?Chapter 394:


    Rachel, noticing her unease, softened her tone.


    “Elsa, there’s no need to be so nervous. Just say what’s on your mind. And honestly, I’m curious, what happened to Myrna? How did she be so ill so suddenly?”


    At Rachel’s gentle tone, Elsa seemed to rx slightly. Her lips quivered as she struggled to find the right words. Finally, she spoke, her voice fragile but clear.


    “Rachel, the truth is… Myrna is in thete stages of breast cancer. It’s already spread to her liver.”


    The words struck Rachel like a thunderp, leaving her momentarily breathless. A heavy, suffocating weight seemed to press down on her chest, making it hard to think.


    “How… how did this happen?” Rachel asked, her voice trembling.


    Perhaps thinking of her own struggles, her heart ached with deep, empathetic sorrow.


    “When did this start?”


    Elsa’s face was heavy with grief.


    “It happened earlier this year. By the time Myrna found out, it was already toote.”


    Rachel’s brow furrowed in confusion.


    “But I’ve heard the survival rate for breast cancer is rtively high. How did it get this bad?”


    Elsa nodded, her expression grim.


    “It’s true, but Myrna has the most aggressive and incurable type. The disease spread quickly. After years of hard work with Huey Dury, they finally bought a house and settled down here. But the treatment costs have wiped them out. She’s under so much pressure, she doesn’t want to burden him, and her constant depression has only made things worse.”


    Rachel sighed deeply, her heart heavy. Life was unpredictable, full of twists no one could foresee. No one knew what woulde first—tomorrow, or an unexpected tragedy.


    It reminded her of her own situation. Without the test results staring her in the face, she wouldn’t have believed Myrna had a terminal illness. Sometimes, waking up in the morning, she felt it was all just a cruel joke fate was ying on her. But as soon as she got up and faced the day, the illusion shattered.


    Time and again, she was forced to confront the harsh reality—it wasn’t a joke. It was her life, an unchangeable truth she had no choice but to ept.


    For a long time, she believed she was the most unfortunate. But now, hearing about Myrna, she wasn’t so sure. Who was worse off, her or Myrna? It was impossible to say.


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    Yet she sensed Elsa hadn’te to her just to talk about Myrna’s illness. If she had to guess, Elsa needed her help with something. But given that their college friendship had been nothing more than average, Elsa was likely hesitant to ask, fearing rejection.


    Thinking of Myrna’s struggles and their shared past, Rachel felt a pang of sympathy. At the same time, she couldn’t ignore the unspoken request lingering in Elsa’s hesitation.


    Rachel met Elsa’s gaze and spoke gently, bridging the silence.


    “Elsa, if you need my help, just say it. I’ll do what I can.”


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