Emily's father... was Kristopher.
It had been nothing more than a single night of recklessness, a mistake born from too much alcohol.
After the graduation celebration, Madelynn had wiped away every trace of him from her life. She left school behind, making sure Kristopher would never find her again.
She had already been drowning under the weight of her family's downfall when she found out she was pregnant. With no one to rely on, she crossed paths with Nicholas, a man six years older than her.
Her family had just collapsed into bankruptcy. Her father had been sent to prison, while her mother had been admitted to Areswood Behavioral Health Center.
Yet Nicholas never once viewed her pregnancy as a burden. Instead, he surrounded her with tenderness and care, filling her days with affection. In the end, she fell for his charm and agreed to become his wife.
It was only after the wedding that Madelynn discovered the truth—Nicholas was impotent.
He couldn't have sex with her.
She had tried to accept it, convincing herself it didn't matter. But as the years passed, she slowly realized his impotence had poisoned something deep within him.
The frustration consumed him. He became violent, fell into a gambling addiction, and turned every ounce of his anger and resentment toward her.
Little by little, he had drained away nearly all of her savings, leaving her with barely anything.
Then Emily was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and needed a costly surgery. Madelynn was desperate for money.
She refused to let Nicholas take the last bit of savings she had left.
That was why she had finally asked for a divorce.
"You want a divorce? You fucking slut! You and that little bastard are going to spend the rest of your lives serving me. Did you really think you could just run away? Keep dreaming."
The next second, a sharp slap struck Madelynn across the face.
Before she could even react, her phone suddenly rang.
No sooner had she answered than a frantic voice burst through the phone. "Ms. Collins, you need to come to the hospital right away. Your daughter's condition has suddenly gotten worse!"
...
The scent of disinfectant lingered throughout the corridors of Areswood Children's Hospital, sinking into every corner of the building.
Inside the doctor's office, Madelynn sat rigidly in her chair, the bruise at the corner of her lips already darkening. Her hands were balled into fists so tightly that her knuckles had turned pale, and a faint tremor ran through her entire body.
"Ms. Collins, Emily's treatment can't be delayed any longer."
Dr. Kevin Walsh pushed his glasses higher on his nose. His voice remained soft, but the seriousness behind his words was impossible to miss.
"At this stage, the hole in her heart isn't causing the worst-case damage yet. However, the strain will continue to build as she gets older. This case of pneumonia was a warning sign. We need to arrange the surgery as soon as possible. If something like this happens again, she may not be as lucky next time."
Madelynn's chest tightened, her throat so parched that not even a single word would come out.
She already knew. Every day felt like she was balancing on the edge of a cliff, one wrong step away from losing everything.
No one was more afraid than she was.
"Dr. Walsh... can you tell me how much the surgery will cost?"
"For the procedure itself, along with the necessary follow-up treatment, you'll need at least one hundred and fifty thousand dollars." Kevin studied her pale, hollowed-out face, and a trace of sympathy crossed his expression. He let out a quiet sigh before speaking. "You understand the hospital's policy. We can't arrange the surgery until the payment has been secured. I know your situation isn't easy, but... you'll have to find a way."
The amount hit Madelynn like a punch to the gut.
With Emily's condition worsening, she found herself spending nearly every day at the hospital. A normal job was impossible to maintain, so she clung to every small opportunity that came her way.
Her mornings disappeared behind the counter of a convenience store, while her nights were spent working promotions at a bar. In between, she endured her husband's endless demands for money and the violence that followed when she couldn't provide it.
To Madelynn, one hundred fifty thousand dollars wasn't just expensive—it was an unreachable figure.
She had already emptied every bit of savings she had, even selling the few pieces of jewelry she owned, all to pay for Emily's examinations and early treatments.
Yet the cost of surgery still loomed over her like an enormous weight, a mountain she had no way to climb.
Madelynn stumbled out of the doctor's office, her mind numb and her steps unsteady. She pressed herself against the corridor wall, fighting to keep her shaking legs from giving out beneath her.
A crushing wave of hopelessness surged through her, swallowing every bit of strength she had left.
Emily was only four years old. Her little girl had barely begun to live.
"Well, look who I found. Madelynn, you filthy slut! You really thought you could hide from me? You've got money for that brat's treatment, haven't you?"
Nicholas's furious bellow ripped through the hallway, making nearby nurses and families stop in their tracks and turn to look.
He charged down toward her, his features twisted with hostility. The stench of cheap alcohol clung to him, a clear reminder of the drinking he had done the night before.
"Where the fuck is the money? Did you hide it from me, you bitch? Hand it over!" Nicholas's fingers clamped around Madelynn's wrist, his grip so brutal that she felt like the bones beneath his hand might splinter. Flecks of spit flew from his mouth, some of them nearly landing on her. "That little bastard isn't worth saving. Let her die! Give me the money. I can win it all back, and then we'll have plenty more!"
"Get your hands off me! Have you lost your mind? We're in a hospital!" Madelynn fought against his hold, her cheeks burning with humiliation and panic. "That money is for Emily! It's the only thing that can save her!"
"Save her? Her life isn't worth a single cent! My gambling debts are the real problem here!" Nicholas's eyes were swollen and red, his expression warped by anger and desperation. He lifted his hand again, preparing to hit her. "You still want to fight me over that money? Fine. Maybe another beating will change your mind!"
Madelynn shut her eyes tight and curled in on herself, her shoulders instinctively rising as she braced for the blow she had suffered countless times before.
Several people nearby sucked in a breath, but not a single person stepped forward. Nicholas was a raging drunk, the kind of man who would lash out at anyone who dared get in his way.
Yet the impact Madelynn braced for never arrived.
A strong, slender hand suddenly intercepted Nicholas's falling wrist, stopping it midair with a grip like steel. Long fingers wrapped around him with effortless strength, every line of the hand sharp and refined.
"Who the fuck do you think you are, grabbing me? Let go!" Nicholas's face turned bright red as he fought against the restraint, but no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't free himself.
The sudden change left Madelynn stunned. Slowly, she opened her eyes and followed the graceful curve of that hand upward.
The edge of a deep charcoal suit came into view first, a platinum cufflink glinting beneath the hospital lights.
Her gaze moved upward, tracing the sharp lines of a sculpted jaw, the thin lips pressed into a firm line, and finally those unfathomable eyes that seemed impossible to read.
It was none other than Kristopher—the man she had disappeared from six years ago, the same man she had somehow crossed paths with twice in just two days.
And every time, he had found her at her lowest, witnessing a version of her that was more broken and humiliating than the last.
She had no idea when he arrived. The moment she saw him, the memory of a night from six years ago came rushing back.
Back then, he had stood before her in the exact same way, shielding her from danger like a knight who had appeared just in time to save her from thugs.
Six years had passed. So much had changed. Yet somehow, nothing had changed at all.
Her vision slowly blurred as tears gathered in Madelynn's eyes.
