During her junior high years, she endured a relentless fever that persisted for over a week. Nausea plagued her, causing her to throw up frequently, and she suffered from mild diarrhea. However, these symptoms paled in comparison to the excruciating pain that gripped her abdomen. Despite the intensity of her suffering, she concealed this agony from her family, choosing to endure it in silence.

Yuna fully understood the severity of her illness and the urgent need for medical attention. Yet, she chose to keep it hidden, knowing her family could barely afford basic necessities, let alone her medical expenses. Despite the intense pain, Yuna couldn't bear the thought of adding to her father's burden. She knew that if he saw her suffering, it would crush him, forcing him to endure twice the anguish she felt.

It's the guilt of hopelessness from actuality.

However, she underestimated the "father's love."

Early in the morning, he came home, his face a mask of worry. The moment he saw Yuna's pale, trembling form, panic seized him, and his breath quickened with fear. Without a second thought, he scooped her up, her fragile body feeling as light as a feather in his strong arms. His heart pounded in his chest as he raced to the hospital, each step fueled by the desperation to save his daughter.

"Father put me down. I am okay, so don't worry."

She's trying to sound okay with her hoarse voice. Yuna made a face and pouted her lips to protest.

"I know you are a fear tackler and very strong. I always am proud of you. But let your father do his responsibility, okay?" Her father’s voice was soft, yet firm, as he cradled her in his arms, his heart breaking at the sight of his daughter’s suffering.

"But, Pa... we can't afford hospital bills for me." Yuna's voice was barely a whisper, trembling as if she were on the verge of tears. The weight of the unspoken words pressed down on her—words she’d carried since she was a child. She had it in her head that they couldn't afford to have a sick daughter. If she became ill, she should die quickly—her mother had made that clear enough. It was the reason she never allowed herself to show any vulnerability in front of her family.

Her father’s eyes softened as he looked at her, his grip tightening protectively. "I can offer my own life for you. So don't think we'll leave you to suffer because we don't have any money, okay?"

"But you're already a withering old man, though," she whispered, a tear slipping down her cheek as her defenses crumbled. The exhaustion, pain, and fear finally caught up with her, and she broke down in his arms. Her father held her close, his heart aching as he felt her tears wet his shirt.

As he rocked her gently, Yuna’s sobs began to fade, and slowly, she drifted into sleep, the warmth and safety of her father’s embrace lulling her into much-needed rest.

...

Yuna woke up with a hazy memory of her father's hand tightly holding hers and the soft melody of a song in a language she didn’t understand, echoing in her mind just before she passed out on the hospital bed. As she blinked, she looked around, hoping to see him. Instead, a nurse leaned over her face kind but focused.

"Hi," Yuna croaked, her voice nasal and lacking its usual strength.

The nurse offered a warm smile. "How are you feeling? Would you like me to call your father?"

"It's okay," Yuna replied, her thoughts still scattered. "May I ask if I can leave the hospital now?"

The nurse shook his head gently. "You've undergone a complicated surgery, dear. It was a minimally invasive procedure, where we accessed the inside of your abdomen without making large incisions. Don't worry about the scars—they'll fade over time."

Yuna's brow furrowed in confusion and anxiety. "Surgery?"

The nurse noticed her unease and offered a reassuring smile. "Yes. Your condition was quite severe, and the surgery was complex. Frankly, I doubt you would have survived if you'd been taken to another hospital. Do you know of the 'miraculous doctor'?"

Yuna shook her head, her mind racing. "But based on his title, I suppose he performed a miracle surgery."

"You’re correct,"

"But it’s all thanks to your father. You’re very fortunate to have him."

"Indeed!" Yuna responded with a soft, lovely smile.

She hesitated before asking, "May I know what my father had to go through to bring me here?" Her voice was quiet, laced with fear and curiosity. She knew they didn’t have the means to afford even the public hospital, let alone one as prestigious as this.

The nurse paused, sensing her apprehension. "Your father was determined to get you the best care."

He hesitated before speaking as if considering how much to reveal.

"Your father first came here three days ago, asking about the possible expenses based on your condition. When the staff explained the costs, they advised him to take you to a public hospital, given the financial burden."

Yuna’s heart sank as she listened, a lump forming in her throat.

"After a day, he returned with a thousand bucks as a down payment," the nurse continued, his voice gentle. "But it was still far from enough. The medical personnel explained the hospital's rules and even made a reservation for you at a government hospital. But your father didn’t listen."

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

He paused, glancing at Yuna's expression before continuing, "Instead, he knelt near the hospital's entrance, holding a cardboard sign that said, 'My daughter is dying because I don't dare steal for the hospital bill.' He added hashtags, '#waiting for her death' and '#Hope against Hope.'"

She closed her eyes, the pain in her chest far surpassing any physical agony she had endured. Her father had always been a man of quiet strength, a man who carried his pride like a shield despite their poverty. The thought of him kneeling outside the hospital, his pride cast aside in a desperate plea for her life, was almost unbearable.

He must've burned the candle at both ends (work day and night). I wondered why I hadn't seen him the past few days at home.

"Please continue, sir."

"He didn't move nor stand up until it reached the hospital president and personally helped your father stand up from the ground. The president called Mr. Brown, who was in the nearest city, the miraculous doctor when all the surgeons can't help with your condition because of the very high risk of infection during the surgery, affecting the membrane lining of the abdomen."

"Please," she managed to say, her voice thick with emotion, "don't tell my father that I asked about this."

...

