Chapter 4

Once I had the divorce agreement in hand, I checked into a room at a hotel nearby.

I went over the terms, confirmed there were no problems, and signed my name.

Just as I was about to call Leslie, an emergency call flashed onto my screen.

The moment I picked up, a rushed voice came through.

"Is this Ms. Abigail Hughes? We're calling from hematology at the city hospital. Your marrow's come back as a match for one of our patients with a blood disease. Would you be willing to donate to her? Her condition is very serious right now."

I assumed it was a scam and hung up.

But half an hour later, someone knocked on my door, and Leslie was standing there, eyes red.

"The doctors say you're the marrow match for Lois. Her condition just took a turn, she doesn't have long. Please, will you donate for her? It's a human life on the line!"

"I swear, once she recovers, I'll never involve myself in her affairs again. I'll settle down and live properly with you. Think of it as earning good grace for our child. All right?"

Wait for Lois to get well, wait for Lois to die, wait for someday.

For Lois's sake he had made me wait so many times, and not once had he ever made good on any of it.

And now, again for her, he wanted me, whose body was already fragile, to donate my marrow.

Only in this moment did I understand how little his love for me could withstand.

I pressed down the tears and gave a soft laugh.

"And if I say no?"

His face stiffened.

"I don't believe you're that cold-blooded! Abby, I'm begging you. Don't force my hand, all right?"

I looked at him steadily.

"Do you really feel nothing for her but pity? Or, put another way, do you really love me? If I were the one who fell ill today, would you force her to donate for me?"

Leslie froze for an instant.

Before he could speak, I took out the divorce agreement.

"You sign this, and I'll donate."

When he saw the word divorce, his whole body swayed.

"You want to divorce me? You want to divorce me over a woman who's about to die?"

I looked at him steadily.

"Not over a woman who's about to die. I just don't want to keep living with a man who's never treated my life as if it mattered."

His face went bone-white, and he tore the agreement in two.

"That's not it. I'm only trying to help her. I do care about you. I won't divorce you, I won't agree to it!"

As he spoke, the doctor called again, pressing him.

"Mr. Gilbert, Lois's condition is getting worse. The surgery has to happen before tomorrow!"

Eyes red, trembling, Leslie watched me pull a second copy of the divorce agreement from my bag and push it in front of him.

"The one you love can't wait any longer. Sign."

He stared at me, wrenched with pain, then picked up the pen.

"I know you're only angry. Once the donation is done, I'll show you my love! I will not divorce you!"

The moment I watched him sign his name without hesitation, I shut the door.

"Come pick me up here tomorrow morning."

After he left, I immediately sent a selfie to an unknown number.

"I need the identity of a twin sister and somewhere I won't be found for a short while. Come get the cash in an hour."

Early the next morning, Leslie came for me himself. We didn't speak the whole way.

Seeing me appear without a struggle, Lois let out a breath, her face deathly pale.

"I'm sorry, sister. I'm making you suffer for me."

Leslie patted her hand.

"Saving a life is worth more than any prayer. This little bit of hardship is nothing to her."

Then he reached for my hand, and I pulled away.

I looked at him, calm.

"And if I die on the operating table?"

He started, and his eyes went red at once.

"That won't happen. Don't talk nonsense. It's only a donation, nothing will go wrong."

Then they called him away to sign the transplant consent form.

Watching him go, I gave a soft laugh.

"Then let me show you exactly how a one-in-a-hundred-thousand chance happens."

......

After Leslie signed the consent form, he waited in the room he'd arranged for them to come out.

His assistant came in with several caregivers.

"Mr. Gilbert, we've brought in the best people to look after Miss Graves and your wife."

Leslie glanced at them.

"Have them all stay with Lois. I'll take Abby home and care for her myself. She's sacrificed too much for me this time. I have to take good care of her, ask for her forgiveness."

He kept imagining what gesture might finally make Abigail feel how sincere he was.

Then the operating room doors opened, and Lois was wheeled out.

In the middle of his relief, Leslie looked around.

"Where's my wife?"

The doctor pulled down his mask and sighed.

"Mr. Gilbert, Miss Graves's surgery was a success."

"But the donor, Ms. Hughes, carried lingering effects from her car accident. During the transplant they triggered complications, and despite everything we did, we could not save her. I'm sorry to say she has passed away!"