Building Her Throne Burying My Heart (Claire) novel Chapter 78

She didn’t leave. Instead, she pulled out a chair and sat down.

“I talked to one of my colleagues,” she said. “Your illness is treatable. You should at least give it a shot.”

So that’s where she’d gone. She’d been asking about my case. I glanced at her, managed a small smile.

“Thanks, but I don’t want to. It’s too much trouble.”

“I’m tired, too. You’re a doctor. You know how this goes. There’s no real cure.”

“I’ve heard chemo hurts like hell. I’m not signing up for more pain.”

Hearing me brush it off like it was nothing, Deanna’s face grew even darker.

“How would you know if you don’t even try?”

I couldn’t look at her. I forced a bitter smile. “And if it works, what then? I’ll spend the rest of my life scared, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Honestly, living like this, maybe dying wouldn’t be so bad.”

Deanna snapped. “You still owe me money. And you haven’t paid back any of the favors, either. Not a single one.”

“You’re going to pay me back, every cent, every favor. Once you’ve cleared your debts, then do whatever you want. I won’t stop you.”

It hit me then—those thousands she’d lent me, all the ways she’d helped. I hadn’t paid any of it back.

“That’s easy,” I said. “I’ll pay you back before I die.”

Deanna was so mad she couldn’t speak. She just stared at me, silent for a long moment, before finally asking, softer this time.

“Isn’t there anyone you’d want to stick around for?”

Someone worth living for.

She’d come running, ready to yell at me, but found me barely clinging to life. She had to save me first, ask questions later. When I finally told her what really happened, she couldn’t accept it. She watched two people who loved each other end up like strangers. And the truth she carried around was a weight that never let up.

With time, she watched Claire change, become someone else. They stopped talking, grew apart.

“But… but…” Deanna started, memories twisting inside her. She turned away, unable to stop the tears that spilled down her cheeks.

Seeing her cry made my own chest tight, but I couldn’t let myself fall apart. I didn’t have the right.

“You’re still such a crybaby,” I joked, trying to lighten things up. “It’s just life or death. No big deal.”

Deanna glared, wiping at her tears. “Mind your own business.”

She got up to leave. But when she pulled open the door, she stopped in her tracks.

Claire was standing right there.