Chapter 0039 +25 BONUS Chapter 0039 Carolines POV : The first thing that hit me when I woke up in my hospital room was the overpowering smell of disinfectant . Nausea washed over me and I tried to sit up to get away from the odor . A gentle hand on my shoulder and a soft voice was quick to stop me , however . 0 Hey , dont move , Martin said gently , seated next to the hospital bed . I may have been the one with cancer , but he looked even more exhausted than I did . You need to rest . I weakly smiled at him , a sense of comfort overpowering my sickness now that he was around . Thank you , Martin , I whispered sincerely . You look exhausted , though … Dont worry about me , Martin replied , dismissing my worries with a wave of his hand . You know Im strong enough to get through it . He flashed a charming grin and flexed his arm , showing a bit of muscle underneath . Laughter bubbled up inside me at his antics . Following the laughter , an awkward tension settled in the air . It was relieving to joke away our problems , but I knew that I would need to face reality soon enough . Martin , I whispered , my voice growing somber . Please , tell me the truth . Is my condition getting worse ? Martin hesitated , pain and sadness flashing in his gaze . It was as if he thought that by delaying the devastating truth , it would somehow save me . Frowning deeply , I reached over and placed a comforting hand on his arm . He looked at me in surprise , his eyes filled with a deep sadness for my plight . Theres no need to lie to me , I told him in a whisper . I know what Im going to face if this turns out badly . No matter what the result is , I can accept it . Alright , Martin ? Martin choked out a devastated sound , shaking his head . For a fleeting moment , I would have sworn I could see tears brimming in his eyes . He seemed both sad and embarrassed that he doubted my strength . Youre right , Caroline , he said at last . The doctor told me your cancer cells are only spreading . He grabbed my hand , brushing his thumb over my knuckles in a comforting motion . Dont worry , we can solve it . I can get my father to find the best doctor in the country . I promise Ill- I held a shaky finger to his lips , silencing him in an instant . Just hearing the nervousness creep into his voice had filled me with a sadness Ive never known . He cared so much about me and he was afraid that I would lose hope . Little did he know , I had already lost my hope so long ago . Its okay , Martin , I know , I replied , overcome with relaxation . Im not afraid anymore . I just need some time to think about how Im going to spend the rest of my life . Chapter 0039 my friends of any As much as Martins care touched me , I couldnt bear the thought of worrying so much about me . I already felt like I was some sort of burden , though I know that Martin would never see me like that . Martin tenderly took my hand and gave it a comforting squeeze . No , Caroline , dont say that , he said , but it sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince me . Youre going to live a long life . Ill make sure of it . I mustered up a sad smile , trying to reassure him despite the fact that I was the one on deaths door . I was already accepting my death , but there was so much I still wanted to do . I needed to figure out who had so brutally attacked my father . Even now , as I tirelessly wracked my brain for an answer , I was at a complete loss as to who could have hurt him . It was all so frustrating that it made me want to scream . I was shaken from my thoughts when I saw Martin steadily from his chair . I gave him a curious look , startled when he sank to one knee . From the chair beside him , he produced a gorgeous bouquet of red roses . When had he found the time to buy red roses ? Confusion flooded me as he presented the roses to me . Was I in some sort of dream ? His behavior shocked me so much that I was rendered speechless . Martin , what are you doing ? I asked , my voice a little uneasy . Dread tingled my spine as I knew exactly what was coming next . At what point had our relationship changed so drastically ? Caroline , Martin announced , looking warmly up at me from one knee . I know this isnt the right time to tell you , but … I just cant hide it anymore . Every time I see you get hurt again and again , its like a piece of myself gets hurt as well . I just cant wait any longer . He offered me a soft , hopeful smile . Please give me the chance to protect you , he confessed . I love Caroline . you , 2/2 Chapter 0040