“Katie, if you give up on this kidney transplant, then you’re giving up on your life. You know the truth. Without it… you may only have a month left.”
Her eyes softened, her hand resting briefly on my chart. “You’ve been waiting for this for years. The donor is ready. Don’t waste this chance.”
I lowered my gaze to my trembling hands. Thin, pale, veins that once carried vitality now felt heavy with fatigue. I swallowed hard before forcing the words out. “No, doctor. It’s okay. There’s no reason for me to live anymore. Please… give it to someone else. Someone who still wants to live.”
“Katie—” the doctor’s tone cracked with urgency, but I couldn’t bear to hear more.
I stood before she could argue further, bowing faintly as if that would shield me from her disappointment, and slipped out of her office.
My legs barely carried me down the hallway. I collapsed onto one of the cold benches outside, my body trembling, every breath jagged.
If this were any other day, I would have fought. I would have clung to life with everything I had, desperate to fulfill the promise I once made to Victor—that one day, we’d raise a child together, laugh at family dinners, celebrate milestones hand in hand. For him, I would have endured.
But that promise was dust now.
I stared at the sterile hospital floor, memories clawing their way back.
Five years ago, I married the love of my life, Victor. To the outside world, we were the perfect couple—high school sweethearts bound by affection and sealed by family legacy. Everyone said it was inevitable that we would marry. What no one knew was that love alone wasn’t what bound me to him.
Five years ago, my family fell apart.
Our company collapsed after my best friend—my so-called sister Felicia—embezzled everything. She didn’t have any job after graduating due to her poor background, so I offered her to work under our finance department even though my parents disagree.
I trusted her but she drained every last coin and vanished, leaving us ruined. My father, unable to bear the humiliation, took his own life.
My mother, broken by grief, grew ill and frail, living only because I fought to keep her alive.
And Victor stepped in, the hero everyone praised. He married me when no one else would. His powerful family stabilized ours, and with him, my mother had treatment, medication, and a roof to live under.
I thought it was love. I wanted to believe he still loved me, the way he had in high school, when he swore he would never let go.
But just a week ago, I learned the truth.
It was our fifth anniversary. We were supposed to celebrate, but at the last moment, Victor called. “I’m busy. Cancel the reservation.”
No apology. No explanation. Just the silence of a man who no longer cared.
I should have ignored it, stayed home, pretended it was fine. Instead, I drove to the port, to the yacht we owned, thinking maybe being near the sea would ease the ache of my loneliness.
But fate is cruel.
When I climbed aboard, I froze. Voices echoed across the quiet deck.
Felicia’s voice. “Are you sure you should be here, Victor? Today’s your anniversary with Katie.”
“So what?” Victor’s voice. “You know I only married her because of what everyone thought, and that's what my family wanted because of the kindness of their family to us when they were rich. I agree because you left me five years ago.”
Felicia’s words broke with remorse. “I’m sorry. I was wrong. I didn’t mean to make it happen. I swear, I was also a fool for believing those men. I thought I was doing the right thing for their company because I also owed her.”
“Yes, that is why I was mad because she wanted to kill you due to that when she can just forgive you,” Victor answered sharply. “She’s the reason why you lost your life. Don’t worry. Sooner or later, we’ll dispose of her. Then we can finally be together. With our son.”
I staggered back, my hands covering my mouth, biting down the sob that wanted to escape. The world blurred, every sound muffled except for the truth ringing in my ears. Victor had been hiding Felicia all these years and I had no idea.
I couldn’t breathe. My knees nearly buckled, but I forced myself to flee before they could see me.
The pain hadn’t left me since.
“Katie?”
The nurse’s voice yanked me back to the present. “Something happened to your mother. Come—quickly.”
My heart plummeted. I ran, stumbling through the corridors.
When I burst into the room, chaos surrounded me. The beeping machines screamed alarms, doctors swarmed around her fragile body. They were reviving her. I stood frozen by the door, unable to move, whispering, “Mom…”
The minutes stretched endlessly, every second scraping my soul raw.
And then—silence.
The flatline pierced through everything. One by one, the doctors stepped back. The lead physician looked at me, his face etched with regret. “I’m sorry. We did everything we could.”
The world collapsed around me.
My legs gave out, and I fell beside her bed, clutching her cold hand. Tears gushed uncontrollably, my sobs shaking the sterile air. “No… please, no… Don’t leave me too…”
My mother. My last reason to endure. Gone.
I pressed my forehead against her still hand, choking on grief so sharp it nearly stopped my own heart.
There was nothing left.
Only me. And a death sentence that suddenly felt like mercy.
With trembling hands, I pulled out my phone. I needed Victor. My husband. The man who should have been here. The line rang, once, twice, then—someone picked up.
But it wasn’t him.
A woman’s voice filled my ear, breathless, broken by laughter. “Mmm… Victor—ah—don’t stop…”
