It's been three years since I left this world. My ex-girlfriend, Cara, now an A-list actress, was in the middle of a paranormal investigation livestream. Her camera accidentally swept across my tombstone. Engraved on it was a QR code next to the words, "A Final Farewell." When Cara saw it, her face twisted in disgust. She turned to the camera with a cold sneer. “Blake, you were the one who insisted on breaking up. What is this? Another pathetic stunt to get my attention?” she said. She then told her audience that she had moved on, that she was in love with her co-star, Owen. In the live chat, comments flooded in, calling me the obsessive, clingy ex who couldn’t let go. Then, one comment caught everyone’s eye: "Has anyone scanned the QR code? I think… I think he might actually be gone." 1 Seeing that comment, Cara’s famously cool and collected expression hardened with even more annoyance. “He’ll do anything to get under my skin, won’t he?” The chat lit up with jokes: [The only person who can crack Cara’s ice-queen facade is her crazy ex.] [Seriously. He’s the one who dumped her. Now that she’s famous, he crawls out of the woodwork every chance he gets.] [Yeah, I heard he sent her letters and gifts just last week. No way he’s dead.] Amid the audience’s skepticism, a member of the production crew scanned the code, and a pre-recorded video began to play on the main feed. The first shot was of me, holding a medical report confirming a cancer diagnosis. I let out a forced, easygoing sigh. “Hey. Today is day one of my diagnosis. It’s also day one of our breakup. Happy breakup day, Cara!” “Forgive me for being so abrupt about it. The last thing I want is to drag you down with me.” I was wearing a crisp shirt, trying to look sharp and handsome, but it couldn't hide the deathly pallor of my skin. “Let me guess, you’re heartbroken, right? Career in a slump and getting dumped at the same time… that’s gotta suck.” “But hey, you’ll bounce back. I know you will.” As the video played, my predictions were proven true. Someone in the chat had dug up Cara’s old social media posts. In the days following our breakup, she had posted a string of bleak, melancholic updates. The discovery that the industry’s resident ice queen had once been so vulnerable and deeply in love sent her trending for days. Back then, Cara had quickly hidden those old posts, leaving only one public statement: [I have someone better by my side now.] At the time, her historical drama had just become a massive hit. Her co-star was the industry's rising heartthrob, Owen. He had even liked that post. Cara did seem to move on quickly, much to her fans’ relief. “But don’t worry,” my video-self continued. “I have no intention of bothering you. I just wanted to leave something behind.” “I’ve never asked you for anything, ever. But just this once… let me be selfish.” As I said those words, my voice caught, a choked sob breaking through. The confident, charming man from the start of the video dissolved, replaced by a fragile, lost little boy. Perhaps not wanting anyone to see me so exposed, I abruptly cut the video. [Date: April 9, 2019. Weather: Overcast. Hate lasts longer than love.] “Day two. It’s an overcast day. Perfect for feeling miserable, right?” I was in my pajamas, holding my phone up to show Cara’s sad posts while I brushed my teeth. “Looks like she’s really hurting. But I’m sure she’ll get over it soon!” My tone was light, a gentle smile fixed on my face. The live chat erupted in defense of Cara: [Cara was heartbroken over him for so long, and all he can say is she’ll ‘get over it’? You’d have more feelings for a dog you’d had for seven years. What a monster!] [Exactly. He doesn’t even look sick. This is all a publicity stunt. I hope he gets what’s coming to him.] [Dude, just die already and stop torturing our girl!] In the video, I fell silent after that comment. The camera panned down to my phone screen, showing a message I’d sent to Cara from an alt account: [Even when you’re sad, please remember to eat and rest. A fan who will always support you!] Her reply came almost instantly: [There was only ever one person who paid that much attention to me. Did you really think I wouldn't recognize you just because you used a burner account?] [So, Blake. What are you trying to prove with this pathetic act? Are you here to laugh at me?] I stared at her words, frozen. A long moment passed before I slowly typed back: [Yeah. It’s exactly what you think.] No reply came. When I refreshed the page, I saw that she had blocked me. The chat cheered: [YES! Our queen knows her worth. She deserves so much better!] [This must be when she developed her killer instinct and cool-headedness. We should thank this asshole for that.] [I’m so curious about what the old Cara was like, though.] [Don’t be. That must have been the darkest time of her life.] The angry