Steal my heart by Savannah Kade

Chapter 315: What Have We Become!

Grace stood in front of the white door for a long time. Finally, she reached out and opened the door.

"I won't eat." Payne lay on the bed, weak and haggard. These days, he had been anxious. The desire to live kept him struggling in pain.

However, the pain was too much to bear. With days passing by, he grew increasingly desperate.

He wanted to live, so he fought with the agony and the disease, dreaming to go back to the days when he could enjoy the luxury life had to offer and be carefree. Mrs. James cried every day. Payne couldn't bear to watch her like that. Then she got sick, too. Payne was a little relieved that he finally didn't have to be around her. Only the housekeeper would deliver food to him. Mrs. James hired the best nurses for her beloved son. They worked 24 hours a day and took turns to take care of Payne. Payne was fed up with this white room. When he had a clear mind, he would look out of the window. His eyes were no longer as bright as before. When the door was opened, he thought the housekeeper had come with food. The medicine and the chemotherapy cost him his appetite. Everything tasted bitter.

Now he would only eat when he was starving.

He was even too weak to speak.

Naturally, he wouldn't bother to see who was coming.

He just sat on the bed, pretending to enjoy the view outside the window.

The he felt a shadow over him.

He didn't want to waste his energy to check it out. Annoyance climbed onto his haggard face.

Yes, he was annoyed. He hated to have others pity him. If possible, he would rather it be the other way around.

"Get out," Payne said in a weak voice, somewhat annoyed, "I know I am sick."

"Is it affecting your mind, too?"

Payne heard a woman's voice.

He froze, shocked.

He slowly turned his head from the window to the bedside. In just 45 degrees, his expression changed dramatically.

Staring at her for a long moment, he laughed self-deprecatingly, "Are you here to check if I'm dead?"

The woman remained silent. She pulled the chair beside the bed over and sat down. Glancing at Payne, she stood up, picked up a pillow from the sofa and put it behind Payne. "What are you doing? Are you pitying me?"

Grace looked at his sunken cheeks for a long time. It was hard to recall his handsome features. He changed so much that she couldn't recognize him.

She stretched out and buttoned Payne's white hospital gown.

"What are you doing?" Payne pursed his pale lips with vigilance.

Grace shook off his hand and then unbuttoned the shirt. Then a scar on his shoulder was exposed. The wound had healed, but the scar was nasty. "Do you remember how you got this?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

She stroked the scar. Payne wanted to dodge her hands as he felt the scar burning, his shoulders trembling.

"If you're here for nostalgia, save it. I'm dying. What's the point of reliving the past with a dying man?"

Grace ignored his harsh words and continued to caress him.

She continued, "I grew up with Grandpa."

"Are you showing off? Grace, he is dead. You lost him forever."

She ignored him again.

"I used to envy you.

Mom and dad loved you. I was too young. I thought they didn't like me because I had done something wrong.

So, I tried my best to be better than you for their attention.

were smarter than me, but I was not convinced. So, when

would make me outstanding, so that mom

thought, and that was

they disliked me even

was angry. You are

me working like

if

most important person

me feel less useless was grandfather's approval. It let me taste the

I was

brother

and I realized

matter. He

at first, but then he

hoarse voice could be heard in the ward. She told the story in a

more. You already got mom and dad's love. Why would you take away grandfather's love, too? That

was like a bystander, telling

the scar?" She looked up at the brown scar,

his face pale. After a long while,

"When I was in primary school, I didn't tell anyone about our family and was bullied by the

discovered that. You dragged me into your bedroom, and you

know that you had a knack for handling

me out of

that you would tell grandfather about it, so he would be disappointed and look

me. Then I believed that you didn't tell

a long time afterwards, I went home with injuries

me against a bunch of

"Do you remember

Payne's eyes sparkled.

Grace continued.

I can

Grace paused.

his pale

you that much anymore, because I knew you

lowered

at the back of Payne's head and choked, her eyes turning

grabbed the sheets,

tasted something bitter in his mouth.

no one can bully

thought you would protect me. Why did

was

why did her eyes turn red? She was

everything," After a long while,

stared into his eyes for a

Or power?

Or fame?

I was also jealous of you." Payne finally confessed, after all these years. Grace was shocked by his

very much, but I was jealous every time I saw grandfather taught you things. I am the big brother, but grandfather only cared

from playing. But he would reproach

tried to draw his attention

and ignored me. As I got older, I cared more about that.

jealous I became. Yet you don't know

were filled with surprise. This was the first time she had listened

Payne finished,

"You're wrong.

didn't give

that you