His Regret Began When She Let Go

Rachel sat on the examination bed with her fingers twisting the edge of her purse, trying to ignore the sound of her heartbeat thudding inside her ears.

Across from her, Dr. Halden flipped through her medical file, his brow slowly creasing the deeper he read.

"Mrs. Voss," he began with a sigh that already felt like bad news.

Rachel lifted her eyes, forcing a smile that barely reached her eyes. "It's okay, you can tell me."

The doctor hesitated. That alone made her stomach twist in an unusual way. She had been coming for tests for months, chasing the answer to the nagging pain in her lower abdomen, the bleeding.

"You've been coming here for months," he said gently. "We've run multiple scans, blood tests, tissue samples. I wanted to be absolutely sure before speaking to you."

Her throat tightened, "Doctor...please."

He nodded slowly, "The abnormal cells we observed earlier have progressed. You have early stage cervical cancer."

Rachel blinked, her fingers tightening around her purse. "You mean cancer?"

Dr. Halden nodded slowly, adjusting his glasses to the bridge of his nose. "Yes, it's in its early stage, that's the good news."

"Is...is that why I can't conceive?" Rachel asked softly.

"Yes," He confirmed, setting her file aside, "your infertility was not a simple hormonal imbalance. The cancer has been developing for some time. As I said earlier the treatment is still time sensitive."

Those words stung. The word 'Infertile' had already shattered the joy in her blissful marriage but she held onto one thing which was hope. But it turns out that hope wasn't there for her anymore.

Bryce, her beloved husband had already become so distant and disappointed, and Evangeline-his mother, was even worse. She despised Rachel from the very first day the doctor announced the complications in her womb.

"Will I still be able to have children?" She muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"No," Dr. Halden said gently, "I am afraid not. Even with the treatment, it might still be impossible. Unless there is a miracle."

A quiet, strangled breath escaped her. She covered her mouth, afraid it would break into sobs.

Dr. Halden watched her carefully, sympathetic but professional. "We will begin treatment immediately, You will survive this." He assured.

Rachel nodded, though she wasn't sure she would ever survive this. Not after almost three years of marriage, destroyed with the news of infertility.

She stood up slowly, "please, don't send anything to my husband's office," she said quietly. "I'll handle it."

Halden frowned. "You can't face this alone."

"I have been facing it alone,"she murmured before she could stop herself. "Please,"

He let out a tender smile, "I won't let anyone know, but please, try not to overwork yourself."

She nodded. "Thank you."

Rachel's mind reeled as she walked out of the clinic. 'Cancer', the word felt heavy. She climbed into the black limousine that waited for her at the curb.

"You okay, Mrs. Voss?" Alton, her driver asked.

"Yes," she forced a