The day Warren Cline became the e-sports champion, the host asked him who he wanted to share his victory with the most.
Without hesitation, he called me.
"Ivy, I made it. You left me because I was poor—do you regret it now? If you tell me you had your reasons back then..." His voice trembled, thick with emotion.
I chuckled softly. "You must have a lot of money now. Lend me $50,000?"
The line went dead.
On the live broadcast, Warren wiped his tears. "Now... there's no one to share this with."
What he didn’t know was that when he almost lost his e-sports dream due to his failing eyesight, I was the one who gave him my cornea.
——
The harsh light outside streamed in, making my eyes sting again.
Maybe it was just the instability of the new technology. I didn’t hesitate—I needed to find my attending physician immediately.
My vision blurred, a wave of panic creeping in. But then, I thought I heard Warren’s voice.
I wasn’t sure, but instinctively, I didn’t want him to see me like this—vulnerable. Clutching the wall, I quickened my pace.
Then, someone collided with me.
Warren’s voice grew clearer, carrying an unmistakable warmth. “Why are you running so fast? What if you fall?”
A girl’s lighthearted laugh followed. “It’s fine. Don’t you always have my back? You’ll catch me first, right?”
“You’re so careless,” he sighed. “You’re about to be a mother, and you’re still this reckless.”
After steadying her, he turned to me, apologetic. “I’m sorry, my wife bumped into you. Let me—”
He suddenly stopped. A moment of silence. Then, disbelief edged into his voice.
“Ivy… why is it you?”
I couldn’t see his expression, but I didn’t need to. I knew exactly what he was thinking.
A good ex should be as silent as the dead.
Yet here I was, standing right in front of him and his new love.
I turned toward him, my voice calm. “Warren, lend me $50,000.”
I heard the sharp intake of breath, the sound of his teeth grinding. His voice was laced with anger.
“So that’s all you came to say? After everything, all you care about is money?”
The woman beside him clung to his arm, shaking it playfully. “Warren, is she the ex who dumped you?”
She let out a soft laugh. “Why do you look so miserable now? But I should thank you—if you hadn’t walked away from such a great man, I wouldn’t be here today, carrying his child.”
Their words cut deep, a sharp ache blooming in my chest.
Back when we had nothing, I worked three jobs just to support his e-sports dream, barely scraping by.
Then, the nightmare struck—Warren’s cornea deteriorated from years of staring at screens, leaving him blind.
Yet, his team was on the brink of breaking into the national top 50. He was so close to stepping onto the public stage. How could he accept losing everything now?
I took him to every specialist, desperate for a solution. No matter how much it cost, I was willing to pay.
But cornea donors were scarce. And eventually, the doctor shook his head. “I’m sorry. There’s nothing we can do.”
I watched as the fire in Warren’s eyes dimmed, his once-unbreakable spirit withering away.
And so, I made a choice. A reckless, irreversible choice.
I gave him my cornea—so he could see again. So he could chase his dream.
So he could stand where he is now, looking at me like a stranger.
