Everyone praised my understanding and big‑picture thinking. When my CEO husband, Alex, brought his widowed sister‑in‑law and her son home, her eyes red and pleading — “Ava, Finn’s father is gone. Could I… borrow Alex for a few days? To be a father to him?” — I went without a word to pack Alex’s bag. “We’re family,” I said. “No need to talk of borrowing.” At my own son’s birthday party, my nephew whined to go to the amusement park and not “share” his daddy. My son promptly told the guests, “My father has urgent business. The party ends here. Thank you all.” Everyone commended his grace and mine. Only we knew the truth: my son and I had been reborn. In our last life, Alex showed the same blatant favoritism to his widowed sister‑in‑law, Isabelle, forcing me to swallow humiliation after humiliation. When I finally demanded a divorce, my son developed a heart condition — an artificial heart was his only hope. I returned to Alex, broke and desperate. He laughed and threw me out into a blizzard. “You’ll never be as kind and understanding as Isabelle,” he sneered. “Give up.” Later, my son’s heart stopped beating in my arms. Now, reborn, I’ve let go. All I want is for my son to live. … After the guests had left the party, I knelt to straighten my son’s crooked little bowtie. He tilted his head back, his young face eerily calm. "Mommy, Daddy isn't staying with us again today, is he?" I looked at him, my heart aching. "You can cry if you want to, Noah. You don't have to be strong for me." He shook his head, his small hand touching my cheek. "If Mommy doesn't cry, Noah won't cry." It was only then that I realized tears were already streaming down my face. The memories of my past life were a constant, haunting shadow. That year, it was also Noah's birthday. Isabelle had called in tears, claiming her son, Finn, was having nightmares and would only sleep if Alex was there. I had lost my temper, throwing them both out. Alex had called me unreasonable, slammed the door, and chased after them, not returning all night. The next day, Noah had a sudden heart attack at school. By the time he reached the hospital, it was too late. The doctors said if we had caught it earlier, if he'd had surgery in time… But Alex was busy at an amusement park with Isabelle and Finn. He didn't even answer his phone. When I couldn't gather enough money for the surgery, I knelt outside his office building, begging. He had security drag me away. "This pathetic act of yours," he'd said, "isn't worth a single hair on Isabelle's head." The day Noah died, a heavy snow fell across the city. I held his small, cold body and sat in the hospital corridor all night. My tears ran dry, and my heart died with him. Later, after selling everything I owned, I jumped from the roof of Alex's company building. When I opened my eyes again, I was back here. Today. Noah tugged on my hand. "Mommy, I heard Daddy's phone ring just now. I think the hospital said… they found a heart." My own heart jolted. The same call had come in my last life. But Isabelle had used the excuse that Finn "wasn't feeling well" and made Alex take him for a check-up first. By the time they were done, the donor heart had already gone to another patient. This time, I wouldn't let history repeat itself. I immediately dialed Alex's number. It rang for a long time before he answered. The chaotic music of an amusement park blared in the background. "What is it?" "The hospital just called. They found a matching heart for Noah." I forced a sense of urgency into my voice. "You need to come back now. We have to get him admitted right away." There was a pause, then Isabelle’s tearful voice came through the line. "Ava, I'm so sorry, are we interrupting something? Finn got scared on the rollercoaster, and his heart is beating so fast. Alex insisted on taking us to the hospital to get it checked…" I hesitated for only a second. "Then you should go get it checked. But—" My voice became colder than I'd ever heard it. "Alex, you must come back now. This is Noah's life." Alex’s tone hardened. "Ava, Isabelle is a single mother, it’s not easy for her. Finn might have a heart problem. I'll take them and be right back. It’s not like the heart is going to get up and walk away, is it?" I gripped the phone tighter. "An organ transplant isn't a game. If we miss this chance, we don't know how long we'll have to wait for the next one." "Don't be unreasonable," he said, and hung up. I stood there, a chill seeping into my bones. Noah wrapped his arms around my leg, his small face looking up at me. "It's okay, Mommy. We can wait. Daddy will come back." Seeing his maturity tore me apart. In our last life, he had said the same thing from his hospital bed. "Mommy, don't blame Daddy. He just wants to help little Finn." But who was going to help him? He was only seven. His life had just begun. I took a deep breath, swallowing the lump in my throat, and dialed Alex's number again. He answered quickly this time. In the background, I could hear Finn's excited screams. "Daddy! Look how high I'm flying!" My nails dug into my palm. "Alex, I'm sorry, I was being impulsive. Finn isn't feeling well, you should take him to the hospital first. I can handle the arrangements for the heart." He was clearly taken aback. "Ava, you…" "Go on," I said, my voice soft. "Don't keep Isabelle waiting. It's hard for