Three Months to Hate Me, The Goodbye

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After the divorce, the company I built with my own two hands was snatched away by my ex-husband.

Everyone in our circle whispered that I got exactly what I deserved. After all, I was the one who cuckolded him with his biggest rival.

The world waited with bated breath, eager to see how Gage Sterling would exact his revenge on me.

But on the day of my funeral, a series of vlogs I recorded while I was alive was leaked.

Gage completely lost his mind. In front of the camera, he sobbed until he couldn't catch his breath.

The final sentence of the last video was the one thing I wanted to tell him most:

"Gage, stop hating me. Just forget me and live a good life."

......

This is the first day of my terminal diagnosis. I only just discovered it, yet it's already late-stage brain cancer.

The new collection of the design firm I built from scratch had just hit the market. I had only been married to Gage for a little over three months.

Everything was finally heading in the right direction, except for the fact that I was walking toward my grave.

No matter how much I raged or how much I didn't want to go, I could only look down at the crumpled diagnosis in my hand. I was powerless.

I smoothed out the paper. The wrinkled lines still cruelly announced my impending death sentence.

The early autumn wind was already biting. I looked up at the falling maple leaves.

I marched out of the hospital, trying to say goodbye to the version of myself that wanted to live.

The doctor said I had three months. That was enough time.

At that moment, I threw away my dignity and orchestrated a scene where I ended up in the bed of Jared Zephyr, Gage's sworn enemy.

I looked at Gage, who had stormed in to catch us, my clothes intentionally disheveled.

"Ivy Vance! Do you have any idea what you're doing?!"

Hearing Gage's feral roar, I met his bloodshot eyes with a cold stare.

"It is exactly what it looks like. I have nothing to say."

Gage was beyond livid. He lunged forward, grabbed Jared by the hair, and delivered two brutal punches.

I was the one who had asked Jared for this favor. I couldn't let him get hurt because of me.

So, I stepped in to shield Jared. To Gage, this was the ultimate betrayal, the spark that ignited his darkest side.

He let out a guttural scream and slammed his fist into the headboard behind us. Blood smeared across his knuckles and dripped onto the white sheets.

I understood his madness. I knew he loved me to his core. He had chased me for eighteen years before finally winning me over.

We had been married for three months, and here I was, stepping out on him.

Nobody could take that lying down.

But I needed him to hate me. Hate is a much cleaner break than love. I only had three months left; I didn't have time for a slow, painful separation. This was the quickest way.

Everything went according to plan. Gage spat out his final words through gritted teeth before storming out.

"Ivy, we're done. I'm filing for divorce!"

That was exactly what I wanted.

Once the room went silent, I thanked my old classmate, Jared, and left.

I walked along the sidewalk and, on a whim, pulled out my phone. I wanted to record the pathetic state I was in.

In the camera lens, I was bare-faced, wearing a torn dress and limping on a broken heel. I looked like a lunatic.

I pulled the tattered diagnosis from my pocket and flashed it at the camera.

"Hi. I don't know if anyone will ever see this."

"My first wish before I die was just checked off the list. It turns out Gage is actually quite easy to fool."

The words slipped out, making me realize I was truly starting to say goodbye to this world.

Three months from now, when I'm gone, what will be left?

Looking at my reflection, I suddenly wanted to leave something behind for myself, for Gage, for my parents, and for the few people who still cared.

I decided to make a vlog series. It would be my parting gift to them, a proof that I once existed vividly in this world.

2.

I've always been a woman of action.

Right now, I'm standing in a tech shop, picking out a high-end camera.

Holding the heavy device felt strange. I accidentally recorded a few clips of myself frowning in frustration while trying to figure out the settings.

I didn't bother deleting those "unpolished" moments. I figured the camera wanted to capture the raw bits of my life too.

I scheduled the first video I took on my phone to post on my social media in exactly three months.

September 10th.

The title: Ivy's first wish accomplished. Gage is still a sucker.

September 12th.

I'm holding the camera now, ready to start the second installment of the series.

Wish Two: Successfully hand over my beloved company to its new daddy.

Even though Gage and I have known each other for eighteen years and were married for three months, we always kept our businesses separate.

He knew my design firm was my life's work. He supported me from the shadows but never interfered.

Gage owns a massive retail empire, a titan in the industry.

My company is a boutique design firm.

From the day his first department store opened five years ago, Gage had issued a strict order: all flagship products had to be designed by my firm.

We became the ultimate power couple in the business world, an untouchable duo.

