AGAROS : The Love Betrayal

«We believe lies can protect us, but in reality, they trap us in invisible prisons.»

Chapter II

Dr. Marius walked in, as usual, with the slow pace of a man worn down by life, accustomed to a rhythm marked by fleeting successes and failures. His round face, almost too smooth for his age, seemed exhausted by years of battling illness, never quite seeing victory on the horizon.

He had been with me since my first steps in this hospital. Since I was still a child, with dreams of the future and naive questions. Now, he still treated me, but everything had become a matter of time. He knew it, and so did I.

He placed his bag near my bed and gave me a smile that seemed a little more tired this time, a little less genuine. Perhaps it was the weight of the years, or simply the burden of a difficult day. I no longer had the strength to analyze.

— How are you feeling today? he asked, his voice soft, but with the usual formal tone that never left him.

I made an effort to sit up, despite the pain stabbing through my chest. He was right to ask. He wasn't in my head. He didn't know how each second felt heavier than the last.

— I'm fine, but... I paused, searching for my words. The pain in my chest is worse today. It's more intense than last week.

He nodded, as if he had been expecting that kind of answer. With a routine attention, he took his stethoscope and placed it against my chest, listening with the focus of a man who knew illness better than his own thoughts. His movements were precise, but devoid of hope. For him, pain was no longer a surprise.

— It's normal, given your condition, he murmured, as if reassuring himself. The pain comes and goes, but there's nothing alarming.

I extended my hand, and he placed a small blue pill into my palm, like a last possible remedy, a faint promise of relief. He handed me a glass of water without a word, his eyes avoiding mine.

— It's an experimental treatment, he added in a quieter voice. If everything goes well, you might feel a little better for a few days. But... it will only be temporary.

I didn't have the strength to respond. Time was slipping away, and hope was fading a little more each day. Dr. Marius waited for me to take the pill, as if it could really change something. I swallowed it without a word, swallowing both my pain and the illusion he offered me.

I stayed silent, my gaze lost on the ceiling, searching for something to hold onto. But there was nothing.

— Why did you hide it from me? I finally asked, the question slipping from my lips before I could stop it.

Dr. Marius froze. He turned away from me and rummaged through his bag, as though trying to escape the question.

— Pardon? he repeated, as if he didn't understand.

— I heard you. You talked about it with my father... My breath caught. I know I only have a month to live... Why didn't you tell me? Why hide it from me?

A heavy silence fell over the room, as oppressive as the air I was breathing. I saw his hands tremble slightly, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. Then he spoke, slowly.

— It's your father... he asked me not to tell you, despite my recommendations. He wanted you to keep hope, even though he knew...

I felt my heart tighten. The truth hit me like a knife. My father had decided to lie to me. To hide the truth so that I could live my last moments in the illusion that everything was fine. He had treated me like a child, fragile, and had robbed me of the chance to prepare for what awaited me.

Tears rose, but I held them back. I didn't want to cry in front of this doctor, this old man who looked at me like a terminally ill patient. But it was stronger than me. It wasn't the illness that was devouring me, but the lies piling up around me.

— Why, Dad? I whispered, almost to myself. Why take away my right to know?

A heavy silence settled in. Then Dr. Marius leaned in a little closer and took my hand, in a gesture that almost felt fatherly.

— Don't cry, Naël. Your father has his reasons. He's doing this to protect you, even though...

— Even though it traps me in my suffering and loneliness? I interrupted, my voice broken. If he thinks lying to me will protect me, he's wrong.

It hurt. More than ever. But I wasn't alone anymore. There was the truth, as cruel as it was, and with it, a new strength. A pain transformed into anger. I wanted to understand, I wanted to see clearly in this maze of lies and secrets.

A light sound came from the door. My father entered, and the atmosphere shifted immediately. His eyes fell on me, with that familiar worry I knew so well, but that he didn't understand.

— How are you, sweetheart? His voice was gentle, but he had that tone he always took when he knew he was about to explain something difficult.

I didn't respond right away. I stared at him, letting my eyes shine with the anger I had been holding back until then.

— You lied to me, I said, my voice cold. You hid the truth about my death from me. Why? Why take away my right to know?

He seemed lost, for a moment, before regaining his composure. He sat at the edge of my bed.

— Naël... His voice trembled. I didn't want to break you... I didn't want you to fight against reality. I just... I wanted you to live your last days without that pain.

I shook my head, rage filling every fiber of my being.

— And for that, you take everything from me, Dad. Love, happiness, freedom... my dignity. You want me to suffer in silence, away from everything I could have lived.

He lowered his eyes. I had managed to unsettle him, but I knew it wasn't enough. Words couldn't fix what he had broken.

I got up, taking a step back. He reached out his hand, but I rejected it.

— If you really want to protect me, let me go, Dad. Let me die alone, away from all of this, away from you.

He stepped back, without a word. The door closed behind him. He had failed. And I had no more strength to devote to the lies.