However, to her astonishment, the moment she stepped down, Kendrick suddenly started coughing vigorously. His face became extremely pale.
“What’s wrong, Kendrick?!” Niamh hugged him anxiously.
Kendrick did not want Niamh to witness his suffering and embarrassing appearance, so he gently pushed her away.
“Stay away from me, Nia,” he said as he spun around. Not even after two steps, he placed his hand on a big tree beside the road to support himself weakly.
“Kendrick!” Niamh could not ditch him. She ran to Kendrick and hugged him. “What’s going on, Kendrick? Are you feeling unwell anywhere? Tell me!”
Niamh felt as if her heart was being bitten by millions of ants as tears came streaming down her face when she saw her man turning pale.
Kendrick withstood the intense pain, but in the end, he could not suppress the itchy sensation in his dry throat, which urged him to cough.
He started coughing vigorously. Coupled with the pinching pain at his heart area, he felt as if he was about to pass out.
“What’s going on, Kendrick? Don’t frighten me!” Niamh’s voice was trembling, and she held on to him tightly. “Kendrick, you said you’ll never leave me again. You must not let anything happen to you, Kendrick!”
Kendrick could hear every single word spoken by Niamh. He wanted to comfort her, but he did not even have the strength to lift his hand.
Niamh got worried as her tears, as big as beans, dripped onto the back of Kendrick’s palm. “Don’t leave me, Kendrick, I’m begging you…”
Kendrick wished to answer Niamh and give his promise, but the moment he opened his mouth, he still could not fight against the urge to cough.
With every cough, it was like a heavy stone that smashed at Niamh’s heart, making her feel a pinch.
Kendrick grasped Niamh’s hand to comfort her. However, he could not control the metallic taste that was coming up to his throat. In the end, while facing Niamh, he vomited blood.
“Kendrick!”
Seeing the split second when Kendrick vomited blood, Niamh felt her heart been pierced.
She held him in her arms and helped him under the tree to sit. While sobbing, she took out a handkerchief from her pocket, fumbling, to wipe off the bloodstain on the corner of his mouth.
The color of the blood was not as dark as it was previously, but it was still not the color it should be. Niamh grasped the handkerchief and looked at Kendrick who had stopped coughing.
“Kendrick, Kendrick, how do you feel now?”
Kendrick took a deep breath, trying his best to recompose himself. However, he was still feeling the pain in his heart.
“I’ve made you worried again.” He was panting and using whatever that was left in him to speak. It seemed that he was still conscious as he looked at Niamh with a passionate gaze. “Nia, I guess I can’t keep this from you any longer.”
He let out a helpless sigh as the glitter from his eyes slowly dimmed.
“Nia, actually, I’ve never recovered from my illness. Or should I say, I’m not going to recover? Two years. At most, I can only keep you company for two more years.”
Niamh had already known about it for some time. Nonetheless, listening to the words from Kendrick himself just made her even more heartbroken compared to when she first knew about it.
It was summer at that time, but at that moment, she felt as if there was snow along with the breeze. She could feel a chilly gust of wind blowing over her skin.
“I know you’ll be extremely sad, but I hope from now on, you’ll slowly accept this fact.” Kendrick comforted Niamh while trying to get her prepared mentally. “Do you see it, Nia? Where’s this place?”
Niamh raised her teary eyes and looked ahead where Kendrick was staring at.
Under the sunlight, the sound of ocean waves came traveling into her ears. She could sniff out the saltiness of the ocean, which was the scent of summer.
It was April Hill—the place where they first met and became a pair.
“Nia, I hope in my next life, I’ll still be able to hold your hand and chase you around on this beach. At that time, I’ll always keep your looks in my mind and will never mistake you for someone else. I’ll never let you endure those unnecessary humiliations again.”
Niamh burst into tears and buried her face in the crook of Kendrick’s neck when she heard the man’s anticipating and apologetic comments. “Kendrick, I don’t wish for your next life. I only want you in this life.”
As she was talking, she suddenly put on a serious look. “Kendrick, I’ll never let anything happen to you!”
The moment Kendrick heard her comment, it made him recall the night at the hospital when Niamh once said something similar.
In the meantime, the pain in his heart was unbearable. His breath had weakened as well, and he could only lean against her to relax.
However, in the next second, Kendrick noticed Niamh taking out a similar bottle of anti-toxoid test reagent from her purse which she always carried with her. Then, she took out a disposable syringe and needle.
Niamh drew the anti-toxoid test reagent into the syringe and grabbed Kendrick’s arm while looking for his pulse. Then, she injected the liquid into him without a trace of doubt.
Once again, Kendrick felt the icy cold liquid spreading throughout his body. What followed was a piercing sensation that left him in indescribable pain.
