When Love Becomes a Cage by Nora

Chapter 27

Chapter 27



I used to count the minutes until he'd call. But now, the name "Clyde" flashing on my phone screen felt like a visual assault. Thinking about the handful of projects I had tethered to the company, I dragged myself back to the office.

As I walk into Clyde's office, I spot Kayla storming out, her eyes red from crying. She shot me a glare filled with resentment as she passed by. Raising an eyebrow in confusion, I stepped inside and asked, "You needed to see me?"

Momentarily distracted by my newly chopped hair, Clyde blurted out, "Why'd you cut your hair?"

Ignoring his question, I repeated, "Was there something you needed?"

"Tonight's dinner at the Patterson Mansion. You're coming with me," he said, his tone laced with reluctance.

among the Patterson family, though he was one of them. I knew bits and pieces of his past, orphaned and raised by his grandmother. He might not have left the

back to the family. Unfortunately, his grandmother was battling a severe heart condition, and he was busy taking care of his grandmother in

was forced upon me by my mother, who was also secretly fighting cancer. She wanted to spare us both from a future marred by illness and mutual

Clyde won't despise me. He loves

mother shook her head painfully, her eyes filled with sorrow. "Mel, Clyde's grandmother is critically sick, and our family is in financial crisis.

Hold

to leave Clyde I didn't give up until my mother told me the truth that my grandmother and two aunts died of of cancer. Back then, I had no idea my mother had been diagnosed with cancer, which was why she got so desperate. "Mel, you may get the

how about later? Will you two

Clyde might not disdain me for my cancer, but what if our children died of cancer,

thought I would die. I

hoping he'd use it to pay for his grandmother's medical expenses. He wouldn't accept it if I gave it to him myself. Our break-up had been messy, fueled by misunderstandings and my mother's harsh words, accusing him

as ever, Clyde waited

for days, leaving when rumors of me moving on with someone else reached

grandfather, Merritt, needing a bone marrow transplant. That event