her, raising a child alone." I hung up before he could respond. Noah looked up at me. "Mommy, are we not going to the hospital?" I knelt and wiped the tear tracks from his face. "We are. But we have to wait for the right moment." I knew better than anyone that Alex responded to honey, not vinegar. In my last life, my aggressive stance had only pushed him further away. This time, I would play his game. I would make him hand me the knife himself. Sure enough, ten minutes later, Alex called back. His voice was a little hoarse. "Ava, I've already contacted the hospital. I spoke to them about the donor heart. You can go now, just ask for Dr. Wright." I feigned hesitation. "Alex… won't this be too much trouble for you?" He cut me off impatiently. "What trouble? Noah is my son. You two go ahead. I'll be there as soon as Finn's check-up is done." I sneered internally, but my voice was full of gratitude. "Okay, I'll take Noah right now." I hung up, scooped Noah into my arms, and ran out the door. At the hospital, Dr. Wright looked surprised to see me. "Mrs. Collins? What are you doing here?" I was still catching my breath. "Alex said he arranged for the donor heart. He told me to bring Noah in to be admitted." Dr. Wright's expression shifted. "But… Ms. Isabelle just brought her son, Finn, in. She said Mr. Collins arranged for the heart to be given to him…" I felt like I'd been struck by lightning. My arms, holding Noah, began to tremble. "Dr. Wright, please, check again. My husband clearly said…" "Ava, what are you making a scene about now?" Alex's angry voice cut through the air. He strode toward us, Isabelle holding Finn's hand behind him. Finn stuck his tongue out at me. My eyes burned. "Alex, you said the heart was for Noah…" He frowned. "When did I say that? I said I would help you make the arrangements. The hospital evaluated the situation and determined that Finn's condition is more critical." My voice was raw. "What critical condition? He looks perfectly healthy!" Isabelle's eyes instantly filled with tears. "Ava, I know you don't like us, but Finn is only six. How can you wish him ill?" Alex looked at me with disapproval. "Look at yourself. You can't even show a little compassion for a child?" "Another heart will be available within two weeks. Noah's condition is unstable right now anyway. It's better for him to rest and get stronger before the surgery." Dr. Wright nodded in agreement. I looked down at Noah in my arms. His face was pale, but he wrapped his arms around my neck. "It's okay, Mommy. We can wait." Wait. The word was a dagger in my heart. In my last life, waiting had brought me nothing but his death certificate. I heard myself say, "Fine. We'll wait." Alex seemed to relax, his tone softening. "That's better. Take Noah home for now. I'll stay with Isabelle and Finn while he gets a full work-up." Isabelle spoke up timidly. "Alex, won't this be too much trouble for you? I think Ava is upset…" Alex glanced at me. "She's not upset. She's the most understanding person I know." With that, he led Isabelle and her son into the examination room. I stood in the corridor, holding Noah. Sunlight streamed through the window, but all I felt was cold. The next few days were quiet. Alex came home every night. He even brought Noah a gift—a remote-controlled car. He ruffled Noah’s hair. "Daddy's been busy with work. You have to understand." Noah nodded obediently, then immediately stuffed the car into a storage bin. He whispered to me, "Mommy, this is the car Finn got tired of. I've seen it before." I stroked his hair and said nothing. On Friday afternoon, when I went to pick Noah up from kindergarten, I noticed the teacher looking at me strangely. Finn was surrounded by a group of kids, shouting, "My aunt is so mean! My uncle said she's going to find a new daddy for my cousin and get rid of my uncle!" Noah stood in a corner, his face flushed, his small fists clenched. He suddenly charged forward. "That's not true! My mommy would never!" Finn shoved him. "You're just a bastard nobody wants! My uncle said your mommy is a slut!" Noah staggered back, then suddenly clutched his chest, his face turning a frightening shade of blue. I ran out. "Noah!" He collapsed into my arms, his lips purple, his body convulsing. I screamed, "Somebody call an ambulance!" Through a haze of pain, Noah gripped my collar. "Mommy… don't cry…" Just as the ambulance arrived, Alex rushed over. "What happened?" I ignored him and climbed into the ambulance. But Finn ran to Alex and grabbed his hand. "Uncle, my cousin is being so scary. Do you think he's faking it?" Isabelle had arrived too, dressed in a patient's gown, leaning weakly against the doorframe. "Alex, I'm so scared…" Alex hesitated for a moment, then wrapped his arms around her. "Don't be afraid. I'm here." I closed my eyes, forcing the tears back. So this was his choice. In the emergency room, the doctor's face was grim. "His heart is under too much strain. He needs surgery immediately. We can't wait any longer." "Then do it!" I said. "But we don't have a suitable donor heart right now," the doctor said, looking helpless. I grabbed Alex's sleeve. "Use the one on the schedule! You said one would be here in two weeks! Use it now!" His voice rose sharply. "I said it was scheduled! That doesn't mean you can just steal it from someone else!" Isabelle's soft