Chapter 3

"Mrs. Miller, I've reviewed Lily's charts. Her condition is deteriorating fast. If there is a viable kidney donor, we need to move quickly..."

"There is a kidney, Doctor. Don't worry. Please schedule the surgery as soon as possible."

The specialist at St. Jude's was thorough and experienced.

He decided to run two days of stabilization treatments to get her vitals into optimal shape before putting her under the knife.

The transplant was set for three days later.

Knowing Liam was useless, I called my mother to come help.

When Lily and I were both in the operating room, someone had to be outside to sign the paperwork.

My mom agreed without a second thought.

"If only your father and I were matches," she sobbed over the phone, "we would never let you give up your own kidney for this."

I bit my tongue to keep from breaking down in front of her.

Over the years, my parents had secretly sent me money over and over again to help cover medical bills.

I was nearly thirty-five, and I was still making my aging parents worry sick about me. I felt like such a failure.

Stepping out of the pediatric ward, my knees felt weak. I just wanted to find an empty corner and cry.

Then my phone vibrated in my pocket. An unknown number.

I picked it up.

"Hello, Mrs. Miller. Regarding the kidney donation you canceled this morning at Children's Hospital... the recipient's family is extremely desperate."

It was the organ transplant coordinator.

"They asked me to reach out and see: if the recipient's family is willing to pay compensation, how much would it take for you to reconsider donating?"

The recipient. Other than Lily, that meant Tyler.

Two years ago, when Lily was first diagnosed, I had suggested looking into private private arrangements or buying an organ abroad.

Liam had lectured me furiously, calling it unethical and illegal.

He had said that if our daughter got a donor, it was God's grace; if she didn't, it was just her fate.

Now that it was Tyler who needed a kidney, he was suddenly eager to pay whatever it took.

I stayed silent for a second, then named an outrageous number: "Two million dollars."

"Mrs. Miller, that's... that is an exorbitant amount. Federal regulations prohibit the direct sale of organs—"

"I'm not selling an organ," I cut in coldly. "That is my demand for compensation covering surgical risk, long-term physical damage, lost wages, and all future medical care."

I knew the law. I wouldn't leave any legal leverage against myself.

"Two million. Non-negotiable. My organs are not a bargain bin."

"If he can afford it, maybe it's God's grace."

"If he can't, well, I guess that's just his fate."

The moment I hung up, a strange, dark sense of satisfaction washed over me.

Two million dollars? Our family didn't have anywhere near that kind of cash.

Even if Liam emptied every account he owned, it wouldn't even cover a fraction of that.

I wanted that ridiculous number to slap him awake.

I wanted him to realize that my kidney was not something he could casually give away to pay off his personal debts.

Yet, I still managed to underestimate Liam's absolute madness.