Married By Mistake: The CEO's Destined Wife

April 2, 20xx

Beijing

A sunny weather blanketed the city, replacing that chilly and dry air which had been causing cold wavesthis winter signaling the start of spring.

As opposed to the nice weather, there's a lone figure clad with hospital clothes walking aimlessly on the patio leading to the back garden of the hospital grounds.

One of her patient saw her coming and waved but she was looking past at him, making the man wonder what's happening to the doctor.

She ignored the furtive glances the other patients ----being accompanied by their family member to enjoy the early morning sun--- gave her. Normally, she would give them big smiles to brighten their mood as getting treatment at the hospital could make ones emotion dwindle down.

But today, her mouth couldn't even curve up to make a smile.In her mind, the oncologist's diagnosis echoed in her ears, like a broken record on repeat.

She thought she is very healthy and her risk of getting the same illness as her mother's was low. However, the doctor's diagnosis echoed in her ears, like a broken record on repeat,

"I am sorry Dr. Yan. The test results show that a large number of oversized, abnormal lymphocytes accumulated in your lymphatic system overcrowding your healthy cells."

At that point, she wished she could not comprehend what the woman was saying.

Unfortunately, as a doctor, she immediately grasped the meaning of those words.

It meant that cells in her lymphatic system are growing abnormally and it is a symptom for Hodgkin's lymphoma. This is a cancer in the lymphatic system which is a part of the body's immune system.

A few weeks ago, she collapsed while doing rounds and she brushed off her colleagues suggestion to get her body tested as early symptoms had been evident like painful neck, sudden weight loss and recurring fever.

She refused thinking they are simply caused by fatigue. It is undeniable that she works long hours, especially as she is on her 2nd year as a resident in the General Surgery department and her mentor is usually out of the country giving talks or attending conferences. Hence, most cases are left in her hands. Additionally, getting Dr Sun's confirmation or advice is same as asking for pigs to fly, especially when he is on his scourge mood. He is known to be one of the best surgeons in the country yet his raging-like-forest-fire temper is concealed on the outside. Only hospital personnel experienced this uncontrollable temper of his but will never be able to voice it out as Dr Sun's family is a part owner of this private hospital. That is why, she gets a lot of pity from her colleagues for being under him. Most of the time, she is completely on her own, making her workload heavier compared to the rest.

Apparently, those were the early symptoms of her illness including the vision problem she was having a few months ago which prompted her to wear glasses as not having a perfect eyesight is risky when performing surgery. All along, she thought it is caused by straining her eyes from perusing books and reading materials for her paper.

Owing to the fact that her mother died of cancer, she should have known better than regular people that there is a higher probability of her having one.

Why did she brush off this simple signs?

The doctor noticed her changing expressions and said "Though you have this illness, it does not mean it's your end. It is still on the second stage which is treatable with the advanced breakthrough of medicine in this century. Luckily, we discovered it early and will proceed to the treatment so there is a chance of full recovery."

The words sounded positive to the ears. Yet, there were many unexplained meanings behind.

'But what if the treatment plan wont work?'

As if reading her thought, Dr Su offered her sympathetic words.

"If radiation and chemotherapy wont kill these cancer cells, there's this medicine in its early development being perfected overseas that can completely eliminate these abnormally growing cells. It's been tested and the first batch who tried it, are showing improvement. So don't worry. You will get better."

She smiled at the last sentence to assure her.

But Dr. Yan Shi knew better. Those words were meant to comfort her. To give her hope.

Like she does when she talks to patients.

However,a medicine in development means she will become one of those experimental rats.

Not that she abhors the idea but rather, the thought of her chances of surviving is 50-50.

It's like she'd been played with the biggest joke in her life. Coincidentally, yesterday was April Fool's Day and she hoped everything was a dream the next day.

But test results never lie. She stared those reports earlier with much intensity that it's going to be burned if her eyes emit fire. She wanted to ascertain everything is real. And it was.

She never realized that she was already leaning on a tree and her legs started feeling weak and her eyes getting blurry that she squatted down as the reality of things sank inside her.

Not minding where she was, she wept like a child which she never did. The last time she cried badly was when her mother passed away.

