3: 3
The next morning Ned made breakfast like nothing had happened.
He carried over a plate of fried eggs and a glass of milk, his face full of concern.
"Honey, I was too pushy last night. I'm sorry."
"But since your tests came back with hepatitis B, the priority is getting you healthy again."
"I had a friend put me in touch with a top private hospital. Very discreet, and the specialist trained overseas."
The pop-ups exploded across my vision.
【Don't go! That private hospital, Kentic Medical, is the illegal clinic he secretly bought into last year!】
【They've already got the operating room and the sterile boxes ready. Go there and they'll knock you out and cut out your kidney!】
I took a sip of milk and looked up at him.
"A private hospital? No."
Ned froze. "Why? That place has excellent equipment—"
"I only trust public hospitals." I pulled out a tissue and wiped my mouth.
"An infectious disease like this. If a private hospital cuts corners, I could end up a medical accident."
Something panicked flickered in his eyes.
"Honey, public hospitals are always packed, the wait is forever, and if we run into someone we know—"
"So what if we do? Is being sick something to hide?"
I stared straight at him.
"Or is it that private hospital of yours that has something to hide?"
His throat bobbed hard. He forced out a smile.
"How could it? I'm only thinking of you. If you want a public hospital, fine, we'll go to City General. I'll come with you."
I nodded, adding another layer of guard inside.
At three that afternoon I got into Ned's car for City General.
Quietly, I flipped the switch on the recorder in my pocket, and shared my live location with Amber.
Halfway there, Ned glanced at the GPS and frowned.
"Honey, there's an accident on the overpass ahead. Looks like we won't make your appointment slot at City General."
"Let's just go to that private hospital. Their specialists are excellent."
"No." My face went cold, every nerve on alert. "If we can't make it, we'll go another day."
Seeing how firm I was, the last trace of false kindness in his eyes shattered.
"Then it's not up to you anymore!"
Ned locked every window and door with one button. From the air vents, a sharp, strange smell began to spread.
The pop-ups flooded my vision.
【Hold your breath! It's a strong anesthetic spray!】
【It's over! This road's too remote, there's no signal at all! Amber can't find you!】
"Ned! Open the door!" I clawed at the door with everything I had, but my head was already swimming.
Ned watched me in the rearview mirror, every bit of tenderness gone.
"Honey, stop fighting it. Bianca can't wait any longer. If she doesn't get a kidney soon, there's really no saving her."
"Don't worry. Once we take yours, I'll take good care of you. If you survive, that is."
After I passed out, the car drove straight in through the back door of the clinic.
Several butcher surgeons rushed over and pinned me down hard onto a gurney.
"Take her to the underground OR! Prep for general anesthesia!"
When I woke, my eyes were red and I bared my teeth and screamed. "Ned! This is murder!"
Ned leaned down and patted my cheek, his smile viciously cold.
"Murder? Don't put it so ugly."
"The insurance company and the police will only ever know that you loved your husband so much you were willing to risk your life to secretly save his ex, and you tragically died on the operating table. That's all."
Bianca walked out of the shadows in a hospital gown, smug all over her face.
"Sister, thank you for the kidney. When you get down there, don't blame me and Ned."
They wheeled me into the cold operating room. The surgical lights blazed on all at once, stabbing my eyes until they ached.
The butcher doctor came toward me step by step, a long, thick anesthetic needle in his hand.
"Prep the frozen section. Get ready to take the kidney."
The pop-ups appeared again.
【It's over! The OR's locked from the inside! One shot of that anesthetic and you'll never wake up!】
【The clinic's surrounded by his hired thugs. Dead end. This is a setup where you die no matter what!】
The needle was only a few centimeters from my carotid artery!
I could even feel the sharp sting of the tip breaking my skin!
And at that split second— "BOOM—!!!"
The heavy blast-proof steel door of the underground operating room was slammed clean open by some huge force from outside!
