She Stole My Lifeline for Romance With Another

On his birthday, Eleanor Brook's childhood sweetheart asks her to grant his wish. He says that he wants to go to Norinia to see the aurora.

Eleanor ignores the fact that I'm about to undergo tumor surgery and drains all the money from my bank account.

She says that seeing the aurora is the first thing Joseph Miller has ever asked her to do, so she has to make it happen.

"You're so rich. What's the harm in lending me some money? You're being so stingy."

But after battling illness for two years, I've already burned through all my savings from my livestreaming days.

The money she takes is the last one million dollars in my account.

Chapter 1

There was only one hour left before my surgery would start, yet all I could do was sit on the hospital bed and stare at a thick stack of payment bills in silent distress.

My phone vibrated beside me. It was a photo sent by Eleanor Brook's childhood sweetheart, Joseph Miller.

In the photo, Eleanor sat in an airport chair, wearing a newly purchased haute couture dress. Joseph tilted his head toward her. His gaze was full of unmistakable affection.

Joseph sent a message. "Victor, don't be angry. Eleanor just wanted to take me to see the aurora. Please don't argue with her because of me. It's not worth it."

I wasn't in the mood to reply. As soon as I set the phone down, I heard my parents' anxious voices outside the door.

"The operation fee hasn't been paid yet. The surgery is about to start. Has Eleanor arrived yet?"

Seeing their worried faces, I had no idea how to explain the situation to them.

My relationship with Eleanor had always been strong. We were so close that we had even talked about getting married. Yet now, I didn't know how to explain that she had taken the money that was meant to save my life and gone travelling with Joseph. After all, my parents had always liked her a lot.

No matter how anxious they seemed, Mom's voice softened when she saw how pale I looked. "Victor, where's Eleanor? She still hasn't come?"

Dad's expression wasn't much better, but when he looked at me, he forced down his anger and spoke as gently as he could. "The surgery is about to begin, and we're still short on money. When can Eleanor get here?"

Seeing the concern on their faces, I could no longer hide the truth and had to tell them honestly. "She won't be coming."

As soon as I finished speaking, Dad panicked. He was about to stand up and lash out, but Mom tapped him. Under her reproachful gaze, he suppressed his anger and sat back down.

He asked in a low voice, "Why can't she come? Is she stuck in traffic? Should I go pick her up?"

I opened my mouth, unable to think of any excuse. I could only tell them the truth. "She went to Norinia with Joseph to see the aurora. She's on the plane right now."

Mom and Dad exclaimed in shock, "What?"

My thoughts drifted back to a year earlier.

I first learned about Joseph at Eleanor's birthday party. That was when I realized that she had a childhood sweetheart who had gone abroad to study.

They had grown up together and, while still in high school, promised they would marry each other someday. However, right after graduation, something happened with Joseph's family, and he had to leave the country to continue his studies.

He had been gone for six years, and it wasn't until a year ago that he returned alone.

At first, he was completely alone in the country, which made it easy to understand why Eleanor took such special care of him. After all, she was his only friend here.

Then, not long ago, during a medical checkup, doctors discovered a tumor in my liver. While I was undergoing a biopsy, Eleanor got a phone call from Joseph and left immediately. That was also when Eleanor and I had a huge argument.

She knew that she was in the wrong, and with my pathology results confirmed as malignant, she promised me that she would keep her distance from Joseph.

At the beginning, she really did follow through. She started accompanying me to check-ups and preparing nutritious meals for me.

But just yesterday, as my surgery approached, the money in my medical insurance card suddenly fell short. I asked Eleanor to take my bank card downstairs to make the payment.

I had naively believed that she had truly cut off all contact with Joseph and would never betray me for his sake. But now, reality hit me like a punch.

Not only did Eleanor take all of my money, but she also used it to take Joseph to Norinia to see the aurora.

It was at that moment that I realized how terribly wrong I had been. I didn't know when she researched the travel guides, when she booked the tour, or when she decided to take all my money and go to Norinia with Joseph on the very day of my surgery.

I had no idea about any of it, yet I knew that every expense for their trip to Norinia had come from my savings.

She used the money that was meant to save my life to fulfill Joseph's birthday wish. The more I thought about it, the more bitterly ironic it felt.

Chapter 2

When I came to my senses, my whole body was shivering. It might have been the hospital's overly cold air conditioning, or simply my nerves before the surgery.

As I stared at the empty hospital room, tears began to well up in my eyes.

Meanwhile, my parents were outside, humbly pleading with relatives to lend them money to save my life.

I knew that from that day on, everyone would learn that my girlfriend had abandoned me in the hospital for her childhood sweetheart.

But what did it matter? I had to survive first before worrying about any of the gossip.

Just then, my phone rang. It was Eleanor calling. She had finally remembered me, her so-called boyfriend.

I hung up immediately. With the surgery approaching, I didn't want to hear her voice or any explanations from her. All I wanted was to focus on surviving the surgery.

However, soon after, I received a livestream link from Joseph.

In the livestream, Joseph was getting out of the car. He grabbed Eleanor's hand as they ran toward the nearby aurora.

Under the aurora, the snow-white glaciers stretched out, making the ground look like it was paved with diamonds. It was shimmering in every imaginable color. The two of them stood beneath the aurora, looking like a couple blessed by the heavens and destined for a lifetime of happiness.

As I scrolled through the livestream comments, I saw Eleanor's parents and friends. They all sent blessings. It was as if I didn't even exist.

