On the other hand, Veronica called back Cayenne and told her that Marian was alright and was currently resting. She didn't inform her that Marian's health was deteriorating because of the upcoming final exam.

  "After the exam, we'll visit her." Stefan told Cayenne to reassure her. "I'm pretty sure that Veronica won't neglect her."

  "I know. I'm just a bit worried because she looked really pale when we left and the last time I called her, she was bleeding although, she told me that it's normal for patients with leukemia."

  "Don't worry. Just focus on your exam and I'll check on her for you."

  To make sure that Cayenne won't fail, Stefan even allowed her to have group study sessions with Noah and Faith. Of course, he was there the whole time, doing his work and would only leave if he's going to have a conference meeting with clients or with shareholders. Talk about possessive and overprotective? Stefan would be number one on the list.

  Meanwhile, John kept visiting Marian in the hospital. Normally, she'd be staying at home after getting checked but because her health was getting worse, her parents insisted that she stay in the hospital, acting as if they really cared for her.

  There were times that they crossed path with John and instead of belittling him like how they used to, they'd only look at him with guilty expression. They'd never say a word but Veronica knew why only Marian had no idea of what she missed in the past.

  It's been three days since they talked emotionally of their past and their relationship, and after all that, Marian pretended nothing happened.

  "I brought you white bean chicken soup and banana-apple shake. I made them myself." John stated while placing the food containers on the table.

  "Thank you. Did you meet my parents outside? Did they say something to you?"

  "I did see them but we didn't talk."

  "I see. As much as possible, just avoid them."

  John nodded his head and sat on the chair next to her bed. "It's almost lunch. Do you want to eat first and have a – "

  "I'll eat later. I'm really sleepy and I feel so tired."

  "Are you making excuses not to see me?"

  "Of course, not. I just really feel a little bit sluggish. I don't get so much sleep at night so I try to get as much sleep during day time."

  John didn't think too much about it and just sat on the chair, watching her as she drifted off to sleep. After half an hour, reassured that she's asleep, he pulled out a small box from his pocket and picked the ring inside it.

  "What are you doing?" Veronica asked in whisper when she saw what John has in hand.

  "I'm marrying her." he answered with a faint smile. "I'll marry no one but her." he slid off the ring on her ring finger and kissed her hand. "I will only love you for the rest of my life even if you don't want it."

  Veronica sighed and just looked outside the window. She didn't know what it's like to fall in love because she has never experienced that but she knew that the one Marian and John have was a painful first love.

  "Young mistress didn't know about the thing you promised to her parents." Veronica mentioned softly, making sure that John can hear her without waking up Marian who was sleeping. "All this time, she thought that you have forgotten but in fact, you were not allowed to approach her without any results. Sir John, is it worth it? You worked so hard in order to obtain her but in the end, you will still lose her. You lost so much time in the past and you will lose more time in the future."

  "I have regretted a lot of things but I believe that things happened for a reason. I was just a poor man. If I forced my way to be with her and later on she fell ill, she'd only die earlier with me. I don't have money to lengthen her life."

  "Now, that you have money, can you lengthen her life?" John was dumbfounded at her question. He couldn't find any words to refute her. "I won't blame you for what you chose and I'm sure that young mistress won't blame you either. Let's just blame it to fate. Isn't it better to blame everything to fate?"

  John remained silent. He didn't know if what he did was right or wrong but he knew that he regretted everything.

  When Marian woke up around 3:00 in the afternoon, John was no longer there. Veronica told her that he left to deal with some works. It was when she reached for the food on the table that she noticed the ring on her ring finger. She blinked several times, looking at the diamond ring she was wearing.

  "Did he…did he put this on me?"

  "Do you think I would?" Veronica retorted and rolled her eyes. "We've been pushing him but he kept coming back and clings to you."

  "He'll get tired soon." Marian replied and removed the ring from her hand. She placed it inside the small box together with the promise ring that he gave her years ago. "There's no point clinging to a dead person."

  "But you're not dead yet."

  "There's not much difference." She was very nonchalant to her condition because she has accepted the cruel truth of her illness.

  That afternoon, Seiji also visited her to check how she was. He really took some time off from work but he never expected to be mistaken for someone else.

  "Arthur, have you given up on En-En already?"

  "Arthur? I'm not Arthur. It's me Seiji."

  "Oh. Seiji? My mistake. Anyway, you're the same with Arthur. Have you given up on her?"

  "I gave up on her a long time ago."

  "Yeah, you should. I heard that she's got a boyfriend already."

  Seiji and Veronica looked at each other. They weren't expecting this and they couldn't speak for a while from the shock. "Cayenne's married already."

  "She is? Why didn't she tell me?"

  "Well, they just registered their marriage but the wedding hasn't yet to come."

  "Oh."

  Veronica couldn't take it anymore and ran out of the room. Things were progressing so fast. Marian was confusing time and people from one another. Her memories were messed up and Veronica knew that this is one of the symptoms for the final stage of Marian's illness.

  Seiji kep the smile on his face, acting like nothings wrong but when Marian said she'd go back to sleep, he had the urge to stop her. He was afraid that she'd never wake up again.