Matthew was short of breath, so he tried to calm himself down before comforting her.

"Rika, you don't know that because you don't often go to the hospital, but medicine is quite advanced nowadays. It's just middle stage cancer. I'm sure that if you get proper treatment, you'll get better. I've just checked. There are many patients at the advanced stage of gastric cancer who stabilized their condition after regular treatments. The first thing you need to worry about is your state of mind. Don't give yourself up..."

“My state of mind..." With her eyes fixed at the river in front of her,

Erica sat on the lawn. She had been in a bad mood since she left the hospital.

"Matthew, I think... I think I've Lived my whole life in vain. Even though I'm dying, I still don't know whether you love me or not..." She was about to die and never even heard Matthew say that he loved her.

“Why did you say that? Rika, can't you feel my love for you?" Matthew asked. He thought he had already proved his love for her over and over.

"Yes, I can feel it. But you never said it, so how can I be sure if you really love me or not?" Erica couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice.

Sensing her frustration, Matthew got a little flustered.

"Do I have to tell you out loud? Well, Rika, listen to me carefully!"

Regardless of how shocked Owen was from the driver's seat, Matthew swore firmly, “I, Matthew Hilton, will only love one person from beginning to end, and this person is none other than you. I love you, for this life, for the next, and forever..." With a roar, he stated at last, "I only Love you, Erica!"

Tears streamed down Erica's face. He finally told her that he loved her.

“Don't cry. I Love you so much, even more than you love me. I've been feeling this way for a long time already. I can't tell when exactly I fell in love with you. Maybe you were thirteen or fourteen..." At that time, he was only eighteen or nineteen years old, but she was still too young for him. Even if he had all of these feelings for her, he had to suppress them.

Owen was astonished when he heard Matthew's love declaration to his wife. ‘Oh my God! Matthew is such a jerk. How could he have fallen in love with Erica when she was only thirteen or fourteen years old?’ Owen thought to himself.

“Matthew, I Love you too," Erica confessed. Despite the strange looks she kept getting from the passersby, she burst into tears.

She was overwhelmed with joy!

"So from now on, don't cry anymore. I'LL take you to the hospital for the most precise examination. If the diagnosis confirms you have middle stage gastric cancer, I'LL take you to the best hospital, and you'll receive the best treatment there is. No matter how difficult it is,

I'll be with you every step of the way. I won't let you face anything on your own, and in return, you mustn't leave me alone in this world, understood?" Matthew pleaded.

“Understood... Erica nodded obediently.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Matthew closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat.

"Honey, I'm on my way back. Wait for me at home, okay?"

"Did I keep you from your work?" Erica asked, feeling a bit guilty.

"No." In fact, it was his work that kept him from being with his wife when she had to face that terrible news alone.

After a moment of silence, Erica suddenly remembered something she had been wanting to ask him.

"Matthew."

"Hmm?"