My husband was diagnosed with kidney failure out of nowhere. The news hit like a freight train, knocking the air out of my lungs. I quit my job without a second thought and threw myself into caring for him at the hospital.
I was exhausted—physically, mentally, emotionally. Some days, I barely held it together. On one of those days, I escaped to the emergency stairwell, gripping the cold metal railing as silent sobs wracked my body. My tears burned against my cheeks, but I finally allowed myself to break down.
That’s when I heard them.
His voice. And hers.
“She still doesn’t know that it’s fake, right?” The woman’s voice was sharp, impatient. “She watches you like a damn prison guard. We can’t even be alone for a second! Our baby misses his daddy.”
My breath hitched. The tears stopped. My mind went blank.
“Relax,” Luke’s voice came, casual, almost amused. “That idiot wouldn’t believe it even if you throw the report right on her face.”
My fingers slipped from the railing, my grip tightening involuntarily.
“She’s probably off calling her mom right now, trying to sell their house to pay for my surgery.” He laughed, low and smug. “Once she hands over the two hundred thousand dollars for the procedure, I’ll divorce her. Then I’ll finally be free to be with you and our baby. Just hang in there a little longer. You know you’re the only one I love.”
I didn’t feel pain when my nails dug into my palms, breaking the skin. I didn’t feel anything at all.
My face devoid of emotions, my body moving on autopilot. I acted like I hadn’t just heard him plotting to betray me. Like his words hadn’t sliced through me like a blade.
On the day of his surgery, he sobbed and begged me.
——
I had just returned to the hospital room when Luke finally came in.
The moment he saw me, he wrapped his arms around me, pressing a kiss to my forehead, his voice dripping with tenderness.
“Nova, honey, I hate seeing you like this. I know you’re trying to scrape together the surgery money, but it breaks my heart seeing you suffering. Why don’t we just hire a nurse? Look at you—you’ve lost so much weight only in a couple days.”
I stayed silent, keeping my head down so he couldn’t see my face.
He pulled me closer, as if he was afraid of losing me.
If I hadn’t heard his plot with my own ears, I would have believed every single word.
I would have never imagined that the man I had spent five years married to—the man I trusted—could be capable of something so cruel.
I avoided his kisses, burying my head against his chest instead.
“It’s my duty. You’re my husband, aren’t you? You worked so hard for us these past five years and it took a toll on you. That’s why you got sick. Even if I have to sell everything I own, I’ll make sure you get better.”
“We’re still short on a lot of money for the surgery, so let’s not hire a nurse—it would be a waste. I’ll take care of you while raising as much money as I can. I’ll do everything I possibly can myself because… if something were to happen to you, I don’t want to live with the regret of not doing my best.”
As I spoke, I let a couple of dramatic tears slip down my face.
He looked heartbroken, instantly pulling me into a tighter embrace.
“Don’t say things like that. I have you and that means we’ll have a future together. God wouldn’t be so cruel to us. Once I’m better, let’s have a baby. Everything will get better after that.”
Just as he was sweet-talking me, the door swung open.
“Well, well, well, seems like our favorite lovebirds are at it again. Could you two not flaunt your romance so much? Some of us are actually trying to work here,” Willow teased as she walked in, rolling her eyes. “I swear, you two are turning this hospital into a full-blown romance drama. Save it for when he’s discharged.”
Willow Hart was my best friend—and also Luke’s attending physician.
From the moment he was admitted, Willow had gone out of her way to take care of him, all because of me. She even swallowed her pride and begged one of the hospital’s top surgeons to operate on him.
Luke looked embarrassed, quickly pulling away from me. But I noticed it—the brief glance they exchanged. Quick, subtle, but it was there. I pretended not to see it, casually standing up to pour them both a glass of water.
Willow finished her examination, offering only a vague reassurance. “He’s stable.”
But she didn’t say much else.
That alone was enough to make my stomach tighten.
I had researched kidney failure symptoms online and Luke had none of them. The memory of that fact burned in my mind, making my blood boil.
Just as I was processing that thought, Willow let out a heavy sigh.
“You two went through so many hardships just to finally be together. And now, you’re facing this.”
She hesitated, then glanced at me. “By the way, what about the surgery costs?” she asked, feigning concern. “You know how strict hospital policies are—I can’t pull any strings for you. But if you’re still short, let me know. I’ll figure something out.”
