The Woman Who Happened To Obtain It All

Setting: At the psychologist

It is a cold morning, the sun is hidden behind the clouds. The radio that is often turned on whenever there are no patients in the office starts making a buzzing sound. There was no other person besides the doctor.

Doctor Valentine: (inner monologue) Should I be considered a bad person for doing it?

Doctor is drinking her black coffee. She is wearing her usual white coat and a bright red lipstick. Her hair is tightened in a ponytail. She is holding a book in her hands while browsing through it. The pages are making that familiar swooshing sound. She has a serious look on her face, as if deeply thinking about something.

Doctor Valentine: (inner monologue) My Three Dying Rules, eh? Who would have thought it would be such a success.

The book she is holding is called “My Three Dying Rules”. On the cover, there is a black and white illustration of a beautiful young girl with long white hair. She wears a white dress with a ribbon on her chest. Her deep eyes feel as if they were looking right into one’s soul. You cannot tell whether she is smiling or scheming something in her head. Her left hand is hidden behind her hips. Is she hiding something? In the background, there are three cracked stone pillars. It seems there could be more of them.

Doctor Valentine: (inner monologue): Before meeting her, my life was a mess. My ex-husband cheated on me and as a parting gift, I was left with a huge debt on my shoulders because of him. My job started to feel like an annoying chore. My books didn’t sell well and all I could do was drink wine all alone just with my cats in my apartment. But I continued to be strong and endured it. I always told to myself: “Don’t worry, it’ll get better soon. Just don’t give up.”

The door from the office open and a young woman comes in. Only her nice curly purple hair is seen from behind, her face is hidden.

The woman: Doctor, did you see?? The book “My Three Dying Rules” has become a bestseller even abroad!! It’s all over the internet! I am so happy for you!!

Doctor Valentine smiles warmly.

Doctor Valentine: This is a really big milestone for my career. Shall we go celebrate it? It’s Wednesday, do they still have that special offer cake near your place?

The woman: Yes, they do!! I’ll go pack my stuff and I’ll meet you outside!

The woman leaves all excited.

Doctor Valentine: You’re a really kind soul… (staring at the door as if daydreaming) …keeping quiet about something like that must be torturing you inside.

Doctor Valentine stands up and changes from her white coat to her formal coat that she wears on the way to the office.

Doctor Valentine: (inner monologue) I don’t know if I really should have written that book on my own. But I did and after its first success, my life got significantly better. It was a huge turning point. With this book having become a best seller in the country, I was finally able to pay off my debt. The workload is now much more manageable thanks to my new young and very ambitious assistant.

Doctor walks towards the door. She is not in a hurry at all.

Doctor Valentine: (inner monologue) I even started seeing somebody new. It’s almost unbelievable how different my life is now compared to the time period before this book. I finally feel free. And I no longer wait for the better tomorrow. Because the better today is already here. No, the best version of the today is here. Everyday.

She passes through the door from the office, stops to turn off the lights but before that, she looks back at the desk where she left the book one more time.

Doctor Valentine: (inner monologue) So why…

The book’s cover reveals a subtitle note under the title “My Three Dying Rules”. The subtitle note says: “Based on a true story.”

Doctor Valentine: …why can’t I stop thinking about killing myself?

My Three Dying Rules: END

Author’s note: Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading and experiencing this journey till the end. Please support the novel and watch out for my next stories!