The day of my mom's heart transplant, my husband, Chase, redirected the donor heart. He gave it to a stranger sponsored by Lucy, his old flame, causing my mom's surgery to fail and her to die. While making the funeral arrangements, I accidentally walked in on Chase and a visibly pregnant Lucy looking incredibly cozy. Lucy, probably afraid I'd be furious, looked to Chase. He was the one who said, "It's not like her mom was going to die immediately without a new heart." Clutching Mom's urn, I confronted him. But Chase just shot back, annoyed, "It's just one heart. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?" Tears streamed down my face. My heart felt like ashes. This failed marriage... it was time for it to end. 1 Because the donor's family backed out at the last minute, Mom's heart transplant failed. I knelt before the doctor, begging him to talk to the family again, but he told me there was nothing he could do. And because the surgery failed, Mom had to be resuscitated twice, but it was no use. As Mom was fading, I knelt by her bedside, sobbing uncontrollably. "It's my fault, Mom! It's all my fault!" She was so thin, just skin and bones, her hospital gown hanging loosely on her. "Mia, sweetie, Mom doesn't blame you." "But when Mom's gone, there'll be no one left in this world to love you. Mom worries about you... You have to remember to love yourself, okay?" Listening to her hoarse voice, my heart felt like it was being squeezed by a giant hand, aching so much I could barely breathe. "Mom..." Beeeeep— Before I could get the word out, the heart monitor let out a piercing, long beep. At the same time, the hand Mom had been struggling to lift to touch mine fell limp. "Mom!" I screamed, my voice raw with grief, but she never opened her eyes again. The medical staff gently ushered me out. Ten minutes later, the doctor gravely told me, "I'm so sorry for your loss." In a daze, I contacted people, got the death certificate, arranged the cremation, and then, still in a fog, I came back to the hospital with Mom's urn to take care of the remaining paperwork. But just as I was about to turn a corner, I heard a familiar voice: "Don't listen now, we're in a hospital. We can listen again when we get home." I froze, peering around the corner. There was my husband, Chase, bent over a woman who was slightly showing, his ear pressed to her belly. "Okay, we'll listen when we get back then." He gently stroked the woman's hair. I knew her. Lucy, the girlfriend of Chase's deceased best friend. Lucy cooed, linking her arm through Chase's. They looked incredibly close. In a soft, delicate voice, she said, "Chase, thank you so much. If you hadn't redirected that heart today, he wouldn't have made it. It's just... Mia won't have a problem with it, will she?" "I heard her mom needed a transplant." Chase's expression darkened. "It's not like her mom was going to die immediately without it. That kid you're sponsoring, though, he's the one in a truly pitiful state." "Giving him the heart... let's just say it's for the good of our baby." It felt like a knife had been plunged straight through my heart. Finally, I couldn't hold back. Clutching the urn, I walked up to them, fighting to stay calm, but tears streamed down my face. "Chase, did you give Mom's heart to someone else?" He looked stunned to see me there, then his brow furrowed. He admitted, "It's just one heart. Why are you getting so worked up?" "I found the donor heart. I have the right to decide who gets it." Yes, it was true. Chase had been the one to find the donor heart initially. But that didn't mean he could just give it away to someone else right when the transplant surgery was supposed to happen! My hands were shaking. Lucy chimed in softly, "Mia. Chase did it for me. Don't be upset and ruin your marriage over this. Don't worry, Chase will definitely find another heart." I looked up at her. "What's the use of finding another heart? Mom's not coming back! You two killed my mom!" Chase's expression shifted. He was about to say something, but Lucy tugged his hand and said cautiously, "Mia has every right to be angry with me. Chase, don't blame her." "But... didn't you tell me before that Mia's mom was stable and didn't urgently need the transplant? Did I... did I really cause a delay for Mia's mom...?" Hearing her tearful, on-the-verge-of-crying tone, Chase grew impatient. He patted Lucy, then said to me, "Mia, there's no need to curse your own mother just to make Lucy feel guilty. You think I haven't seen your mom's medical reports?" "She wouldn't have been in major trouble if she didn't get a heart right away." A bitter laugh escaped me. I held up the urn for Chase to see. "Then what do you call this?" "It's my mom's ashes! You killed my mom!" Lucy let go of Chase's arm and stepped forward to look. But the next second, as if startled by my words, her hand flailed and hit the urn. I lost my grip, and it fell straight to the floor! Mom's ashes spilled onto the ground. I screamed and immediately dropped to my knees, frantically trying to scoop the ashes back into the box. "Mia, I know you're upset, but you shouldn't be talking like that about your mother. The surgery was just today. How could someone pass away today and be cremated into ashes so quickly?" "Besides... it's kind of bad luck to talk like that." Her words made me tremble with rage. The moment she finished speaking, I shot up and slapped her hard across the face, then quickly