Three Days to Die

With the doctor’s pitying gaze on me, I swallowed the pill. My death was now scheduled for three days’ time. Terminal cancer. My one and only chance at life-saving chemotherapy had been bought out from under me by my husband, Marcus. He’d given it to my adopted sister, Claudia, who only had an early-stage diagnosis. So I abandoned the doctor's desperate treatment plan and took the powerful analgesic instead. It would block all pain, granting me three days of blissful ignorance. The price was total organ failure. In these last three days, I gave up everything. When I signed over the company I had built from scratch, my parents smiled, relieved. When Marcus produced the divorce papers and I signed without a fight, he sighed and called me “understanding.” When I pushed my daughter, Mia, toward Claudia and told her to call Claudia “Mom,” she clapped her hands and said her new mommy was the best. Even when I handed over my properties and personal wealth to Claudia, they saw nothing wrong. They just looked at me with that same, placid satisfaction. “Our thoughtful Stella is finally back.” I am, however, morbidly curious. When I’m gone, will they even remember me? 1 After taking the pill, I walked to Claudia's hospital room. Inside, my father was peeling an orange for her while my mother chatted happily by her bedside. The moment I entered, the warmth on their faces vanished, replaced by a familiar, icy disapproval. “What, you’re done with your little act? Here to cause more trouble for Claudia?” my father’s voice was cold steel. “Let me tell you, Stella, as long as we’re here, you won’t lay a hand on her.” “We raised you better than this,” my mother chimed in, pointing an accusing finger at me. “I don’t know where you learned to be so vile. So jealous of your sister that you’d try to steal her chemotherapy slot.” She shook her head in disgust. “I should never have given birth to you.” From a corner of the room my parents couldn't see, Claudia shot me a triumphant, mocking smile. I lowered my gaze. I had heard these words a thousand times. In the past, I would have fought back, screamed, tried to expose Claudia’s lies, even though my parents never believed a word I said. But I was tired. So incredibly tired. I had no fight left in me. “Well, you’re just in time. There’s something I need to discuss with you,” my father said, his tone all business. I managed a small smile. “Dad, I have something to tell you, too.” “Claudia wants my businesses and my company, right? I’ve thought it over. They’re all hers.” My father froze. My mother stared at me, her eyes wide with disbelief. “How did you know I was going to talk to you about that today? You agree?” I forced a faint smile. I couldn’t blame them for their shock. Claudia had been coveting my assets for years, and my parents had used every trick in the book—threats, guilt, praise—to get me to hand them over. I’d always refused. But what did any of it matter now? These things were meaningless to a dead woman. Seeing the sincerity in my expression, my mother’s face finally broke into a genuinely relieved smile. She stepped forward and stroked my hair. “You’ve finally seen the light!” “Claudia was always brighter than you in school. Even now, while she’s sick, she has a much better head for business.” “We’ll feel so much better knowing your company and shops are in her capable hands.” I pulled the transfer agreements from my bag and handed them to Claudia. After she signed, my parents took my hands, calling me a good girl, their good daughter. A bitter irony curled in my stomach. It was only when I yielded to Claudia that my mother ever smiled at me like this. A morbid curiosity sparked within me again. When they finally discover Claudia’s true colors, after I’m dead and gone, will they feel a single shred of regret? That evening, I returned home to find my husband, Marcus, and our daughter, Mia, cooking in the kitchen. The cancer had weakened me, and the sound of the front door closing was faint. They didn’t hear it, too engrossed in their cheerful preparations. When Marcus turned with a finished dish and saw me, his smile faltered for a second before snapping back into place. “Stella, when did you get back? You were so quiet.” My eyes fell to the plate in his hands. A light vegetable stir-fry with tofu. Claudia’s favorite. From the look of it, he’d achieved professional-chef quality. How ironic. I was on my deathbed, and only now did I learn that the man I’d lived with for five years could cook. He had always criticized my cooking, and under his influence, Mia had grown to disdain it too. I’d poured my heart and soul into this family, only to be met with constant disrespect. In the past, a scene like this would have sent me into a hysterical rage. Now, I just felt empty. I walked past them, sat on the sofa, and began tidying my purse. Marcus watched me, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. He set the dish down and walked over. “Stella, there’s… something I need to talk to you about.” He rubbed his nose, a nervous habit. “It’s about your sister, Claudia.” My heart sank. A terrible premonition washed over me. His next words confirmed it, leaving me stunned and breathless. “After her chemo, Claudia’s been really down. Your parents thought… they thought it might lift her spirits if you and I got a divorce, so that she and I could get married. Just symbolically, of course. To bring her some good luck.” 2 A roaring filled my ears. It took a long moment for me to find my voice. “And you agreed?” Marcus sighed, a heavy, put-upon sound. “Stella, I know Claudia isn’t your biological sister, but since Mom