My Wife Said Only Death Could Set Me Free

Chapter 6

I really had no other option, so I had to ask Roman for help. As soon as he picked up the phone, it seemed like he hadn't expected it. "Luka, is something wrong?"

After all, yesterday's situation caused quite a stir, and me calling him today would most likely remind him of the argument. People know that Lyra and I share a mother, but no one really knew the story behind it.

"Roman, I urgently need money. Can you lend me some?"

Roman was probably the one who understood our situation the best. The moment I opened my mouth, he instantly knew what was going on.

"Is something wrong at the nursing home?"

See, even outsiders could easily guess what's happening, and Lyra knew it too, but she chooses to avoid doing something.

My nose stung a little, and I nodded. "Kidney failure. She urgently needs a transplant, and it costs a lot of money. If you don't have extra cash, could you help me find a job instead?"

After getting married, I became a full-time househusband. Lyra said she loved seeing me the moment she came home, so I stayed at home for a few years.

But now, she no longer came home, and trying to re-enter society after all this time was proving difficult.

"But with your health, you can't work right now," Roman sounded a bit helpless. "Just give me a number, and I'll see what I can pull together. If it's not enough, we'll figure something else out."

Eight hundred thousand. It might be nothing to Lyra, but for people like us, it's a huge amount.

Even as a senior executive assistant, it would take years to save up that much.

Roman just helped his parents buy a house back home, so I doubted if he had much left in savings. In the end, he tried everything he could and scraped together almost two hundred thousand. "Luka, this is the best I could do for now. Take this two hundred thousand, and I'll see if I can think of something else over the next few days."

"Just help me find a job. I'm not going to die right away, so I can handle something easy." I tried to sound as casual as possible.

After all, Mia is my own godmother. It was a promise I made with Lyra. I can't let Roman be dragged down by this.

Roman thought for a moment, then gave in. "Alright, I'll introduce you to a friend of mine. His nightclub just opened, and they need staff, but the pay isn't great—maybe a few thousand a month."

Having a few thousand bucks was already great. How much i was that? It was the kind of income that most ordinary families dream of.

I had no reason to refuse, although I really didn't like the smell of alcohol and cigarettes in nightclubs. But this time, for Mia, I could do it.

Roman must had talked to his friend because he really looked out for me.

After the first day, his friend even gave me an advance on a month's salary. He was kind, just like Roman, and easy to get along with. Whenever I struggled at work, he'd naturally come over and help. "Isaac, Roman told me everything. I think I should move you to a different position where you can sit and take it easy, with the same pay. How about it?"

I smiled but politely declined. It's okay to ask a friend for help when you're desperate, but you can't keep taking advantage of their kindness, or it changes the nature of things.

I took all the money and went to the hospital. I left the larger amount for Mia's treatment, and I gave the rest to the director for daily expenses. Whether I ad money or not didn't really matter; I didn't need much at home, and the nightclub took care of everything, so there's hardly anywhere to spend it.

On my way, I passed by a pastry shop and saw the cakes Mia had been craving for ages. Back when I used to visit her, I would always bring her a box, but I hadn't seen her in a long time now.

At the hospital, I arrived just as Mia was awake. When she saw I had brought her favorite cake, she smiled like a child. "Isaac, you finally brought my favorite pastry!"

Seeing her so happy made me happy too. Honestly, it was the first genuine smile I'd had in a long time.

Mia noticed I wasn't saying anything and playfully tapped my forehead. "Tell me, why haven't you visited me in so long?"

It had been a long time, long enough that I had lost track of the days. Over the past year, things between Lyra and me had gotten so bad that I was constantly overwhelmed. Every time I visited Mia, I brought gifts, but I barely had spare time.

Holding Mia's hand, I made a promise. "Don't worry. From now on, I'll visit you regularly."

After all, we had promised her that she was our mother.

Mia squeezed my hand and, with tears in her eyes, said, "Isaac, I want a son like you, not to be a burden. Let's stop this treatment, okay?"

The old director overheard from the doorway and couldn't hold back anymore, covering his mouth as he cried. I didn't respond because visiting hours were over, and the nurse asked me to leave.

After that, my job didn't go as smoothly as I had imagined.

A few days later, the nightclub was hosting an event. I had finished my cleaning duties, but the boss and staff were all swamped, so I went over to help.

The boss, Roman's friend, was a kind young guy. "Isaac, are you sure you're up for this?"

There was no reason why I couldn't be. Back when I studied abroad on a scholarship, I majored in design. Marketing tasks like this are a piece of cake for me.

In no time, I had drawn up the marketing materials and atmosphere designs needed for the event.

The young boss circled around me, looking at me with admiration.

I guessed when you were doing something you were familiar with, you lost track of time. By the time I was done, it was already dark outside. The young boss looked a bit embarrassed. "I can't believe it's so late now. Isaac, since it's already this late, why don't you wait a bit? After I meet with a client, I'll drive you home."

I didn't want him feeling bad, so I agreed.

But as fate would have it, his client turned out to be Lyra. She walked in, her face glowing with a bright smile, and Luka followed behind her with a look of smug satisfaction.

They must've just come from a film set because her makeup was still flawless. But the only thing that caught my eye was the brooch he wore.

I stared at the amethyst brooch, muttering under my breath. "Favorite."

It was the piece I had designed for my final project when I studied abroad. I made it entirely for Lyra, so I named it "Favorite."

Unfortunately, I never got the chance to give it to her. It went straight to auction after it was completed.

Why is it on Luka now?

Luka was the first to notice me. "Mr. Smith, what are you doing here?"

Lyra heard him and turned to look at me. I stood there in the dark corner, unwilling to move. But when our eyes met, I asked her directly, "Did you give him that brooch?"

Lyra hadn't expected me to ask, and after a moment's hesitation, she took Luka's hand. "We just bought it at auction. It has a nice meaning, and it suits Luka ."

I knew she said it on purpose to get to me, but I couldn't stop the waves of nausea. That's when the headache started again.

Who's the joke here?

The brooch's design and meaning, now pinned to someone else's chest—my head was about to explode.