Chapter 1
Noah's POV
My fingers trembled as they clutched the folded paper,one that declared my fate and my destiny. Life had grown unbearably heavy in just a matter of minutes. The doctor had told me I had less than two months to live, but I refused to believe him until my body began betraying me. I thought that just because I had once fought it, I could still overcome it. Little did I know the illness had already devoured me, leaving no part untouched.

Lately, I had been brave enough to hide it from everyone. Not my parents, not Hezo my best friend and not Amber, my girlfriend knew about it. But when I touched myself in the middle of the night and felt the wetness soaking through, the truth struck hard. The doctor had warned me that, in time, I would lose control of my body,that urine would pass without my consent.
He had been right. My trousers were damp. The realization slammed me into the cold reality of how serious this illness had become. Without hesitation, I called Hezo while still stuck at the hospital.
“What’s happening, Noah? Why are you here?” she asked the moment she saw me. Her arms wrapped around me tightly.
I had met Hezo back in my college days. At first, I approached her with the intention of wooing her, but somehow we ended up as just friends. Many wondered how I managed it,being so close to such a beautiful soul without becoming lovers. Yet, from then on, we shared our journeys as friends, not partners.
“Nothing much, Hezo. Just sit,I need to tell you something,” I said, guiding her to a seat.
I handed her the medical report I had been gripping like a lifeline. She read it, her face paling, words escaping her.
“What does this mean, Noah?” she whispered, disbelief lacing her voice.
“The cancer is back, Hezo. I have less than two months.” My tone was calm, almost careless, though the weight of the words could crush a man.
Her hand flew across my face in a sharp slap. “Don’t you dare say such things!” Her eyes brimmed with tears, refusing to accept it.
I pulled her into my chest, holding her against me. “Hezo, I’m serious.” I turned, showing her my soaked trousers.
She gasped, covering her mouth as her legs gave way. She sank into the chair, trembling, fighting for breath. When I reached out to touch her, she pulled away, whispering for me to leave her be. Her tears fell unchecked. After a long silence, she asked if I had told Mom and Dad.
We went together to my parents’ house. Before leaving, I sent Amber a message, letting her know I might spend the night there. She seemed puzzled but, as usual, she didn’t press for answers,her relationship with my parents had always been strained.
Two years ago, during her birthday, I introduced Amber to them. They had never liked her. From that day on, I swore never to put her in that position again. She almost left me because of their coldness. But Amber was the woman I loved, the one I wanted by my side for the rest of my life.
That night still replayed in my mind,how she charmed me, how her beauty lit up my world. She didn’t love me instantly, but in time she saw my heart was genuine.
At home, my parents were devastated when I broke the news. For once, their usual materialistic pride vanished. Dad picked up the medical report, reading it for the third time before tearing it into pieces.
“You fought this before you can fight it again. I’ll contact one of the best hematologists in the world. I’ll do everything I can. I won’t lose you,” he said, storming upstairs.
Mom stayed, weeping. Their reaction mirrored my own when I first heard the truth. But unlike them, I had begun to accept it.
The next morning, I returned home to find Amber still in bed. She stirred when I entered, smiling as though she had been waiting. She kissed me and pressed her body against mine, her hands already unbuttoning my shirt. Desire filled her eyes.
But my illness weighed me down. “Not now, dear. I’m sorry I’m late for work,” I said, gently pushing her away.
“That’s what you always say,” she murmured coldly, turning her back to me.
Amber was my life. She had accepted me when I was far from whole. My first battle with cancer had left me weakened, my manhood diminished, but she stayed. She never demanded what I couldn’t give her. Though she could have left, she chose me. Yet now, with the cancer’s return, I feared what the truth might do to her.
She wasn’t a woman who wanted money or luxury though I had enough, she often begged me not to spend too much on promoting her novels, afraid she would burden me. She was content with simple love, with me. And still, I failed her sexually.
“Have they sent you more messages about the books?” I asked, trying to ease her mood.
“Yes,” she sighed. “They said if sales don’t improve by the end of the month, they’ll terminate my contract and return my manuscripts.”
“But you must not lose hope. Even Rowling never gave up,” I said lightly.
“That’s what you always say,” she replied, her voice faint.
“What about Uncle Benon? Can we sue him for that house?” I teased, hoping to make her smile.
She rolled her eyes but managed a grin. “It’s been years since he refused. I don’t need it anyway.”
I stared at her, overwhelmed. She was more than enough for me contented with so little, grateful for everything. Who could ever let such a woman go? Yet how could I tell her that my time was running out? Amber had already lost so much,her mother to cancer, her family to hardship. She always said I was her world because she had no one else.
Amber hadn’t just fallen in love with me. She had learned to love me because I gave meaning to her life. And that truth made the weight of my secret even heavier.