After the wedding, rumors flew. People thought the merger was inevitable and that our marriage was just a cold business move.

They had no idea Gage had spent eighteen years chasing me just to get me to say "I do."

Our public displays of affection at interviews and galas were constant tabloid fodder. Fans shipped us obsessively.

That publicity was like fuel for my company's growth.

But today, I'm about to get publicly humiliated.

I bought a brand-new outfit and sat in the back of a black SUV on my way to the divorce press conference.

The other star of the show, Gage, sat to my left.

He had calmed down significantly since the incident, but his eyes were now filled with a chilling, distant coldness.

I felt a pang of discomfort when our eyes met.

He reached out and tossed the divorce papers onto my lap.

"Sign it."

I didn't hesitate. I flipped straight to the last page and looked up at him, holding out my hand.

"I need a pen."

He practically slammed the pen into my palm. His temper was flaring again, his chest heaving with suppressed rage.

"You're that eager to get rid of me?"

"Was this always part of your plan?"

I froze for a second. Did he find out about my illness?

The next moment, he snatched the papers back and pointed to the first line of the first page.

It clearly stated that if I signed, the ownership of my design firm would transfer entirely to Gage Sterling.

I arched an eyebrow and looked at him.

3.

I have to admit, he knows me too well. He's using the company to threaten me.

He put that clause right at the top, making sure I couldn't miss it.

However, to a woman who is literally dying, a company has zero leverage.

In three months, I can't take anything with me. Giving the company to him is the best insurance it could have. Why would I be upset?

"You agreed to marry me and then pushed for a divorce this fast... was it really just for the publicity?"

A flicker of light, a shimmer of unshed tears, appeared in his bloodshot eyes.

My heart twisted in agony. Before my own eyes could well up, I looked away sharply.

He still cared that much.

When we first married, the internet was full of hate. People said I was using him as a stepping stone for my brand.

I couldn't even blame the trolls. Even my own mother had told reporters that I was just greedy for Gage's fame.

I forced a smirk, secretly wiping a tear from the corner of my eye. I turned back to him with the smug look of a victor.

"Gage, you've believed my lies for years. You're blinded by your own stupidity."

"Besides your fame and status, what else do you have that's worth marrying?"

He ground his teeth together, grabbing my wrist and staring me down with pure venom.

"So you used me and now you're throwing me away?"

"Ivy Vance, you are heartless."

He forced my hand down to sign the papers, though he didn't need to.

I wanted this divorce more than he did.

I don't remember how I survived that thirty-minute press conference. I only remember the relentless flashbulbs stinging my eyes.

And for the first time, Gage didn't move to shield me from the light.

I looked around the room. Three days ago, we were in this same hall for my new product launch, acting like the perfect couple everyone envied.

In just seventy-two hours, everything had turned to ash.

The conference ended.

I tucked myself into a corner and used my camera to secretly record Gage while he was being interviewed.

Selfishly, I set the camera on a table and crouched down, capturing one last shot of us in the same frame.

"Happy Divorce Day!"

"Take good care of my company."

"Or I'll come back and haunt you!"

I whispered these words to the camera, looking at the distant silhouette of Gage.

4.

September 12th D September 15th.

Wish Three: Spend three days with my parents.

I hopped in a car and headed toward my childhood home.

Even though I've never been close to my parentsDonly spending a few chaotic summers with themDit felt like something I had to do.

Our relationship was so toxic that I'd spent most of my life wishing I was adopted.

I turned on the camera, recording the scenery passing by.

"This is the road back to my parents' house. I remember it vividly."

"Every summer when I was sent here as a kid, I was terrified."

"Because I knew my life was about to become a living hell."

I was raised by my grandfather in a small, quiet town in the middle of nowhere.

We weren't rich, but it was warm and happy.

My parents in the city had plenty of money, but I always felt like a stray dog in their mansion.

"When I was little, this drive felt short. Now I realize it's actually quite a long way."

Maybe it's because I haven't been back in so long.

The second I stepped through the front door, my mother and I got into our first fight. It looked like Wish Three was going to be a struggle.

"You useless brat!"

"Why are you crawling back here after getting divorced?"

"You expect your father and me to clean up your mess?"

"Ivy, let me tell you right nowDnot a chance!"

I held up the camera, filming her twisted, ugly expression.

"Beep, beep, beepD"

I made a manual "censored" sound. I didn't want to record the vile things coming out of her mouth.

When she saw me filming, her face darkened even more.

She lunged to grab the camera, but I stepped back with a practiced smile.