and Dad adopted her, she’s family.” “And it’s just for show. To help her heal. As soon as she’s out of the hospital, I’ll still be your husband. Mia’s father.” Before I could respond, Mia piped up from the kitchen. “Yeah, Mom! Auntie Claudia has been so sad lately. You need to be more understanding!” I stared at the two of them. The man I had loved for years. The child I had painstakingly raised. I had done nothing wrong. I had been a devoted wife, a loving mother, a dutiful daughter. And for my efforts, I received only betrayal. But it didn't matter anymore. If Claudia wanted them, she could have them. She could have it all. I looked up at Marcus. “Fine. I agree.” A flash of surprise crossed his face. “Really?” He immediately rushed to a drawer and pulled out a set of divorce papers, placing them on the coffee table. A humorless smile touched my lips. Marcus, oh Marcus. You can’t even pretend to hide your eagerness, can you? I picked up the pen and signed my name. When I was done, Marcus’s face was a mask of solemn, heartfelt relief. “Stella, as soon as Claudia recovers, we’ll remarry. I promise. I will never betray you.” He signed his own name, then looked at me and sighed again. “Stella, you’re so much more mature about this than you used to be. I know I haven’t always been fair. That was my fault.” “Once Claudia is well, I promise I’ll never make you worry about anything again.” “Yeah, Mom!” Mia added, puffing out her chest like a little adult. “You’re being so good to Auntie Claudia. I’m so proud of you!” Looking at them, the last embers of hope in my heart turned to ash. Until this moment, I had held onto a tiny, secret sliver of hope for Marcus and Mia. Now… there was nothing left to hope for but death. I stood to go to my room, but a wave of vertigo slammed into me. The world tilted, and I collapsed. In the last second before the darkness took me, I saw the panic on Marcus’s face. I was awoken by a biting cold. When I opened my eyes, I was still on the floor. Marcus and Mia were standing over me, their faces etched with disappointment. “See, Dad? I told you she was faking it,” Mia said, her voice full of scorn. “Mom, can you stop being so childish? You’re going to make us late for our hospital visit with Auntie Claudia!” Faking it? Then Marcus spoke, his voice heavy with disapproval. “Stella, can you please stop the drama?” “I already told you, even though we’re divorced, you’re the one I love. You don’t need to test me with these kinds of childish games.” His words clicked into place. I finally understood. The analgesic I’d taken was designed to block all symptoms of my illness for three days. To the outside world, I would appear perfectly healthy, my complexion normal. The side effect was, of course, catastrophic organ failure. The drug was working a little too well. I pushed myself up. “It was just low blood sugar. I’m fine. I’ll come to the hospital with you.” “There are some more transfer documents that Claudia needs to sign.” Marcus nodded, unsurprised. My parents must have already told him. At the hospital, Claudia was watching TV. “Stella, you’re here!” Her face was still pale, but her spirits were clearly high. The smug triumph in her eyes was impossible to miss. “Stella, thank you for trusting me with your businesses. I promise, I won’t let you down!” “That’s right, dear,” my mother cooed. “With Claudia managing everything, you can just relax at home and collect your dividends. Isn’t that wonderful?” I pulled the remaining documents from my bag. “In that case, I might as well give her all my personal assets to manage too.” “That way, I won’t have to worry about a thing ever again.” The entire room fell silent. 3 “Stella, are you serious? You want to give Claudia all your property?” Marcus grabbed my arm, his eyes wide with shock. Now it was my turn to be confused. They had always sided with Claudia, given her whatever she wanted. If I ever refused, they would berate me for days. Now that I was giving her everything, they were questioning it? My father was the first to recover, his face glowing with pride. “The child has finally grown up! Our efforts weren’t wasted on you after all!” “Stella, you’re finally learning to accept your sister. This is a good thing!” “From now on, you two can live together in harmony. Even when we’re old, we can finally be at peace.” Peace? Dad, Mom, you’ve been blinded by Claudia’s facade for years. Do you really believe she’ll take care of anything I built? A fresh wave of dizziness washed over me. My nose tickled. I touched it and my fingers came away stained with blood. “Stella, a nosebleed? The weather hasn’t even been that dry,” my mother asked, her brow furrowed in mild concern. My hand froze. I couldn’t stop myself. I looked at them, a hollow space opening in my chest. “Mom, Dad… if, one day, I really died from an illness… would you regret any of this?” My mother’s expression didn’t even flicker. She just gave me a dismissive smile. “You look perfectly healthy. How could you die from an illness? Don’t say such unlucky things.” “Exactly,” my father added, his gaze shifting anxiously to Claudia. “Claudia’s the one we need to worry about. We need to make sure she recovers fully.” “I agree!” Mia piped up. “Mom is super healthy. Auntie Claudia is the one we’re all worried about!” The last, fragile thread of hope inside me snapped. There was nothing left to wait for. I looked down at Mia and smiled. “Mia, you’ve always wanted your Auntie Claudia to be your real mom, haven’t you?” “I’ll grant your wish. From now on, Claudia is your mother. Aren’t you going to call her that?” A look of pure ecstasy lit up Mia’s face. “Really?!” I nodded, my smile feeling brittle. “Once you call her Mom, you can have her cooking all the time. She can be with you whenever you want. