The Wrong Diagnosis

During the holiday, my husband and I attended a free health screening organized by our local community clinic. The doctors diagnosed me with late-stage lung cancer. But after a follow-up examination, I learned the truth—the hospital had mixed up the test samples. The one who actually had lung cancer was my husband. We had always had a loving marriage, so I rushed home in tears. On the way back, I had already made up my mind to use every cent of my savings to pay for his treatment. But the moment I reached the door, I heard our son's worried voice from inside. "Dad, it's already late-stage cancer. Treatment is just going to be a money pit." I was about to push the door open and tell them not to worry about the money when I heard my husband reply indifferently, "It's fine. Your mom's already terminal. Treatment would be a waste anyway. I'll convince her to give up." I froze on the spot. Without a word, I slipped the bank card containing 300 thousand dollars back into my pocket. Fine. Wonderful. Then give up treatment. Chapter 1 The Living Matter More "Grace has been thinking about opening a beauty salon recently. I was planning to invest both your mother's pension and mine into the business." Inside the apartment, my son, Elian Isley, immediately objected. "Dad, I know you care about Grace, but isn't that a little unfair? Mom's pension isn't yours alone." A flicker of warmth had just begun to rise in my chest when I heard Elian continue, "Supporting a family isn't easy for me either. The job market is terrible these days. I deserve a share of Mom's pension, no?" Heath Isley calmly reassured him. "Grace has always treated you well, hasn't she? That high-paying job you have now—who introduced you to that opportunity? And Colin getting into that elite program? Grace was the one who pulled strings and made it happen. "She never married and never had children. All the money she's earned and all the connections she's built over the years—who do you think they'll go to in the end? They'll all benefit you and your family." After a brief silence, Elian's voice lit up with delight. "You've got a point! Grace has waited for you all these years. If Mom passes away, you two can finally be together openly and honestly. Dad, you really lucked out. At least you won't have to worry about being alone in your old age." "You rascal, what are you talking about?" Heath scolded. But his displeasure was fake. After living with him for fifty years, I could easily hear the satisfaction and excitement hidden beneath his words. "Grace has spent her whole life waiting for me. Deep down, I've always felt guilty about that. Now that your mother has been diagnosed with this illness, maybe… maybe it's God's way of giving us a second chance." A chill ran straight through me. I could not believe our fifty-year marriage had become the obstacle standing between them and their happy ending. But did I really have to die before there was room for them? A few hours earlier, when I had first received the report saying I had terminal lung cancer, my first thought hadn't been how long I had left to live. It had been him. Without me around, how would this old man—who could not even find a pair of socks on his own—manage to survive? When the doctor later told me that he was actually the one with cancer, I had rushed home so frantically that I did not even notice one of my shoes had fallen off along the way. But now, as something cold trickled down my face, I could not tell whether it was sweat or tears. The conversation inside continued. "Dad, you've got to talk Mom out of it. Don't let her get emotional and waste money on treatment. We can't let her burn through all that cash." "Don't worry." Heath's voice was full of confidence, as if everything was already under his control. "Your mother has always been easy to persuade. A few sweet words, and she'll do whatever I say. "All I have to do is tell her the money should be saved for Colin's future wedding. She'll give up treatment without a second thought." "I do feel a little bad for Mom. But she'll understand. After all, the living matter more. During whatever time she has left, we'll just treat her a little better." "Exactly." Their voices gradually faded away. I closed my eyes. At a certain point, the pain became so overwhelming that all feeling disappeared, leaving only numbness behind. I didn't know how long I stood outside the door. The motion-activated light in the hallway switched on and off, then on again. I looked down at myself. One shoe was missing. Mud stained the leg of my pants. My hair was a mess. I looked utterly disheveled. But if I had not rushed home in such a panic, I might never have heard their true feelings with my own ears. Since he was so determined to throw his life away, he could not blame me for abandoning all sentimentality. Chapter 2 The Little Conscience He Has Left I did not know how I left the apartment building. By the time I came back to my senses, I was sitting alone on a bench in the park. The autumn wind cut through me, leaving me chilled to the bone. My mind raced as I began taking stock of everything I had—the money I had saved over the years, and the assets Heath and I shared. The