He tried to hold out when he slowly felt that his heart was no longer in unbearable pain. His breathing became much smoother as well.
Niamh saw the expression on Kendrick’s face that seemed to show that he was feeling better and placed the needle aside. She hugged him tightly. “Kendrick, don’t worry. I’ll never let you leave me just like that. I want you to accompany me and our kids for even more years to come.”
“What’s this, Nia?” Kendrick gradually sat up. He finally had the strength to touch Niamh’s tear- stained face.
“It’s an anti-toxoid test reagent,” Niamh answered with honesty.
Hearing her answer made Kendrick feel as if all his doubts were being solved.
“Was this given to you by Ryan?” he asked. A second later, he frowned. “Is that why you’ve been keeping quiet and heeding to all his requests all this while?”
Niamh knew she could no longer keep it from Kendrick. Feeling troubled, she nodded and advised, “Kendrick, I know you won’t accept the anti-toxoid test reagent given by him, but this can save your life. As long as it’s going to make you better, I think it’s worth going through everything else.”
Kendrick felt much calmer after listening to Niamh’s comment.
“How many did Ryan give you?” he asked with a faint tone.
“Yesterday, he suddenly changed his mind and gave me a box of it. It’ll be enough for a month.”
“Where’s the remainder?”
Niamh obediently took out the remaining three anti-toxoid test reagents from her purse.
Since Kendrick was involved in a murder case, she thought that if she was able to meet up with him today, she would try all means to hand him these anti-toxoid test reagents. Even so, she never thought it would work out.
She gave the anti-toxoid test reagents to Kendrick and said, “I don’t know when Adam joined forces with Ryan, but this slow-acting poison was created by Adam, so the anti-toxoid test reagents from him must be the most effective.”
Niamh explained and continued, “Kendrick, actually before this, I’ve already injected you with three doses of this anti-toxoid test reagent. I thought you were improving, but just now, why were you suddenly in so much pain?”
Kendrick was aware of the previous three doses. As for the reason he was in so much pain earlier, Kendrick was aware as well, but at that moment, he could not remain calm enough to face it.
Suddenly, Kendrick took away the three anti-toxoid test reagents from Niamh. He got up and headed toward the sea.
“Kendrick! What do you think you’re doing?!” Niamh had a feeling she knew what Kendrick was up to. She quickly caught up to him. “Kendrick, I know you hate Ryan, but you can’t act rashly! Nothing is more important than your health in order to live a long life, Kendrick!”
“If I have to make my woman yield to another man and suffer humiliation, all so that I can live a safe and healthy life, I’d rather die standing up, than live life on my knees!”
As he said that, he started walking faster to the beach to throw away the bottles.
Niamh grabbed him, then ran in front of him. “Kendrick, I’m not just your woman. I’m also your wife! Do you understand? I’m your wife! So what if I sacrifice a little for my husband? I don’t feel aggrieved doing so. I think it’s worth it!” she yelled at him hysterically, her breathing turning extremely shaky.
Kendrick looked into Niamh’s red eyes and clenched his fists. One could even hear cracking sounds coming from his knuckles.
“Kendrick, if you dare to throw the anti-toxoid test reagents into the sea, I’ll jump into the sea in front of you!”
“Nia!”
“If you dare to do it, then I’ll dare to jump!” Niamh’s eyes were stern. “To me, nothing is more important than the anti-toxoid test reagents right now!”
Kendrick saw the determination in Niamh’s eyes.
Niamh had already expected Kendrick to have such a drastic reaction, so that was why she never told him. However, she could not hide from him anymore now that it had come to this.
Niamh noticed that her reaction had attracted the attention of the tourists on the beach.
Kendrick’s face was too attractive. Niamh was scared that these people would recognize him.
“Kendrick, there are too many people here. Let’s find a place to talk.” Niamh grabbed Kendrick’s hand to turn around.
However, the man was like a stubborn child. He escaped from Niamh’s grip and walked forward alone.
Niamh felt heartbroken when she saw his obstinate and frail frame.
At this moment, Fabian called to ask if something was wrong.
Niamh only told Fabian not to go to the hotel before hanging up.
She chased up to Kendrick. “Kendrick, are you blaming me for going to see Ryan behind your back?”
Kendrick looked at her worried eyes and lowered his head. “Who am I to blame my wife who’s doing everything for me?”
Niamh felt a trace of bitterness in her heart. “Kendrick.”
“Nia, I know the reasons, but I hope you can understand how I’m feeling right now.” He gave the remaining three bottles to Niamh. “As long as I can stay with you in my remaining two years, I won’t have any regrets even if I die.”
Niamh felt a pang of pain in her heart after she heard that.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.