back then. "I'm sorry. I love you." I didn't remember when I lost consciousness. I didn't even know if I was rescued. All I remember was sinking into an endless darkness, cold and silent. Maybe I really did die, but every now and then, I would hear Jace's voice. Sometimes, he was on the phone. Other times, he was calling out "Honey." Even in death, why did I still have to hear him showing off his love? Eventually, his voice became fainter and less frequent. Had he finally left? Was I truly dead? *** After humiliating Sharon, Jace left with Mila in his arms. However, only he knew he didn't feel as good as he made it seem. Once they turned the corner, he let go of her, his usual cold and distant demeanor returning. Mila acted as if she hadn't noticed. She clung to his arm and said sweetly, "Hubby, thank you for standing up for me. I'm so happy." Jace lowered his gaze, looking at the hand wrapped around his arm. His heart remained unmoved. There was a time when, if Sharon took the initiative to hold his arm in public, his heart would swell with warmth. Maybe that's what happens when you've experienced love at its peak. That bittersweet taste was something only he could understand.

Now, when Jace looked at the woman before him, he felt nothing, not even a hint of affection. His family approved of her, so he married her. To make him go through with it, his mother even made up some ridiculous story. She said the "angel in white" had fallen in love with him at first sight, that they were a match made in heaven. Did they think he was a child? He knew perfectly well what was real and what was just a story. He just didn't care enough to argue. For an entire year after the separation, he had counted the days. At first, his body rejected the transplant severely. Mila told him it was because the donor's health wasn't excellent. He didn't think much of it. He just obediently took his medicine and went through rehabilitation, like a machine going through motions. Slowly, Mila started acting like his girlfriend, visiting him every day. News about Sharon would trickle in from time to time. Without exception, every piece of it only made Jace hate her more. He hated that she had abandoned him. Hated that she had given up on their child. That hatred festered in his heart, growing stronger and stronger, fermenting into something extreme. He secretly searched for information about her. Finally, he found a clue. He went to countless places without telling Mila, but she was nowhere to be seen. In the end, when he learned she was living in Kevern. So, he carefully orchestrated their reunion. His initial intention was simply to seek revenge. He should have felt satisfied when he humiliated Sharon with money. Yet, for some reason, his heart still ached. He told himself it was just withdrawal, forcing himself to forget her. If he had just tried a little more complicated and genuinely committed to Mila, he would surely have forgotten her. That night, for the first time, he allowed Mila into his bed. She was bold and passionate, utterly different from Sharon, who always followed his lead. He loved Sharon, but he also enjoyed bullying her in bed. He loved seeing her struggle to hold back tears, but in the end, he stopped before taking the final step. He got up, grabbed a cigarette and walked out onto the balcony. Sharon had hated his smoking, so he never smoked when they were together. After his lung transplant, he had sunk into depression for a long time. When it got unbearable, he allowed himself one cigarette. Now, there were already three cigarette butts at his feet. Mila hadn't gotten what she wanted and it frustrated her. As an illegitimate daughter of the Sage family, she had worked hard to secure a marriage with Jace. There was no way Mila would let go now. No matter how he treated her, she wouldn't give up. When Jace's phone rang, she wrapped herself in a bathrobe and walked out. "Honey, you have a call." As long as she played the perfect wife, the Sage family would acknowledge her. What future was there in being a doctor? Returning to the family and securing her share of the inheritance was the only way she could feel at ease. Besides, Jace was good-looking. Being with him was a bonus. This deal was worth it. "He glanced at the unknown caller and declined the call. "It's cold outside. Go back in." Mila wrapped her arms around his waist. "Honey, want to give it another try?" "No, I need to take this call." He hadn't expected the caller to be Charles. At first, he had only wanted an excuse to brush off Mila and make her back off. Still, when he heard that familiar voice on the other end, the anger in his chest exploded. "Charles Lennox! How dare you call me?" "Jace, no ... Mr. Hawthorne. I'm begging you, please help me find my daughter." Charles's voice trembled with sobs. Jace's first instinct was that the man was lying. Annoyed, he crushed out his cigarette. "Just tell me, how much do you want this time?" "I don't want money. I just want my daughter back. She gave up her entire right lung to save you and the doctors say she might not have much time left. I just want to be with her … "