But Quinn didn't believe me.
He shoved me against the wall, eyes red.
"Narelle, how do you expect me to believe you?"
"And now you want to keep another man's child. How am I supposed to treat you after that?"
That was the moment everything between us went bad.
The Quinn who once saw nothing but me changed completely.
He stopped looking at me. Day after day, he was at Virginia's side instead, the two of them inseparable.
The instant the memories flooded back, I felt like my whole body would split apart.
My strength gave out and I slid to the floor, my voice gone hoarse.
"But he really is your son, Quinn. I'm begging you, please, just save him."
I choked on the sobs.
On the other end of the line, Quinn was silent for a long time.
Right then the attending physician hurried to my side.
"The child's condition keeps deteriorating. We have to start dialysis immediately to stabilize his vitals, or he won't last long."
"Go pay the bill now, so we can schedule the surgery right away."
I fumbled to open my phone balance, then froze in place.
The cold three-digit number on the screen stung my eyes.
Quinn had cut off every source of money I had long ago.
What little savings I had couldn't begin to cover the cost of the operation.
I knew it in my bones, Quinn didn't believe me.
Getting him to donate a kidney was all but impossible.
There was no other way. I had to settle for less.
I pressed the phone back to my ear, my voice low and pleading.
"Quinn, I'm begging you. Our son can't wait. Pay the medical bill for me first."
Quinn's cold, thin laugh came through, every word a knife.
"Narelle, nothing in this world comes free."
"You want my money, fine. Sell your body. Please me properly."
"Once I'm happy, I'll pay the bill for you."
My whole body went rigid, a bone-deep humiliation washing over me.
Two years ago he'd said the exact same thing.
Back then I'd run a high fever that turned into severe pneumonia, lying half-dead in a hospital bed.
He'd used these very words to humiliate me.
My spine was hard back then.
I cursed him for the scum he was on the spot.
And hung up without hesitation.
In those days I thought I'd rather die alone in that hospital than take an ounce of his degradation.
But now...
I can die. My child can't.
He's still so small. He hasn't even had a chance to see the world.
I pushed every feeling down and gripped the phone tight.
"Fine."
The next second, the System's prompt chimed in my head.
【Good-wife threshold reached. Reward: 100 points.】
Something in my chest eased, just slightly.
If I could get Quinn to donate the kidney and save our son.
Then the two of us could leave for good.
I forced the surging emotions back down.
"Where are you now? I'll come to you right away."
The other end stayed quiet for a long time.
So long I thought he wouldn't answer at all.
Then came Quinn's voice, furious and full of contempt, every word laced with venom.
"Narelle, you'd actually debase yourself this far for that bastard?"
Before I could argue, his tone shifted abruptly.
"Too late, though. I just put on a lavish display for Ginny and won her a top-grade pink diamond at auction. I don't have a cent left on me."
I went rigid all at once, the blood in me running cold.
On one side, a pink diamond worth millions on a whim.
On the other, the money that would save my son's life.
Quinn, how cruel can your heart be.
Utter despair was rising to drown me.
The pain in my chest made it hard to breathe.
I broke down and screamed at him through the tears.
"Quinn, you can't do this!"
"He really is your son. You can run a paternity test! You can't just stand there and watch him die!"
【Host's heartbreak value off the charts, emotional threshold maxed. Points +500.】
The System's mechanical prompt sounded again.
【Current points sufficient. Ultimate authority unlocked.】
【Host may immediately take the child and leave the current world, expending surplus points to match a compatible kidney donor for the child in the real world.】
My eyes went wide. I never expected the turn.
I let out a breath and agreed at once.
【Departure sequence initiated. Countdown: ten, nine, eight...】
On the other end, Quinn's harsh, cold voice was still going.
"Narelle, even if I had the money, I'd never spend a cent of it on that bastard!"
"Whether he lives or dies has nothing to do with me!"
I closed my eyes gently, not a single feeling left in me.
Now, at last, I could take my son and go.
I don't regret loving Quinn.
But in the end, I lost all the same.
He never trusted me.
All he had to do was look into what happened, and he'd have known the truth.
Yet he'd rather believe Virginia's word than hear a single sentence from me.
None of it mattered now.
"Quinn. Goodbye."
From this day on, we would never see each other again.
