Chapter 86: Retribution

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Translator: Soafp

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The prognosis for Maya’s remaining life.

I’ve already parted ways with Maya. There’s nothing more I can do.

And yet, why can’t I calm down about this?

I don’t know if this feeling counts as lingering attachment. But even so, I couldn’t ignore the cruel irony of facing the harsh reality that soon my former spouse would die.

Still, in that eerie hospital room, I couldn’t bring myself to look directly at Maya when we met again after so long.

“… Why, why…?”

Maybe Maya didn’t want me to see her in such a weakened state.

Without even the strength to sit up in bed, she glanced at me briefly as I approached, then quickly averted her eyes to the ceiling. Later, she covered her gaunt face with her hands. Feeling sorry for her, I hesitated to offer words of sympathy, and so I fell silent.

“… It’s been a while.”

Amidst the awkward atmosphere, Maya managed to squeeze out just those few words, peeking at me through the gaps in her hands.

I couldn’t reply, of course.

Maybe I should have brought flowers. It might have eased the conversation a bit.

But such thoughts seemed trivial.

“… I’ll come again.”

Feeling utterly overwhelmed by the unexpected reality, I said that I wanted to leave from here, and hastily left the hospital room.

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Given this situation, there’s no avoiding but to hear more details from my former father-in-law.

I understand that he must have come to me out of pity for his daughter, in a situation where she’s in distress and uncertain.

But what does my former father-in-law expect from me?

That much I don’t understand. Therefore, I thought I had to start by talking to him.

After leaving the hospital room, I moved to the lobby and faced my former father-in-law again.

“… Does Maya know about her own condition?”

“… She hasn’t been told directly. But…”

My former father-in-law, looking like he wants to say something, also appears worn out. It’s understandable; in a situation where his daughter may be cutting ties with the world, it’s impossible for him to remain positive.

Even so, as someone who has never been a parent, I can’t understand a parent’s feelings.

I have to ask.

“… What do you hope to achieve by coming here and telling me this?”

After a pause, looking uneasy, my former father-in-law answered my question.

“… Maya…”

“…”

“When her condition recurred, she accepted her current situation quite calmly. She said she has no regrets in this world and doesn’t care how things turn out.”

“…”

“But there was one request she made. She asked that you not be told. She’s afraid that if she sees you again, she might start regretting things.”

“…”

“I couldn’t bear the thought of my own daughter, flesh and blood, leaving this world with such regrets.”

With just that, my former father-in-law seemed to apologize without saying the words.

I became even more confused.

I no longer know what the right thing to do is.

If it were something unimportant, my heart wouldn’t ache so much.

Conflicting feelings arise within me towards my former father-in-law: gratitude for letting me know and resentment for complicating things.

In my heart, anger, hatred, sadness, and love for Maya blend together.

I didn’t expect to feel such a sense of loss.