Chapter 1

"Ashton, I implore you. Marry my sister."

At that moment, Ashton shook his head repeatedly. Instead of accepting Miranda's offer to marry her sister again, he adamantly rejected his wife's request.

Ashton Wolf, a man working as a contractor and lecturer, had officially married Miranda Stone, a designer, just three months ago. Despite knowing from the beginning, before deciding to marry, that Miranda was suffering from stage four brain gland cancer, he chose to maintain the relationship and make her being his wife.

However, Miranda's condition had worsened over time, and she was currently hospitalized. Worried about leaving Ashton alone and with no one to care for him, Miranda asked her husband to marry her sister, especially since Alice was also an orphan, with no one to care for her.

"No. I don't want to!" Ashton flatly refused. "Besides, why should I marry Alice? I love you, Miranda, not someone else."

"Ashton... Alice is my sister. Besides, I can't make you happy. I am seriously ill and can't have children at all. The doctor even said that my life expectancy---"

"Can't last long?" Ashton interrupted immediately as if knowing what his wife was going to say. Though aware of Miranda's possibly short life expectancy, Ashton always dismissed that reality. "Doctors are not Gods. Whatever they predict, you won't go anywhere if it's not your time."

Miranda sighed softly. In her weakened state, she tried hard to convince her husband.

Miranda thought time was running out. Before being called by God, she wanted her husband to fulfill her wishes.

"I beg you. You know that Alice and I are orphans. Our mother passed away a long time ago, and our father has never been known until now. If I'm not here, who will be there for Alice? She's still in college, and I trust no one to protect her."

"Alice is already an adult, Miranda. She's 22 years old. I'm sure she can take care of herself."

"But I can't leave in peace if Alice is unmarried and has no man to take care of her. I beg you to grant my request."

Ashton fell silent momentarily, unsure how to refuse or contradict.

"Anyway, I don't want to marry another woman!"

Seeing how determined Ashton was to fulfill her request, Miranda fell silent. She gazed closely at her husband's face, diving into his brown eyes, and then Miranda whispered.

"Can't you just grant my request once?"

"For God's sake, Miranda. I'll do whatever it takes. Anything. Just don't marry another woman."

Miranda smiled sadly. She nodded, firm in her decision. If Ashton couldn't fulfill her request, she wouldn't force him anymore.

"Fine. I won't force you anymore. But after this, please divorce me. So I won't have any burden when I leave you."

"For God's sake, Miranda, don't be selfish."

Ashton was almost running out of words. Seeing Miranda, who is usually calm, become stubborn again, his wife continued to plead, insisting he marry another woman, which made Ashton feel conflicted.

Ideally, Ashton should be happy. What man wouldn't be pleased to be generously allowed to marry again, especially a young virgin much younger than Ashton or even Miranda herself?

Yet again, Ashton wasn't a man who easily switched his affections. He wasn't a fickle-minded man who agreed to marry again when asked.

"Don't put me in such a difficult position," Ashton weakly expressed.

"Just grant my request once in your life," Miranda murmured, looking deeply into Ashton's eyes. Then she softly muttered, "Can't you just grant my request?"

"Yes, Miranda. I'll do whatever it takes. Just don't marry another woman."

Miranda nodded in agreement with what Ashton said. In her heart, she thought it didn't matter if Ashton didn't immediately love her sister at the beginning of the marriage. The important thing was that Ashton agreed to marry Alice after she was gone.

Moreover, Miranda believed that God could change hearts. She was confident that someday her husband would submit and eventually learn to open his heart and love Alice.

"Thank you for granting my request," Miranda said happily. "If that's the case, after I'm gone, I want you to marry Alice as soon as possible."

"As soon as possible?"

Miranda nodded again.

"Yes. You can marry her immediately, one week after my departure."

"Miranda. Why are you talking as if you're sure you'll leave tomorrow? Aren't you sure that God will extend your life? Are you eager to leave me?"

Miranda shook her head repeatedly.

"Not like that. It's not that I'm happy to leave you. It's more about resigning myself to my current fate. Moreover, death is a certainty. My condition is getting weaker day by day. Rather than wasting time, I'd rather prepare for my departure."

"I still can't rush."

"Why?" Miranda asked curiously.

"How would people react when you've just left, and I'm already prepared to remarry? I have yet to discuss this with our father and mother. Whatever happens, they deserve to know about this major decision."

Miranda nodded understandingly. She couldn't argue with what Ashton had just said. Even though he was an adult and could manage his household, Ashton still needed to inform his parents about this. Moreover, when Miranda was gone, Alice would replace her as the Wolf family's daughter-in-law.

"Alright. Let's discuss this with Papa and Mama first. But I hope you will be okay and later cancel what you promised. After I'm gone, I want you to marry Alice as soon as possible."

Ashton nodded this time. Looking directly at Miranda, he reassured his wife.

"I will never break my promise. I hope, after this, you will be satisfied because you have succeeded in making me marry a woman I don't love at all."