Sue grabbed his wrist, her voice weak. “It won’t help…”
The artificial heart had too many flaws. Sudden chest pain, difficulty breathing, body convulsions—it could strike at any moment.
No amount of painkillers could fix it.
Every time, she had to endure it on her own.
Once the pain dulled slightly, Irwin hesitated before asking, “Sue… did you hear what Mavy and I were talking about?”
A storm raged inside her, but she kept her face blank.
“No. I was bringing you some pastries, but before I got to the door, my chest started hurting. I didn’t want you to worry, so I came back here instead.”
Irwin let out a breath of relief.
But then Sue asked, voice calm, “Is there something I’m not supposed to hear?”
“No, just some medical talk. It’s pretty gruesome. Didn’t want you losing sleep over it.”
She stared into his eyes and caught the flicker of guilt.
For years, she had trusted the sincerity in those eyes.
Now, she wished she never had.
Five years ago, she had a fiancé.
The night before their wedding, her mom walked in on him in bed with her best friend, Ava Allder.
Her mom was so furious that she had a heart attack.
But then her fiancé and Ava got married.