Pieces Of Us

Chapter 18: A Breaking Point

Haein's condition was reaching a breaking point. Each day felt like a delicate balancing act between reality and the terrifying hallucinations that pulled her into a world of confusion and fear. No matter how hard she tried to stay in control, the cloud cytoma was gaining ground, and she was losing herself in its grip.

The hallucinations became more vivid. At times, Haein would find herself in unfamiliar places, speaking to people who didn’t exist. The sound of Soobin's voice often echoed in her mind, twisted by guilt and regret. She couldn’t tell what was real anymore, but she forced herself to push through, masking her struggles with a smile for the world to see.

At home, the situation with Soobin was as cold as ever. The distance between them seemed insurmountable. Soobin’s demands had not ceased, and despite receiving everything she wanted—clothes, shoes, money—her gratitude never surfaced. Instead, she treated Haein with indifference, and sometimes, disdain.

Haein found herself standing in the living room one afternoon, staring blankly at a pile of Soobin’s clothes scattered across the floor. She couldn’t remember when they had been thrown there or why she was even standing there, but she was unable to move. Her mind flickered between past and present, between memories of a young Soobin who once sought her attention and the present version of her daughter, who barely acknowledged her existence.

As her hallucinations worsened, Haein struggled to maintain her responsibilities as a businesswoman. Meetings turned into nightmares, with faces morphing into grotesque figures, their words turning to unintelligible whispers. At times, Haein would zone out for minutes, only to return to the present in a panic, realizing she had missed important parts of discussions.

Her assistants noticed the changes but were too afraid to say anything. Haein’s reputation as the "queen of ice" kept them at bay, and no one dared question her erratic behavior.

Soobin remained as oblivious as ever, focused entirely on her own world. She barely noticed Haein’s worsening condition, brushing off her mother’s odd behavior as stress or exhaustion. Even when Haein’s hands would tremble or her speech would slur, Soobin didn’t seem to care. She was too caught up in her own teenage rebellion, drifting further away from the mother who was silently falling apart.

One night, Haein sat in her home office, trying to work through a mountain of paperwork. Her vision blurred, and the words on the page began to swim. She blinked rapidly, trying to refocus, but the letters rearranged themselves into nonsensical patterns.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her, and a familiar voice called out, "Haein…"

Her heart raced. The voice was unmistakable—it was her father’s. She whipped around, but the room was empty. Her breath caught in her throat as she stood frozen, the voice continuing to call her name softly, as if from the shadows.

"Haein… why didn’t you save me?"

She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the voice to disappear, but it grew louder, more accusing. Tears welled up in her eyes as she clenched her fists, trying to hold onto her sanity.

"Haein…"

The hallucination broke suddenly when Soobin barged into the room, complaining about something trivial. Haein blinked, the world snapping back into focus. She stared at her daughter, her heart still pounding from the hallucination, but Soobin didn’t notice her distress.

“Mom, are you even listening?” Soobin’s voice was filled with irritation, her face a mask of annoyance.

Haein forced herself to nod, swallowing the lump in her throat. “Yes, I’m listening. What do you need?”

But Soobin had already turned her back, storming out of the room without waiting for a response. The door slammed shut, leaving Haein alone once again, battling the demons in her mind.

As the days passed, the weight of it all became unbearable. Haein could no longer juggle her deteriorating mental state, her business, and her role as a mother. The pressure was mounting, and she knew it was only a matter of time before something snapped.

But still, she couldn’t bring herself to tell Soobin the truth. The secret of her illness remained locked inside, even as it threatened to destroy everything she had built.