Chapter 1 He Secretly Donated the Kidney to Someone Else!

Not long after the call was hung up, Zachary sent me a message. 'There's a surgery. I'm staying at the hospital tonight.' Short and to the point, it indicated he wouldn't be coming home.

I couldn't help but recall the smug confidence in Ella's voice when she answered his phone. Judging by Zachary's response, it was clear she hadn't told him what I said.

I let out a bitter laugh, picked up the last of my things from his house, and walked out the door. Locking it behind me, I didn't even bother with a final glance.

We had been married for five years, and in all that time, whenever Zachary had to work late at the hospital, he would always make sure to let me know in detail. He once told me that women were sensitive and that as long as a man took care of the little things, it would give a woman a sense of security. Sending a text or making a quick call wasn't that hard.

This time was no different, as he used surgery as his excuse.

Once, I had loved him for his brilliance and thoughtfulness. But now, it all seemed like a cruel joke.

…

I went back to my mother's house. The familiar scent of her still lingered in the air.

I collapsed onto the bed she used to sleep in, my strength completely drained. I wept silently.

Just a few days ago, we had been holding each other, crying tears of joy. The long wait for a kidney transplant had finally come to an end! The news had given her renewed hope, a rare spark of life after years of battling this disease.

Three years of dialysis had stripped her body bare, leaving her gaunt and frail. Despite all that, she still gave me the gentlest smile.

"You've worked so hard for so long, sweetheart," she said softly.

I smiled back, resting my head in her lap while enjoying the comforting warmth only a mother could give.

Three years wasn't long, but it wasn't short either. For my mother, dialysis had extended her life, but it also took away so much of her dignity and joy. She had always been such a graceful, elegant woman, yet she had to endure this—a shunt in her body, placing all her hopes for survival on a machine.

She was the one who had suffered the most.

I had lost count of the times I found her late at night, staring at my father's photo and quietly weeping. I knew she wanted to join him. But Zachary had promised that once she got the transplant, everything would be fine.

He was the leading nephrology expert at Hathlon Hospital, after all. With him on our side, I allowed myself to hold the greatest hope.

So, we waited through the dialysis sessions and finally received good news.

Yet, just half an hour before the surgery, Zachary secretly gave the kidney meant for my mother to Ella's mother instead!

My mother didn't survive the surgery. Due to complications from heart failure, she never made it out of the operating room.