Even when she discovered yesterday that her overly gentle boyfriend made her half sister pregnant, her tear ducts never wavered.

But this time, she could not control herself from tearing.

Boyfriend... gone

Research paper…deleted. Stupid of her for not storing it in her cloud account.

Slytherin. She cursed at herself.

Medical license….possibility of getting revoked even if she can prove she never misdiagnosed that VIP patient.

What to do? Her fully planned future seemed bleak.

Now, she has this illness.

Why?

How could this be?

How could fate be cruel to her? Why give her the same thing that her mother suffered from?

How could she have cancer? Her comprehensive medical check up 6 months ago is very clean. She is a young healthy doctor.

But why?

As her tears fell, the weather appeared to sympathize with her that the bright sun hid behind the clouds and a gloomy weather enveloped the surrounding, showings signs of upcoming rain making the people in the area return to their wards in haste, afraid of getting wet.

Plit plat

Plit plat

The sound of falling heavy rain was heard and that earthy scent of petrichor as raindrops suddenly wet the ground, wafted in the air.

Droplets of rain fell on her face, rolling down with her tears and soaking the thin, black cardigan she put on top of the hospital suit. If she'd be seen by doctors or nurses, she'd be scolded at since her body is still burning with fever.

However, all of this didn't matter to her at the moment.

She pitied herself.

It seemed she is destined to have a short life like her mom's.

'Why? The world is so unfair.'

She is only 24 years old and has not yet enjoyed life to its fullest in this world.

There are many things she wanted to do for herself and for her mother.

She longs to travel and see the world. Especially Europe, her mother's origins. Listening her talk about her travels when she was young, she started getting itchy feet at an early age.

At the same time, to complete her mother's half fulfilled aspirations as she died before completing the list of countries she desired to go to.

It is something she planned to do if she'll take a 1 year sabbatical trip after the completion of her residency in two years.

Her travel bucket list includes:

- Experiencing to sail the major seas including the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and even the Arctic if possible

- trying the delicious delicacies and experiencing the wonderful culture of of every country has to offer

- wondering around the top 20 ruins in the world including the Incan Citadel of Machu Picchu, the Parthenon in Greece, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Moai in Chile and etc.

There is so much more to do and see. Yet, it looked impossible for now.

A bitter arc formed on her lips.

Additionally, she is yet to fulfill her dream to become a designer. Originally, that is the career choice she wanted yet because of her mother passing away without accomplishing her long time dream to become a doctor, she decided on this profession. She thought perhaps, she can achieve this designing dream on her life once her position is smooth sailing.

Every now and then, there's this inkling desire in her to make career changes especially at highly stressful moments during emergencies. But considering of the time and resources she invested, it's a waste not to use acquired skills to cure people. Plus the adrenaline rush in her job, somehow keeps keeps her at bay from yielding to loneliness for not having a family. Although she does, but her father's family had always treated her as an outsider. Except for her paternal Grandfather and Bai Haifeng.

But she has no qualifications to depend on the latter as he is going to be her brother-in-law. The sullen smile on her lips intensified at that thought.

When will she be able to accomplish these simple dreams?

Your time is running out.

A part of her brain reminded her, triggering sorrowful emotions from the past to present, making her wail louder. It was like a dam that suddenly broke open.

On the other end of the spectrum, the doctor's statements were very encouraging that there is hope, but it is irrefutable that this malady will disrupt your body's system regardless of what stage you are in.

In a medical standpoint, cancer is a relentless traitor. Even with advancement of medical research, chances of relapsing after getting cured are high.

Additionally, watching her mother die painfully, she knows how difficult it is once the treatment starts. Radiation and chemotherapy will suck away all your remaining energy making you weaker and weaker every moment and you will be confined inside the four white walls of the hospital room which she never pictured herself in.

As her tears fell under the pouring rain as shelamented on her unfulfilled wishes, there was a sudden searing pain on her body and she started coughing profusely, disrupting her normal breathing.

She clutched her chest and leaned forward but before she can give herself emergency aid, her world turned black and she slumped on the ground, her clear white face fell on the puddle of water in front of her.