"Willa! My bad! I'm sorry!"

"I'm just documenting my beautiful life!"

She froze for a moment, clearly shocked by my sudden submission. She rolled her eyes and stomped toward the sofa.

That was the first time I'd ever backed down. I guess it caught her off guard.

I leaned in close to the lens and pointed at her.

"I got my temper from her. Once I realized that, I had to accept the horrible truth that I actually am their biological daughter."

She turned her head suddenly, and I flinched, my hand shaking the camera.

"What are you muttering over there?"

I scurried off to my old bedroom with my camera.

But the room had been gutted. It was basically a walk-in storage unit now.

My father walked in, looking guilty after watering his precious garden.

"Ivy... you're never here, so your mother used the space for storage."

"If you're staying tonight, I'll have Mr. Sterling clear it out for you."

Mr. Sterling?

That was a name I hadn't heard in ages.

He was Gage's father, and he'd been our family's estate manager since before I could remember.

I actually met Gage way before I knew his father worked for us.

Back then, my parents' company had just gone public. They were too busy to deal with me.

They dumped me at my grandpa's place. Gage was a "left-behind" kid in that same town.

Grandpa and the Sterlings were old friends, so Gage ate at our house every day. Eventually, he became my shadow.

He used to swear he'd marry me when we grew up. Back then, I thought he was just trying to steal my grandpa's affection, so I spent my time bullying him.

Who knew Gage would actually become a mogul? When he came to propose, his father was dead set against it. He thought Gage's background wasn't good enough for me.

My parents only cared about my brother's education. They viewed me as a bargaining chip.

Gage was the perfect suitor, so they agreed instantly. No one ever asked if I wanted the marriage.

Gage's father should have retired by now, but he refused to let his son support him. He insisted on working at our house.

I looked at my dad's awkward face and shook my head.

"Don't bother. I'll just crash on the sofa."

Cleaning it would be a waste of energy. I'm only here for a few days anyway.

It's better that there's no room for me. When I'm gone, they won't have to clear out my things or be reminded of me.

I thought my constant yielding would make these three days peaceful. I was wrong. The wish shattered on the third day as I was trying to leave.

5.

My brother, Wyatt, went into a total meltdown. He started screaming and throwing things at me.

"You're not my sister! You're not even a real Vance!"

"Get out of this house!"

All of this because I ate a slice of a pear my mother had just cut.

I'm used to his bratty temper. Our whole family is built on rage.

I calmly held up the camera, recording his every move.

My parents rushed out to shield him, glaring at me like I was an intruder.

"How dare you eat the fruit I cut for your brother?"

My mother's question made my ears ring.

I looked at her with stinging eyes. I saw only disgust, not a shred of motherly love.

I am her child too, yet I was being humiliated over a piece of fruit.

Seeing that I wasn't fighting back and was filming him instead, Wyatt lost it. He grabbed the paring knife from the table and hurled it at me.

The blade sliced across my wrist. I couldn't hold the camera anymore; I tucked it against my chest as the pain flared. Blood began to soak into the expensive carpet.

I thought, just for a second, that seeing me bleed would make them care. But when I looked up, they were hovering over Wyatt, checking if he'd hurt his hand while throwing the knife.

I let out a dry, cold laugh. A single tear fell, mixing with the blood on the floor.

My mother finally looked at me. She saw the bleeding wound and a flicker of guilt crossed her face.

"Ivy, go to the hospital. It doesn't look that deep, but you should get it checked."

"Your brother has his finals coming up. He's under a lot of stress. Your father and I have to stay here with him. You're an adult now, try to be understanding."

The family driver took me to the ER. Even after five stitches, the wound kept seeping.

The doctor scolded me for coming in so late. It was a deep cut, and it was already showing signs of infection.

Isn't it funny? A stranger cared more about my arm than my own mother.

I was moved by that small bit of kindness, my eyes watering.

I walked out of the hospital, turned on the camera, and looked at my haggard reflection.

"I shouldn't be upset. This is how they've always been. I used to think they were just busy or didn't know how to show love."

"But seeing how they treat my brother, I finally get it. They know how to love. They just don't love me."

"Mom, Dad... when you see this, will you regret it?"

"Will you miss me even a little bit?"

"It's a shame our last moment together ended like this."

I turned away from the lens to wipe my face, then forced a grin.

"It's fine. I'm sorry, but Wish Three was a total fail."

As I said that, the world started to spin. The camera slipped from my hand, hitting the pavement, and everything went black.