Too Late to Love Me

Chapter 8

"Get Out!!!"Evelyn pointed toward the gallery entrance, her voice quiet but steady.

That same inexplicable irritation flared in Aiden's chest again.

In the end, he led Iris, who was still sniffling theatrically, out of the gallery and into the night.

The gallery fell silent once more, leaving behind only torn fragments of canvas and that garish smear of red.

Time passed quietly, and soon enough, the day arrived for them to finalize their divorce.

Inside the clerk’s office in civil council, the air felt even heavier than it had the first time.

Evelyn signed the papers without a word and accepted the divorce certificate from the clerk.

Iris immediately latched onto Aiden's arm, her voice bright with triumph. "Aiden, let's get married right now! I want everyone to know I'm the real Mrs. Cross."

Aiden's brow furrowed instantly. He tried to pull his arm back. "Iris, don't be ridiculous."

"How is this ridiculous?" Iris's tears arrived on cue. She pouted, her lower lip trembling. "Are you having second thoughts? Do you still have feelings for her?"

She jabbed a finger at Evelyn's retreating figure, refusing to let it go.

Under the curious stares of everyone around them, exhaustion pressed down on Aiden like a weight.

He had no desire to fuel gossip or prolong the scene.

Between Iris's performance and the silent judgment of strangers, he finally closed his eyes and surrendered. "Fine. Whatever you want."

Iris's tears vanished instantly. Her chin lifted in triumph.

Just as Evelyn reached the exit, Iris called after her, loud enough for the whole room to hear: "Evelyn! In one week, Aiden and I are getting married at the Hilton. You simply have to come!"

Evelyn paused mid-step. Slowly, she turned.

"Of course," she said, and smiled. "I'll be there."

There was something in the calm of that smile that made Aiden's chest tighten unexpectedly.

After leaving the clerk's office, Evelyn went straight to the hospital.

In the examination room, Lucas studied her latest test results, his expression grim. "Ms. Green, the prognosis isn't optimistic, but medicine is always advancing. We can still explore new options, even the smallest chance is worth considering."

Evelyn listened quietly, her face unreadable.

When he finished, she let out a soft laugh. "Thank you, Lucas."

She turned to look out the window at the gray sky, her gaze distant. "I'm not giving up. I'm just thinking a change of scenery might help, for the body and the mind."

She asked Lucas to prescribe something stronger for the pain, then left.

Later that afternoon, at the other end of the same hospital corridor, Aiden stood waiting.

He had accompanied Iris to pick up her regular asthma medication.

While she was inside with the doctor, Aiden leaned against the cold corridor wall, his thoughts unsettled.

The image of Evelyn walking away from him, calm, finished, resolved, kept surfacing in his mind.

Then, through the half-open door of a nearby exam room, he caught the murmur of voices.

Two doctors, speaking quietly.

"That patient earlier, Evelyn, was it? Such a pity, so young."

Aiden stiffened. He moved closer to the door without thinking.

The other doctor's voice followed. "That bad?"

"Late-stage gastric cancer. Diagnosed a few months ago. Young people don't take care of themselves, so many health problems these days."

Aiden's heart stopped.

He shoved the door open and stepped inside, his voice unsteady. "Who were you talking about? Late-stage gastric cancer?"