comments scrolling across the screen obscured the corner of the frame, where the boy clutched his phone, his eyes rimmed with red. [Date: May 2, 2019. Weather: Sunny. I want you to be happy more than anyone.] “Today… cough… I came to see you in secret.” The moment the boy in the video appeared, the stream of hateful comments came to a sudden halt. “Surprised to see me like this? To be honest, I’m not used to it either. It took a lot of courage to even turn the camera on.” The boy was wearing an awkward wig, and his cheeks were terrifyingly thin, but the same gentle smile was on his face. The camera showed the set of Cara’s breakout TV series, the one where she played the second female lead opposite Owen, who was also a supporting actor at the time. Amid a crowd of fans cheering for the main actress, I stood in a quiet corner, holding a small sign with Cara’s name on it, watching her act. She was more mature, her features sharper, her presence more commanding. The cheers for the lead actress grew louder. In the chaotic roar, on some strange impulse, I called out Cara’s name. The next second, as if she’d heard me through the noise, she looked up. Our eyes met. I ducked my head instantly, my heart hammering against my ribs. I didn’t even wait for the scene to end before I turned and fled. “Phew… I don’t think she saw me.” I was hiding in an alley, catching my breath, glad I’d gotten away. Suddenly, a firm hand clamped down on my wrist. “We broke up. Is it fun for you to stalk me now, Blake?” Cara was panting, her brow furrowed in anger. But as she took in my face, her expression faltered. “You… haven’t you been sleeping?” I quickly composed myself, turning my head away. “That’s right,” I said, my voice cold. “I have a new girlfriend. She keeps me up all night. A lot more exciting than you ever were.” Rage flared in Cara’s eyes. “Blake! You son of a—” She cut herself off. Owen’s voice came from behind her. “Cara? Why’d you run off mid-scene? The director is furious. Are you okay?” Cara let out a long, heavy breath and released my wrist. “You’re the one who said anyone who betrays a true heart deserves a thousand cuts.” “Forget it. Just don’t come back here again.” I kept my head down, silent. She turned to leave. Owen was still asking, “Who was that? A friend of yours?” Cara’s voice was clear and chillingly indifferent: “Just someone unimportant.” A bitter tide rose in my chest. When I looked up again, my vision was blurred with tears. “See? I told you. You were always going to be great.” “You were right. I’m the one who betrayed us. So let all the bad karma come to me. All I want… is for you to be happy…” [Date: June 3, 2019. Weather: Sunny. Not a hard decision.] A sophisticated man sat across from me at a café table. He took an elegant sip of his coffee. “You want to hire me as Cara’s agent? You know my rates aren’t cheap.” Someone in the chat recognized him. It was Marcus Vance, the legendary agent. With him in her corner, Cara’s career had skyrocketed. She had thanked him publicly more than once, but his only response was always a cryptic: “It was a business arrangement.” In the studio, watching the livestream, the real Marcus Vance looked up, his eyes slowly turning red. In the video, I nodded firmly and pushed a bank card across the table. “Marcus, there’s ninety-seven thousand, six hundred and thirty-six dollars in there. It’s every penny I have.” Marcus’s eyes flickered to the card, his voice unchanged. “I’m a businessman, you know that. This isn’t nearly enough for me to tie my career to some unknown actress.” I bit my lip. Then, I reached up and took off my wig, revealing my emaciated, sickly face underneath. It was the first time I had shown myself on camera without any disguise since I got sick. The live chat fell into a stunned silence. “Marcus, I’ll be honest with you. I have stomach cancer. I don’t have much time left.” “She’s the only thing I can’t let go of. I believe in her. I know she can make it big.” “I know this money isn’t enough to persuade you. But I’ll give you the rights to this entire video series I’m making. After I’m gone, whatever it earns can be my payment. What do you say?” I looked at him, my voice pleading. Marcus stared at me for a long time, then finally spoke. “And what about you? You’ve planned everything for her. Are you just going to fade away and die?” “If you used this money for treatment, you might live longer…” He trailed off. I just shook my head, a faint smile on my lips. “I can’t be a burden to her. We’ve already been through enough.” “It’s okay. I’m not afraid of dying. I’m just afraid of her crying if she sees me like this.” My face was calm, but the tremor in my voice betrayed me. A heavy silence filled the café. Marcus looked up, blinking hard, and took a deep breath. “Okay,” he said. “I’ll do it.”
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