three-bedroom apartment we lived in had originally been a company welfare apartment assigned to me through my factory job. It was my premarital property. Then there was my pension. I had never touched a single cent of it, letting it accumulate year after year. Back then, Heath and I had promised each other that once we retired, we would use that money to travel the world together. Looking back now, it was nothing but a joke. I stood up from the bench. If I was going to do something, I might as well do it immediately. With that, I went straight to the Social Security Administration and applied to withdraw my pension in one lump sum. The process took some effort. I had to submit all kinds of paperwork, but fortunately the policy was fairly accommodating. The staff saw that I was elderly and went out of their way to help me, so everything was processed quickly. When I looked at the large sum that had appeared in my bank account, the hollow emptiness inside my chest finally felt a little less unbearable. By the time I finished handling everything, evening had already fallen. Only then did I slowly make my way home. The moment I pushed open the door, I heard my grandson Colin Isley complain, "Grandma! Why are you only home now? Grandma Grace came over, and you didn't even make her a proper meal!" "Colin, is that any way to talk to your grandmother?" Grace quickly scolded him. "Have you forgotten what you promised me?" The little boy, who had only just started elementary school, immediately became as obedient as a kitten. "I have to be respectful." I watched as he snuggled against Grace and cuddled in her arms. That dependence and affection had once belonged entirely to me. Grace smiled awkwardly. "Oh, Susan, I'm so sorry. Colin's becoming more and more attached to me these days. Every afternoon after school, he insists on bringing me home with him. If I don't come, he throws a fit." I sneered inwardly. My grandson used to cling to me the most. But ever since Grace entered our lives, she would put on a lonely, heartbroken expression whenever she saw me holding him. Heath would feel sorry for her and start bringing Colin to her place every day to keep her company. Later, he even handed over all of Colin's school pickups and drop-offs to her. He claimed it was because he wanted me to focus on the housework and did not want me to overwork myself. I had been such a fool. I had actually believed he was being considerate. I merely responded with a quiet hum, ignoring Grace's attempt at conversation as I turned toward my room. "Susan!" Heath hurried over and grabbed my arm. His face was overflowing with concern. "Are you upset after seeing the test results? It's all my fault. I should've saved more money over the years so we could afford your treatment. "Things are difficult right now. Elian has to support the family, Colin's school and tutoring programs cost a fortune, and expenses are piling up everywhere…" Every word he spoke carried the same message. There was no money in this family, and my illness was a burden. I shook off his hand and replied coldly, "Don't. I'll pay for my own treatment. I don't need a single cent from you or our son." Elian rushed out of his room at once. "Mom!" he interrupted anxiously. "Do you even know how much cancer treatment costs? It's a bottomless pit! You'd be better off… better off…" His eyes met mine, and his words caught in his throat. Whatever little conscience he had left ultimately stopped him from saying the words "give up" out loud. Chapter 3 What if It's a Misdiagnosis? The son I had raised with my own hands had always gotten whatever he wanted. When he was ten years old, he developed a rare blood disorder. I carried him on my back and traveled across half the country, desperately searching for doctors and treatments. Back then, Heath would constantly whisper in my ear, "Just stop treating him. Instead of wasting all this time and money, why don't we have another child?" He said it as casually as if he were talking about an old piece of furniture that could be thrown away and replaced at any time. I refused to give up. I worked at the factory during the day and took odd jobs at night. I begged relatives, friends, and anyone willing to lend a hand. Somehow, I managed to scrape together enough money to cure my son. And Heath? He didn't contribute a single cent. He always claimed that his business was struggling and that he had lost all his money. I believed him. I never complained because I thought he was sacrificing everything for our family. Later, however, his first love, Grace, moved in next door and became my coworker. Heath was always telling me how difficult life was for her as a single woman and asking me to look after her. I was soft-hearted, so I genuinely treated her like a younger sister. Whenever I cooked something nice, I always made sure to bring her a portion. Then came the day our son underwent major surgery. I called Heath countless times, but every time he told me there was an emergency at work and he could not leave. Only afterward did I learn the truth. Grace's mother had been hospitalized, and Heath had spent the entire day at the hospital taking care of her family. He had shown more concern for them