Mr. Jones, Ma'am Shall Not Die

Chapter 3: The Unfitted Ring Is Like Their Marriage

When Ada finally came to her senses, she realized she was all alone in the hospital room.

Her phone had died, and she had no clue how long she had been out cold. Glancing out the window, she saw that the sky was still pitch black.

Ada hopped out of bed, slipped on her kicks, snatched her bag, and headed out. Passing by Isabella's room, she noticed the door cracked open but decided against barging in.

In there, Isabella sat cozying up with her so-called husband Joseph.

Isabella had the kind of face that could make anyone go all nostalgic about their first love, and even the blue and white striped hospital gown couldn't hide her classy and graceful vibes. Her fair skin highlighted her bright almond-shaped eyes that were as clear as day. Ada couldn't help but think that maybe Joseph was attracted to Isabella's innocent and radiant energy. Compared to her, she felt like some wicked witch breaking up a fairy tale couple.

Joseph's affection towards Isabella fueled Ada's jealousy, and as she observed them, she felt a pang in her gums.

To those who didn't know Joseph, he seemed naturally icy, but Ada knew he had kept all his tenderness locked up for Isabella and couldn't bring himself to show a drop to anyone else. Well, he used to be kind to her back in the day, but now there was zilch left.

Ada's "peeping" eventually caught the attention of the lovebirds inside. Isabella glanced her way and trembled like a scared little bunny, hiding behind Joseph for safety.

Her face showed fear, and her eyes were red, as if she had just come face-to-face with some unforgivable villain.

Joseph gently patted Isabella's shoulder and shot Ada a cold stare. Annoyance welled up inside him when he saw her lurking by the door.

That annoyance quickly turned into disgust, evident on his face as he scolded, "What the hell are you doing there, playing mysterious?"

Ada stood at the door, staring at the two lovey-dovey figures inside, a sharp pain stabbing her eyes. She didn't want to look, but she couldn't resist. After all, that was Joseph—the Joseph she had never seen before, the Joseph she craved.

After gawking for too long, her vision blurred...it hurt, and her heart turned as lifeless as a pile of ashes.

Joseph shielded Isabella behind him, his eyes locked on Ada, emotions swirling inside him. His brows furrowed. "Now that you're awake, just get the hell outta here."

Ada hesitated for a moment and asked in a raspy voice, "You comin' back tonight?"

As she observed Joseph's guarded gaze, Ada couldn't be bothered to explain. She couldn't figure out what the hell she had done over the years to make Joseph look at her with such suspicion, like she was some damn thief.

Even though she had kept him from being with Isabella, throughout their four years of marriage, Ada had taken care of him like a freaking nanny, taking care of all his needs.

Though she couldn't achieve a picture-perfect family or a blissful marriage, she never poked her nose into his affairs with Isabella.

Back in the day, Joseph always knew how to move around slyly, keeping things on the down-low. Once the Smith family dropped off the rich list and lost their status, Ada was no longer a threat to him.

She never breathed a word about his fling with Isabella, but could she seriously not give a damn? How the hell was that even possible?

Being with Joseph had cost Ada everything. Not only was she fighting stomach cancer and on her deathbed, but she also had to help others prolong their lives. Her own life was slipping away, yet nobody gave a damn about helping her in return.

Ada's heart suddenly felt like it was being stabbed by a million needles, and the pain shot through her veins, making her fingertips tremble in agony.

Ada didn't bother arguing with Joseph's command. After so many years, she had gotten used to it. From trying to please him in the beginning to now silently imprisoning herself, she had drawn a line in the sand.

As Ada turned away, she caught Isabella's voice from inside. "Is Ada okay after losing so much blood? She looks like shit..."

"She's fine. Tough as nails," Joseph replied.

Look at that, the man she loves. Even her love rival noticed Ada looking like crap, but he couldn't give two shits.

Joseph wasn't a careless person. He could spot work problems in a flash and be the first to know when Isabella was in trouble. But when it came to Ada, whom he had known for six years, he had no time or interest.

Ada took a deep breath and left without a backward glance. The rain outside was getting heavier and heavier.

She walked slowly, head down, without an umbrella in her bag, and soon she was soaking wet. Ada felt an icy coldness all over her body, seeping into her bones, making her already pale lips c***k and raindrops cling to her long, curly eyelashes.

Ada was freezing to the bone. Her head throbbed, her eyes ached, and her stomach churned from the cold. She instinctively reached out to cover her belly but accidentally knocked off the ring from her finger.

Ada stared blankly at the ring, which had lost its shine and turned black. She remembered when she and Joseph signed their engagement contract. She casually said, "Since we're tying the knot, we ought to have a ring."

Joseph heard her and bought a cheap ring from some sketchy roadside stall, sarcastically saying, "Here you go, it's worth only a few bucks."

At that moment, Ada forced a smile, her eyes filled with an indescribable sadness. The ring was too damn small, making her finger turn red and bloody, but she insisted on wearing it.

Ada stubbornly believed that one day the ring would fit perfectly, just like she believed her relationship with Joseph would work out. But she never expected that it would eventually loosen and slip off her finger, just like her bond with Joseph.

Curled up in the pouring rain, Ada's stomach burned and churned. She covered her mouth, retching twice. Her eyes were sore and bloodshot, and tears streamed down uncontrollably.

The rain kept pouring, and people on the street started opening their umbrellas. Ada picked up the ring from the wet ground and pressed it against her chest until her stomach settled. Then, with determination, she stood back up.

She was like a lost soul wandering in the rain when she accidentally bumped into someone. Ada snapped back to reality and quickly apologized. It happened to be a young mom with her kid, and she held the child's hand, offering a gentle reassurance, "No worries."

The child glanced up at Ada's teary eyes and asked softly, "Are you crying, sis?"

The mom patted the child's head, gave Ada an apologetic look, and walked away with her little one.

As the mother and son turned away, Ada heard the child inquire, "Why is sis crying? Is she scared of something?"

"How could I be scared..."

In the rain, Ada couldn't catch what the mother and child were saying as their backs were turned to her.

Ada tenderly covered her stomach and lifted her head, fighting back the tears. Scared? How could she not be scared? She was terrified going alone to the hospital, terrified during the stomach examination, terrified when the doctor called her alone into the diagnosis room, and utterly terrified when she received the terminal illness diagnosis.

But what Ada feared above all else was dying alone, without anyone by her side.