I Don't Want Your Fickle Love

Sandra's ex-boyfriend had cancer, yet he still found the energy to keep pestering her. So I anonymously sent him a sum of money to make him leave her alone. But when Sandra found what I'd done, she threw the bank card in my face and shouted, "Why would you humiliate a dying man with money? He's already pitiful enough!" I looked at her calmly. "You're my wife. You shouldn't be worrying about another man." Chapter 1 Sandra Raines and I had been happily discussing plans for our anniversary getaway when her phone chimed. She glanced at the message, and her smile instantly froze. I nudged her with my elbow. "What's wrong?" She didn't answer. She simply stared at her phone, lost in thought. "Sandy?" When I called her again, she finally looked up at me. Her eyes were already swimming with tears. "Sh-Shawn has cancer. He… He's dying..." she said, her voice trembling. I froze at the sound of that name. Before I could even react, Sandra had already rushed off, leaving me behind. By the time I caught up with her at the hospital, she had already found Shawn Moore's room. She was standing beside his bed, having finished reading his test results. "How long have you known?" Shawn's cheeks were so thin that they had sunken in, and his lips were pale. "Three months. It's terminal. The doctor says I have a month at most." After saying that, he looked over at me standing in the doorway. "Theo, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disrupt your lives. I just don't have anyone else to turn to, and I'm so scared..." Sandra suddenly turned to me, her eyes filled with nothing but coldness. "What are you doing here?" The message in her eyes was clear. What right did I have to be there? I smiled bitterly to myself. This really wasn't the time to bring up our trip. The man was dying, after all. "I came to help." "What could you possibly help with? Just go home. I'll be back soon." Sandra spoke warily, as though she was afraid I might hurt Shawn. As I left, I glanced back. Sandra was already in Shawn's arms, comforting him. "Don't be afraid. I'm here." With reddened eyes, Shawn wrapped his thin, bony arms tightly around her. "Sandy, you're all I have. Please don't leave me..." Sandra stroked his hair. "I won't leave you." My wife was embracing another man. An endless bitterness churned inside me as I watched them, but there was nothing I could do. Shawn was right. The living could never compete with the dead. ...... Sandra and I grew up together. Everyone said we were perfect for each other, and we felt the same way. We started dating in high school. But after graduation, my parents insisted that I study abroad. I didn't want to go, because I didn't want to leave Sandra. But under pressure from my parents, I had no choice but to tell her. I would never forget that day. She held me tightly, reluctant to let go, and said through her tears, "I don't want you to leave, but I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes. "Theo, I'm still waiting for you to come home and marry me." And so, we began a long-distance relationship. She talked to me and encouraged me every day. She was what kept me going while I was abroad, pushing me to work hard without ever letting up. During the hardest period, much of my hair suddenly turned gray, but I still thought it was worth it. Then, a year after I left, I saw a photo of her with another man on social media. He was tall and slender, with a refined, scholarly air. His name was Shawn Moore, an upperclassman at her college. I asked a friend about him and learned that Shawn had pursued Sandra relentlessly at school. After spending an entire year fawning over her, he finally convinced Sandra to date him. My friend also said, "I always thought you and Sandra would get married. I never expected you two to suddenly break up. A year after you left, she found someone new." Breakup... I stared at that word in stunned silence for a long time. Yet Sandra continued sharing her life with me as usual, whether she was getting boba, going out to eat, or visiting an amusement park. Chapter 2 She claimed that she was still waiting faithfully for me. That she was saving all those experiences for when I came home so that we could do them together. I knew she was lying, but I didn't dare confront her. All I could do was force myself to keep going. The program was supposed to take seven years, but I completed all the coursework in four and returned home early. I wanted to ask her one question in person. Why had she forgotten every promise she'd ever made to me? ...... Later, when Sandra learned I was coming home, she broke up with Shawn. Her explanation was, "I was bored without you, so I found someone to pretend to be my boyfriend and keep me company. Shawn and I were never serious. You're the only man I've ever truly loved." I believed her, and we got married. After our wedding, she really did cut off all contact with Shawn. It seemed as though she'd been telling the truth after all. The day before Sandra and I were supposed to leave for our anniversary trip, I received a call from an unknown number. It was Shawn. "You really think Sandra loves you? She talks to me every day," he said tauntingly. Then he sent me screenshot after screenshot of his flirtatious conversations with Sandra. Sandra had written, "Shawn, I miss you." "Shawn, I want to see you." She had also written, "Shawn, you're the only man in my heart." I refused to believe any of it. Shawn had to be trying to drive a wedge between Sandra and me. After all, Sandra had told me that I was the only man she truly loved. Shawn scoffed. "Fine, if you don't believe me, let's make a bet. You two are leaving for your anniversary trip tomorrow, right? Tomorrow, I'll message Sandra and tell her I have cancer. Let's see how she reacts. If she comes to me, you step aside. If she doesn't, I will." I hesitated, but ultimately agreed. Before hanging up, he said, "Theo, you're not going to win. The living can never compete with the dead." ...... When I got home, I unpacked everything I had just finished packing. I already knew Sandra wouldn't be going on the trip with me. When I got to the jewelry box, I stopped. I had given Sandra all her jewelry, so I knew every piece she owned. So when I saw a