than he had for his own son. I had been furious enough to demand a divorce, but he held me in his arms and cried. He told me he could not live without me. He said I was the only person who had ever made a house feel like a home. As for Grace, he insisted she was a helpless woman facing a family crisis, and that as a man, he could not just stand by and do nothing. I fell for every word. And I forgave him. All these years, I had believed that I had done my duty as both a wife and a mother. I had nothing to be ashamed of. Yet somewhere along the way, both my husband and my son had given their hearts to someone else. At that moment, Heath scooped up Colin and began wiping away his tears. "Colin's still so young. There are so many expenses waiting for him in the future. Susan, maybe… maybe we shouldn't treat it after all. It would just be throwing money away. If it had been caught early, that would be one thing. But it's already late-stage cancer. Isn't it too late for anything now?" His head hung low, his shoulders shaking as if he were utterly devastated by my condition. Colin looked back and forth between us. Influenced by the atmosphere in the room, he suddenly burst into tears as well. Seeing the opportunity, Grace let out a sigh and spoke in a solemn tone. "Susan, don't take this the wrong way, but a woman should put her family first. This household depends on money. Everyone here still has a future ahead of them. You can't drag down the entire family because of one person's illness." With Grace backing him up, Elian finally found the courage to speak. He avoided my gaze as he said, "Dad and Grace are right, Mom! You're already at this age. Since it's terminal cancer anyway, you shouldn't go through treatment. It'll only make you suffer more. Why not spend the time you have left with your family instead?" I looked at the three of them and suddenly found the whole thing amusing. Taking a slow breath, I spoke calmly. "Actually, the hospital called me back earlier for another examination. They said there might have been a mistake." The color immediately drained from their faces. I continued, "Why don't you all come with me for the follow-up? What if it really was a misdiagnosis?" Chapter 4 What if the One With Cancer Is Your Father? "Then all of this would just be a false alarm, and our family could go back to living happily together like we used to." Elian and Heath exchanged looks. Their eyes met in midair, filled with emotions too complicated to describe. Grace's expression froze for several seconds before she forced out a smile. "That seems unlikely, doesn't it, Susan? That's the best hospital in the city." "Exactly, Susan." Heath immediately nodded in agreement. "A hospital that big doesn't just make mistakes like that." I almost laughed. They wanted me dead that badly. "You're so desperate for me to be ill because you're already thinking about my money and this apartment, aren't you?" I stared at Heath and enunciated each word. "You would rather invest my pension into some beauty salon for an outsider than spend it treating the wife who gave you a son and spent half her life taking care of this family." My voice turned colder. "I want a divorce." With that, I turned and headed for the door. I didn't want to spend another second in that suffocating house. "Susan!" Panic flashed across Heath's face. He rushed forward and grabbed my arm so hard it hurt. "How could you think that? We're worried about you. Don't let your imagination run wild." His face was full of anxiety, but all I saw in his eyes was fear. Fear that his plans were falling apart. Then his eyes flickered as an idea came to him. "How about this? Let Elian take you to the hospital for the follow-up exam first. I'll take Grace home and get her settled, then I'll come find you right away." It was laughable. Even now, the person he cared about most was still his first love. As I turned around, I caught a glimpse of him hurrying back into the bedroom. He opened the nightstand drawer and pulled out a document folder. I recognized it immediately. It was the marital property agreement he had persuaded me to sign when I retired. With that document, he could legally access my pension funds. I said nothing. I simply watched as he and Grace hurried out the door in a panic. Elian grabbed his car keys and said darkly, "Let's go, Mom." The atmosphere inside the car was unbearably strange. The radio stayed off. Neither of us spoke. Outside the window, the city scenery rushed backward in silence. I could clearly hear that my son's breathing was heavier than usual. The car slowly rolled into the hospital parking lot. Just as he unbuckled his seat belt and prepared to get out, I took a neatly folded report from my bag and handed it to him. "You don't need to go upstairs," I said flatly. "I don't have cancer." Several seconds passed. Elian finally looked up. A smile appeared on his face, but it looked worse than crying. "T-That's great, Mom. You should've told us sooner. Dad and I were worried for nothing." "Worried?" I quietly repeated the word. The irony was almost unbearable. Then I pulled another report from my bag and handed it to him. "What if I told you that the one with cancer is your father?"