voice drifted over. "Ava, that heart is someone else's lifeline. How could you…" Alex cut her off before she could finish. "Enough! Ava, look at you! Do you even look like a mother right now?" He turned on me, his voice harsh. "The reason Noah is like this today is because you don't know how to take care of a child!" I stared at him, stunned. "Starting tomorrow, I'm taking over Noah's care," he declared. "You need to calm down and think about what you've done." I clutched Noah's gurney. "No! On what grounds…" "On the grounds that I am his father!" he roared. "Ava, you have disappointed me beyond words." From the bed, Noah's eyes fluttered open. "Daddy…" he whispered weakly. Alex went to his side, taking his hand. "It's okay, son. Daddy's here." Noah's eyes were clear. "Daddy, don't blame Mommy. It was my fault." Alex's expression softened. "I know, son. Daddy knows." Isabelle spoke up again, her eyes red. "Alex, maybe Finn and I should just leave. It seems like our being here is upsetting Ava." Without looking away from Noah, Alex said, "Leave? Why would you leave? This is a hospital, not her house." "But…" He turned to me, a sneer on his face. "Ava, go home. You're just causing trouble here." I took a deep breath and looked at my son. He gave me a tiny shake of his head, his small hand making a little "it's okay" gesture. I closed my eyes and walked away. Behind me, I heard Isabelle's gentle voice. "Alex, are you tired? Let me go get you a coffee…" "No, you stay with Finn." "But I want to be with you." I quickened my pace, almost running from the hospital. Back home, I stood in the shower, letting the hot water run over my face, unable to tell if it was water or tears. My phone buzzed. It was a text from Alex: [Noah's condition has stabilized.] I stared at the words for a long time before replying: [Thank you for your hard work.] A moment later, another message came through: [Ava, Isabelle and her son have been through a lot. Try to be more understanding.] I laughed. Understanding. My understanding in my last life cost me my son. This time, I was done being understanding. The next morning, I made porridge and went to the hospital, but I stopped at the door to Noah's room when I heard Isabelle's voice. "Alex, you haven't even shaved. Let me help you." "That's not necessary…" Her voice was as sweet as honey. "Don't move. You've been up all night. It breaks my heart to see you so tired." I pushed the door open. Isabelle was practically pressed against Alex, a razor in her hand. When he saw me, he immediately stood up. "Ava, what are you doing here?" "I brought Noah some breakfast," I said, holding up the thermos. Isabelle shrank back like a startled rabbit. "Ava, please don't misunderstand. I just saw how exhausted Alex was…" I smiled, my expression light and breezy. "Misunderstand what? We're family. It's only natural to take care of each other." I poured the porridge into a bowl and handed it to Noah. "Here you go, sweetie. Mommy made your favorite chicken porridge." Noah took it obediently and began to eat. For the next three days, I was the picture of a gracious, understanding wife. I visited Noah for exactly one hour each day, no more, no less. Alex's behavior toward me grew stranger. It was as if he was waiting for me to explode, to fight with him, but I remained as calm as still water. On Thursday night, he came home, a rare occurrence. "Ava, we need to talk." "Okay." I put down the cookbook I was reading. "Isabelle, she…" "She has it tough," I finished for him. "It's only right that you take good care of her." He stared at me. "Do you really think so?" I smiled sincerely. "Of course. We're all family." He was silent for a long time. "Noah's surgery is scheduled for three days from now." My fingers clenched for a second, then relaxed. Finally. "That's wonderful," I said. "Thank you for everything." He searched my eyes for something, but apparently found nothing. "I will personally oversee Noah's surgery." I smiled, my eyes full of gratitude. "Thank you." He turned and left, his retreat looking almost like a defeat. On Friday morning, I took the day off and arrived at the hospital early. Before Noah was wheeled into the operating room, he clutched my hand. "Mommy, I'm scared." I kissed his forehead. "Don't be. When you wake up, it will all be over." "What about Daddy?" "Daddy will be here any minute," I lied. Alex had promised he would be here, but he was nowhere to be seen. The operating room doors closed, and the red light flickered on. I sat on the bench, my palms sweating. Three hours later, the doors suddenly swung open. The head surgeon came out, his face grave. "Mrs. Collins, I'm sorry. We've had to pause the surgery." I shot to my feet. "What do you mean?" He struggled to meet my eyes. "The donor heart… it was just reallocated." "What do you mean, reallocated?" "Another patient's condition became more critical. The hospital made the decision to prioritize them." My voice became shrill. "And my son? He's in there right now! His chest has been opened!" Sweat beaded on the surgeon's forehead. "We… we can only close the incision for now and wait for the next donor heart." "When will that be?" "Three months, at the earliest." My vision went black. I nearly collapsed. Three months. Noah would never last that long.
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