I stumbled back into my room in a panic and collapsed, doing my best to ignore the moans coming from that room. But no matter how hard I tried, the sounds wouldn’t stop haunting me. They clung to me like a soul-crushing curse.
The next morning, Sharon and Willow walked into my room like nothing had happened. Right on schedule. They kissed me on each cheek with the same loving warmth as always.
“Morning, honey.”
“Good morning, Daddy!”
Their acting was flawless—honestly, I was impressed. But I was too exhausted to call them out on it.
Sharon gently squeezed toothpaste onto my toothbrush and said sweetly, “Go brush your teeth. Willow and I are going downstairs to grab breakfast for you.”
Not long after they left, the door creaked open again.
Elroy strolled in and stopped at the edge of my bed.
“Oh, Dean… even after all these years, you’re still a loser,” he sneered.
“You know, when I got diagnose, there were actually a few other compatible donors available,” he paused, “But Willow said she was afraid I’d reject the others, so she’d help me find the most compatible one.”
“And sure enough, your kidney worked great in my body!”
He chuckled. “So… how does it feel to be betrayed by your own daughter?”
Then he lifted his shirt to show off his smooth, unblemished stomach. “You know why I don’t have any scars, while you’ve got that giant, nasty one?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.
I said nothing.
“It’s because, during my surgery, every top plastic surgeon in the city worked on me—at Sharon’s request. She didn’t want a single mark on my body.”
“And you?” he added with a cruel grin. “You were handed over to some pig farm vet to be carved open like livestock!”
Every word he threw at me landed like a sledgehammer to the skull.
So the scar that had planted insecurity in my life for so long… that was Sharon’s doing.
Sensing how devastated I was, Elroy leaned in even closer, blowing another punch.
“Oh, and one more thing,” he whispered. “There was nothing wrong with your ‘little Johnny.’ Sharon told the doctor to remove it… just because she was afraid I’d get upset. And now she’s carrying my baby. You won’t just be an organ bank for me—but for our child too. We’ll take whatever we want from you.”
That took the last of my patience. I stood up and tried to punch him. But before I could even touch him, Elroy covered his face and started wailing.
“Please don’t hit me, Dean! I’m only managing the company for you temporarily!”
Right then, Willow stormed in and shoved me with all her strength. My head smashed into the corner of the bed and I could instantly feel the warm rush of blood.
Sharon burst in a moment later. She stepped on my hand and yanked Elroy into her arms.
Elroy sobbed dramatically, his voice trembling. “Sharon… I just wanted to check on him, but he accused me of stealing his company. He also said he’d make me end up just like him…”
Sharon’s eyes blazed with fury.
“Dean Frazier, are you insane?!” she shouted at me. “Elroy came here out of kindness and you threaten him? You’re disgusting!”
Willow pointed at me, screaming, “You’re mean! Bad guy! I don’t want you. I don’t want a bad guy to be my dad. I want Uncle Elroy to be my dad.”
Without letting me say a single word, they all turned on me.
But… I no longer cared. My heart had already died for them.
Slowly, I pushed myself up, leaning on the bed for support. Sharon and Willow wouldn’t even look at me anymore. They each took one of Elroy’s arms and walked out like I was nothing.
I discharged myself from the hospital and went home alone.
Four hours before departure, I threw every family photo into a steel drum and set them on fire.
Three hours before departure, I sent all the video recordings to my lawyer.
Three hours before departure, I placed the divorce papers—prepared long ago—on the coffee table in the living room.
One hour before departure, I was already seated in the airport lounge, ticket and passport in hand, waiting for my plane to take off.
At the same time, Sharon and Willow, trying to cheer Elroy up, took him to the island where we’d spent our honeymoon for a vacation. A week later, Sharon got out of Elroy’s bed and suddenly remembered— today was our sixth wedding anniversary.
As usual, she booked a photographer and makeup artist. Then, she spent the morning convincing Willow to come back home with her for a surprise.
But when the two of them finally pushed open the front door—Willow cradling a bouquet of fresh flowers, Sharon carefully balancing a cake box—their smiles faded.
The villa was dead silent.
“Shh! I bet Dad’s still sleeping in,” Willow whispered excitedly. “Let’s stay quiet and we’ll surprise him in the room.”
Willow tiptoed upstairs and opened the bedroom door, only to find it completely empty.
Sharon was confused, an inexplicable anxiety rising in her chest.
She quickly pulled out her phone, about to dial, when suddenly, a panicked doctor ran in.
“Mrs. Frazier!” he gasped, breathless. “Mr. Frazier—he... he sent a legal notice to the hospital. He knows. He found out everything!”