The stored tears continued to flow, and the sobs wracked her body, barely allowing her to breathe.

"Papa, I miss you."

Yuna didn't stop bawling until she fell asleep in an unwatered bathtub.

When Yuna woke up, her eyes drifted to the clock on the wall, ticking seemingly louder in the quiet room. She frowned in confusion. She was certain she had fallen asleep around 2:30 a.m., yet the clock now read 5:00 a.m. The discrepancy left her puzzled. Had she slept for only a short while?

As she tried to piece together, her attention was drawn to the door. Through the crack, she saw Victor standing outside her room.

She watched him, her mind still grappling with the strange timing and the unsettling reality of her situation. The quiet rustle of his movements seemed to confirm that everything was real, yet a part of her struggled for her life.

Yuna, still disoriented by the time discrepancy, got up from her bed and approached the door where Victor stood. “May I know what time it is?”

"Five in the morning."

Victor replied.

"This headache must be from lack of sleep."

Yuna started counting with her finger again as she turned around. She muttered while tilting her head.

"Where do you think you are going?"

A superior and cold voice sounded from behind.

"Sweetheart, my hubby, may I get more sleep? Your wife had trouble sleeping."

Her tone and expression were contrary to her sweet endearment.

"Did you tell her what day today?"

He asked Victor in a gruff voice.

"It's Friday today. Before you claim you didn't get enough sleep, look at the bags beneath your puffy eyes like a panda."

Zack said, tossing the papers he was holding at her face.

"Read this. These are the things you must and mustn't do."

'Wow. Is it true that I slept for more than 24 hours? Because of my numerous jobs, I used to sleep 4 hours every day. It's a record-breaking achievement that should be celebrated.'

"I'm glad I didn't come back on Wednesday."

Wednesday was their wedding day.

"Are you still dreaming?"

Zack snarled and snapped his finger fiercely.

"Ah. Your wife is a functionally illiterate dear husband. Surprise! You married a wonderful woman. A bastard uncultured bitch."

She's mimicking what people called her at the wedding.

Yuna handed Victor the papers without even reading a single word.

"Do you think you can deceive me?"

As she was going to move to the kitchen, Zack blocked her way.

"Duh. I will sign if necessary. "Can I defy your wishes?"Nothing will change whether I read or not."

She signed the marriage contract with a bleak expression on her face. But just for a split second, she shifted her countenance.

“Give me ten minutes, my dear. Then, your wife will make breakfast,” Yuna said with a mischievous glint in her eye.

As she hurried down the hallway, a soft chuckle escaped her lips. The memory of Zack’s incredibly annoyed expression whenever she called him “husband” played vividly in her mind. Whenever his handsome face contorted with a mix of irritation and helplessness was addictive to her—a small victory she savored each time.

'How was it like to be called husband to a woman you don't even like? You will eat your shit daily by looking at me.'

As Yuna got to the kitchen, a sudden thought made her pause. 'But hold on. Did I put on my nightgown last night?' She frowned, trying to piece together the hazy fragments of her memory. 'I also have no memory of moving from the bathtub to the bed...'

She shook her head, dismissing the unease that crept in.

'Well, I’m so exhausted that I probably just forgot,' she reassured herself, though a lingering sense of disorientation remained.

In approximately ten minutes, Yuna knocked at Zack's office home to call them for breakfast.

"Breakfast is ready."

As Yuna was about to enter, the door swung open, and both Victor and Zack emerged, dressed in impeccably tailored tuxedos. The sight took her by surprise. They exuded an air of authority and sophistication, their outfits perfectly complementing their well-proportioned physiques.

Yuna couldn’t help but marvel at how striking they looked. The greatest models in the world couldn’t rival their devilishly attractive appearances. The sharp lines of their tuxedos only emphasized their commanding presence, making them appear even more formidable.

"Do you prefer coffee, tea, milk, or MEE with your meal?"

She asked Zack with cockiness.

"Neither. Eat it or throw it."

He said coldly.

"But... Oh well!" She shrugged her shoulder and walked out.

"Let's eat, Victor."

"I don't eat breakfast, Ms. Yuna."

"Okay."

She didn't ask twice.

Yuna sat on the dining chair and silently devoured three people's meal.

Victor and Zack were in awe at what they saw. She eats everything for just barely five minutes.

"..."

"Is this how the girl truly eats?"

Glancing up, she found Victor bowing his head, watching her intently as she ate. His gaze was sharp, yet there was an amused curiosity in his eyes as he observed her.

"No? Depends."

Yuna said fairly.

"It contains a small percentage of caffeine. Most ingredients are herbs."

Victor accepted the cup from her, his eyebrows lifting slightly in surprise at her speed and precision. “Impressive,” he remarked, taking a sip.

The aroma wafting from the cup was intriguing, a blend of rich, comforting scents that Victor hadn’t encountered in any of the restaurants or coffee shops he’d visited.

As he took the first sip, the taste was divine, an exquisite blend that was refreshing and warm, enveloping him in a soothing calmness. By the second and fourth sips, Victor felt a surprising sensation—his stomach growled, a reaction that caught him off guard. It was as if the coffee had awakened a deep hunger within him, a need he hadn’t realized was there.

"You didn't eat anything last night, did you? I will make you breakfast real quick..."

"I must decline. We shall leave at precisely six o'clock. So you must get ready immediately since you're coming with us."

He savored the coffee before carefully placing it on the table.

Realizing the urgency of the situation, Yuna nodded in understanding without further insistence.