I looked up to see my parents crouched by the door, making one call after another. They humbly begged relatives to lend them money for my treatment, promising to repay it on time.

At that sight, tears slipped from my eyes and fell onto the hospital bed. I had made the wrong choice, and now my parents were caught up in it too.

Just as I sank into sadness, a nurse came to notify me that it was time for surgery.

Before entering the operating room, my parents held my hands, forcing a small smile as they looked at me. "Victor, don't be afraid. We'll be right outside waiting for you."

I reached out, wanting to touch their faces, but the nurse pushed me straight into the cold operating room.

The surgery felt long and agonizing for them, but for me, it passed in the blink of an eye. When I regained consciousness, the first faces I saw were my parents'. They were beaming with smiles.

They held my hands and told me that the surgery had gone perfectly. The tumor had been completely removed, and since it was very small, I wouldn't even need chemotherapy or radiation afterward. I would only need proper rest.

I nodded excitedly, diligently following the doctor's instructions for my treatment.

On the day I was discharged, I saw Eleanor again. By then, Eleanor had returned to her usual appearance, though the fatigue on her face was impossible to hide.

Yet she still insisted on coming up to me. She said apologetically, "Victor, don't worry. I'll make it up to you. How about we book a hotel once you're discharged?"

I merely glanced at her with a blank expression. I rejected her outright. "No need. Using someone else's money without their permission is considered theft under the law. I suggest you return the money as soon as possible, or I'll call the police."

Eleanor looked at me with a hint of impatience. Her brows were drawn together. "Victor, don't say things like that out of anger. You know that this was Joe's birthday wish."

I scoffed. I didn't argue with her like I used to. Instead, I said indifferently, "Whatever. I'll come get my things in a few days. You'd better return my money as soon as possible."

As soon as I finished speaking, I walked past her and headed toward my parents standing nearby.

Mom watched me with concern. When she saw me walking out, she quickly draped a coat over my shoulders and said worriedly, "Be careful."

I nodded and went home with my parents.

Chapter 3

After my body had mostly recovered, I contacted a real estate agent and went straight to the house that I had shared with Eleanor.

I had bought that place back when I was doing livestreams. The location was somewhat remote, and the price was not particularly high, but it was enough to cover the debts I owed.

I hadn't expected that when I opened the door, I would see Eleanor and Joseph, dressed in swimsuits, splashing around together in the pool.

The moment Eleanor saw me, a flicker of panic crossed her eyes. She grabbed a nearby towel, wrapping both herself and Joseph in it.

She hastily wiped the smudged lipstick from her lips and gave me an awkward look. "Victor, why did you suddenly come here? Did something happen?"

I ignored her and led the agent inside.

After I gave them a quick rundown of the house, Eleanor frowned and looked at me. "Victor, what do you mean by this?"

I glanced at the red marks on her collarbone and replied calmly, "Isn't it obvious? I'm selling the house."

As soon as I finished speaking, the calm look on her face was instantly replaced by anger. She looked at me irritably and said, "If you sell the house, where am I supposed to live? Didn't you say that this was going to be our marital home?"

I scoffed. Before I could respond, Joseph suddenly linked his arm with Eleanor's and said smugly, "Exactly. Besides, what right do you have to sell Eleanor's house?"

"This is my house. I'll sell it however I want," I replied.

"Victor, you're really ridiculous. Do you really think that you can buy a house on your own? You only managed to get this place because of Eleanor. Otherwise, you probably wouldn't be able to afford this place in several lifetimes," Joseph said.

Seeing the two of them looking so pleased with themselves, I chose not to respond. I took out the property deed and handed it to the agent, indicating that they could handle everything regarding the sale of the house.

Before the agent could even put it away, Eleanor shoved him aside. She snatched the deed back and glared at me.

"I know that you're angry with me, but since you're already in this state, what's the point of selling the house? You'll still end up losing both your health and your money. You might as well leave the house to me," she said.

Joseph stood beside her, still holding her arm. He grinned smugly as he spoke.

"Victor, money isn't something you come into life with, and you can't take it with you when you die. Even if you sell the house and get a lot of money, what's the use? Besides, you've been with Ellie for so longwho's to say that the money you spent wasn't actually hers?"

As I gazed at their self-satisfied expressions, I immediately spoke up. "This is my house. I'll sell it if I want to. What does it have to do with you? I suggest you move out immediately and return my money, or I'll take legal action against you."

Eleanor was furious. Just as she raised her hand to strike me, the agent standing nearby stopped her. He stepped in front of me without hesitation and shouted at her.

"What are you doing? How dare you try to hit him!"

Just as the argument was about to escalate, Joseph's phone began vibrating nonstop. He clutched his towel and rushed over. After one glance at the screen, his face turned deathly pale.

I also started receiving messages from friends and relatives. When I opened the images, I saw that the top three trending searches under the entertainment category were all about them.

#InfluencerJosephRelationship

#JosephHomewrecker

#JosephAffairWithManager

I burst out laughing as thousands of netizens angrily cursed Joseph for secretly hooking up with Eleanor, while he was fully aware that she was already in a relationship. The hashtags were trending faster than I expected.

The saying "What goes around comes around" rang true. People would eventually face the consequences of their own actions.

Joseph gripped his phone tightly and looked at Eleanor helplessly. The moment Eleanor saw the trending searches, she completely lost it.