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted? Are you happy?” Mia jumped up and down. “Yay! Mommy is the best in the world! Thank you, Mommy!” She pulled her hand from mine and threw her arms around Claudia. My parents and Marcus watched the scene, their faces beaming with approval. I turned and walked out of the room. I glanced back one last time. My parents were laughing with Claudia, playfully teasing Mia. Marcus was watching them, a gentle smile on his face. Not a single person noticed I was gone. I closed the door and left the hospital. One day left to live. I had nowhere to go. My entire life had been a frantic, hurried rush. I’d never once taken the time to just… be. I bought a ticket to Brighton and watched the sea under the moonlight. I wanted to climb the cliffs, but my body wouldn’t let me. Just as the world began to fade, I pulled out my phone and dialed a number I hadn’t called in almost five years. Then, everything went black. 4 I woke up in a hospital. My eyes darted to the clock. Six hours left. Beside me, my best friend, Jane, was sitting with red-rimmed eyes. Years ago, Jane had begged me not to marry Marcus, insisting he wasn’t worthy of me. I hadn't listened. We’d had a massive fight, and she hadn’t even come to my wedding. I knew I shouldn’t have bothered her now. But besides her, in this entire world, I had no one else. “What the hell happened to you?” Her voice was choked with tears. “Weren’t you so proud after you married him? Weren’t you a perfect, happy family? How did it come to this? Why is the doctor saying your organs are failing?” I was on a ventilator, but I managed a small smile. We’d made a pact as kids. If one of us was at the end of our life, the other, no matter what, would handle the aftermath. I couldn’t speak. I could only weakly lift my hand and point to my purse. Jane pulled out a stack of documents. She read them for a moment, then gave me a slight, firm nod and put them in her own bag. Thank God. Our old telepathy hadn’t faded. We didn’t need words. Three hours left. I refused all further medical intervention. After another period of unconsciousness, I woke to Jane holding her phone up for me to see. It was a series of texts from Claudia. [Stella, I won. I got everything that was yours.] [Did you really think you could compete with me? If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for being so useless. And for having parents who love me so much more.] [Just disappear quietly from the family now. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of your parents for you. And your husband and daughter, too. ♡] Jane saw the messages and started sobbing, cursing Claudia through her tears. I let out a silent, self-mocking sigh. I had never regretted anything in my life, except for one thing: convincing my father to sponsor Claudia. I first saw her at a run-down orphanage. I was a young volunteer, trailing behind a teacher. It was snowing heavily, and all the other children were huddled inside for warmth. Only Claudia was out back, by the dumpsters, picking at leftover bones someone had thrown away. I couldn’t bear it. I went home and begged my father to help her. After that, Claudia and I became inseparable. The next year, she joined my class at school. With her natural charm and intelligence, she quickly won over the teachers and students. Whenever someone praised her, I felt a surge of pride. Then, slowly, things began to change. My friends started to drift away from me, pulling Claudia into their circle as their new best friend. The boys who’d had crushes on me grew cold, only to later make grand, public declarations of love for Claudia. Even my parents started insisting I bring Claudia home for dinner, for sleepovers, until eventually, they split my bedroom in two and gave her half of it. I was too naive, too oblivious back then. I never realized that Claudia’s greatest talent was using the praise of others to steal everything that belonged to me. By the time I finally understood, it was too late. My room was gone. My family was gone. My entire life had been taken over by her. I did ask her why once. Her answer sent a chill through my bones. “Stella, do you think I’m grateful for your sponsorship? How could I be?” “I can’t stand the way you flaunt everything in front of me. I will take everything from you.” “I just want to see the look of despair on your face when you have nothing left.” … I once thought I could drive her away. I thought I could make my parents and Marcus see her for who she was. But I was too naive. I underestimated her cunning, and I fatally overlooked the genuine affection my parents, Marcus, and Mia had for her. I lost. Utterly and completely. Nine minutes left. My consciousness was fading, my vision blurring. But I could still see the screen of the phone Jane was holding. A new message from my mother. [Stella, find someone to paint the walls in that house of yours pink in the next few days. Your sister loves pink!] [Also, your sister will be discharged in about two weeks. When she is, clear out some of your things. Claudia needs space for her stuff!] Even in my last moments, my mother was only thinking of Claudia. It seemed I truly meant nothing to her. So be it. Jane was screaming something in my ear, but I couldn’t hear her anymore. I fought for so long. I’m so tired. Finally, I can get some sleep… On November 24th, Stella Miller passed away in a Brighton hospital. She was 29 years old.

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