handmade friendship bracelet with a small gold charm set with her birthstone nestled among the expensive jewelry I'd given her, I didn't even need to guess who had given it to her. It had to be Shawn, and she must have worn it for years because the cord was already frayed. I stared at it for a long time, and I found myself imagining the touching love story behind it. The thought made my own place in her life feel like a cruel joke. In the end, I calmly put it away in the drawer. Sandra didn't return until after midnight, exhaustion written all over her face. She casually tossed her bag onto a chair, the scent of a man's pine cologne still clung to her. She had been so intimate with Shawn earlier that day. It was only natural that his scent had rubbed off on her. "We should cancel the anniversary trip. I've already told our parents we're too busy with work. We can go another time. "For now, get some rest. I'll take care of everything at the company," I said, explaining the arrangements I'd made. Hearing that, she seemed irritated. She sneered, "You seem awfully cheerful." I froze, unable to understand what she meant. Then she said, "Shawn has cancer. You must be thrilled that your only competition is about to disappear! "I honestly don't understand you, Theo. How can you be so vicious?" "That has never crossed my mind." I defended myself. Every word she said cut straight through me. I never imagined she would think so little of me. I suddenly remembered something that had happened in high school. I came down with a fever that one time and stayed home from school. I didn't tell Sandra because I didn't want her to worry. But as soon as classes ended that day, she rushed straight to my house. "Theo, why didn't you tell me you were sick?" "I didn't want you to worry." "But I'm your girlfriend. You're supposed to tell me everything. When two people are together, they shouldn't keep anything from each other!" She sounded genuinely upset, and from that day forward, I worked to break that habit and began telling her everything. Chapter 3 I told her everything, from what time I woke up and went to bed to what I ate for dinner each night. Even during the years I spent abroad, I gave her those little updates every day. She was the one who told me that was how couples were supposed to be. Yet now, she was the one hurting me like this. Sandra seemed to realize how cruel her words had been and quickly tried to comfort me. "I'm sorry, Theo. I'm just upset." Struggling to keep my emotions under control, I said, "Let's get some rest. I'll use the guest room tonight." As I reached the door, Sandra suddenly wrapped her arms around my waist. "Don't go. Don't leave me alone." I froze. For one fleeting moment, I thought Sandra might still love me. And once again, my resolve crumbled. She fell asleep holding me as she always did, but I couldn't sleep. I sat against the headboard, staring out at the darkness beyond the window. I felt completely hollow inside. Then Sandra suddenly rolled over. Tears streamed down her face as she murmured in her sleep, "Shawn, please don't leave me..." An invisible hand seemed to close around my throat, leaving me unable to breathe. ...... Sandra rarely talked in her sleep. Her words took me back to our wedding day. Specifically when Shawn had stormed into the ceremony. His face was twisted in pain as he kept murmuring, "Sandy, don't leave me." Sandra had responded coldly, "Security, please escort him out." After security took Shawn away, I saw her hands clutching the fabric of her wedding dress. I assumed it was just wedding-day nerves. But that night, she showed no interest in spending our wedding night with me. I assumed she was shy. Then she murmured in her sleep, "Shawn, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." That was when it finally hit me. Everything I'd believed was nothing more than what I wanted to believe. Reality was cruel. The next morning, Sandra got up early and went into the bathroom to get ready. I was making the bed when she stormed out, her expression dark and her voice sharp with anger. "Where's my bracelet?" Before I could answer, she shouted, "Theo Shaw, where is my bracelet? Who told you that you could touch my things?" Her shouting left my ears ringing. "It's in the drawer," I replied, rubbing my temples. She immediately rushed to the drawer and grabbed the bracelet, clutching it in her palm as though it were her most precious possession. The sight left me too heartsick to speak. Shawn's cancer had changed Sandra completely. It had laid her heart bare. She had never gotten over him, and she couldn't bear to let him go. ...... Every morning after that, Sandra made me breakfast before leaving the house. I never asked where she was going, and she never told me. She simply kissed me goodbye as usual and told me to wait for her to come home. I secretly asked my assistant to find out where she went each day. She visited the hospital every day and searched far and wide for specialists who might be able to save Shawn. His cancer was, however, terminal. There was nothing anyone could do. Every specialist gave her the same answer. They might be able to extend Shawn's life, but they couldn't cure him. Each time Sandra heard those words, the despair on her face deepened. One evening, I drove home from work as usual. That was when I saw Sandra and Shawn in the yard. Sandra was wearing a wedding dress, while Shawn wore a white suit. He had grown so thin that the suit could only hang loosely from his body, and yet Sandra still gazed at him with nothing but love. The setting sun bathed them in golden light as they held hands, their faces glowing with happiness. A photographer captured the happy scene for them. Shawn looked up and spotted me sitting in the car. His eyes gleamed with triumph. His expression seemed to say that I had never stood a chance against him. After I lost our bet, Shawn had texted me and told me it was time for me to step aside. But walking away would have meant giving him exactly what he wanted, so I told him I'd changed my mind. He snapped, "Theo, you're such a sore loser. "But even if you refuse to leave, Sandra only has eyes for me. All you'll do is keep making yourself miserable." In that moment, I had to admit he had a point.