grabbed her by the throat. "Say that again! Say that again!" Chase's face changed instantly. He grabbed my wrist, his grip incredibly strong. When he saw the red marks on Lucy's neck, he looked pained and called the cops. 2 Chase wanted to stand up for Lucy, so he called the cops and went with me to the station after they cuffed me. Before they took me away, I begged a female officer to look after the urn. Chase shot me a scornful look. He probably thought I was still putting on an act. While I was giving my statement, through the glass, I could see Chase dabbing ointment on Lucy. So when I told the officer Chase and I were married, even he looked surprised for a moment. Humiliated, I lowered my gaze, a few tears escaping. Suddenly, another officer came over and whispered something to the one taking my statement. He then put down his pen and said, "Alright, the lady you hit has decided not to press charges." He looked at me sympathetically and uncuffed me. I mumbled a thank you. Exhausted, I walked out of the interrogation room and ran right into Chase. One hand in his pocket, he seemed to have been waiting for me. When he saw me, he said curtly, "Lucy was kind enough to forgive you. Don't go looking for trouble with her again." After delivering that message, Chase turned and walked towards Lucy, who was waiting for him. I stared sadly at his retreating back. Chase wasn't always like this. He, the proud scion of the wealthy Miller family, had once knelt before my mom to marry me, swearing he'd be good to me for life and never let me down. After we got married, he kept his promise. He supported my career, respected my decisions, gave me a shoulder to cry on when I was vulnerable, and enthusiastically celebrated my joys. And I was a good wife too. I comforted him carefully when he was down, and when his company hit a rough patch, I accompanied him to all those networking dinners with heavy drinking. Back then, for his sake, I downed half a bottle of hard liquor at one of those events, which messed up my stomach for good. Until a year ago, when Lucy married his best friend. Chase got blackout drunk, and that's when I found out I was just his second choice. Because of that, I cried to my mom about it. Mom was so furious she went to his office and chewed him out. His best friend happened to walk in on it, and they parted on bad terms. That friend went home, had a fight with Lucy, and then died in an accidental car crash. Chase blamed my mom for all of it. He started openly taking care of Lucy and gradually grew cold towards me. "Chase, do you hate me that much?" I asked, my voice hoarse. He paused for a moment but walked out without answering. My heart ached as if pricked by needles. When I walked out of the police station, dejected and clutching the urn, I realized it had started to rain. Someone called my name: "Mia." Lucy approached with an umbrella. She offered it to me, a soft smile on her face, but her words sent a chill down my spine: "Did your mom say anything to you before she died?" I snapped my head up and stared at her. She pouted innocently. "Actually, that kid I'm sponsoring didn't absolutely need the heart either. But who can blame Chase for caring about me so much?" She placed the umbrella on top of the urn and waved. "Get home safe, don't get caught in the rain. See you next time." I watched her walk away, get picked up by Chase in his car, and then slowly disappear from sight. Without realizing it, I'd bitten my lip until it bled. "Mia, where do you live? I'm heading home too. Need a ride?" I turned to see a female officer who was getting off duty. She handed me a couple of tissues, her eyes filled with kind sympathy. I wondered how much she'd seen. "Come on." She took the umbrella Lucy had left on the urn, tossed it into the nearest trash can, and then opened her own to lead me away. Before I got out of the car, she added, "Mia, if something's bothering you, don't keep it bottled up. You could talk to a therapist." "Believe in yourself. Don't give up." How ridiculous. A complete stranger, someone I'd just met, showed me more compassion than Chase ever did. 3 I soaked in the tub for a while, then after contacting family back in Mom's hometown, I got dressed and lay down on the bed. Mom's hometown was down south. Before her surgery, she kept talking about wanting to go back. I planned to bury her there. Lying in bed, I numbly scrolled through my social media feed and saw a post Chase had made earlier in the day—just one picture: a sapphire butterfly necklace on a fair, slender neck. It was like a stab to the heart. I immediately locked my phone, covering my eyes as tears streamed down, unstoppable. I knew that necklace. It used to be mine. The Millers are jewelry tycoons. Before Chase proposed, he personally designed and crafted that necklace, naming it "Devotion." Devotion only to me. But later, when his company faced a crisis, I pawned it for a huge sum to help bail them out. When Chase found out, he held my hand and told me firmly, "Mia, I swear I'll buy it back. It only belongs to you." But now, it was around Lucy's neck. "What are you crying about?" Chase's voice startled me. I looked up, surprised, to see he'd come into the bedroom without me noticing. Seeing my tears, Chase frowned impatiently. "Today was just to teach you a lesson. What's there to be upset about? Lucy isn't upset." "Your mom's donor heart will be here next week, so stop crying. Oh, and make a pot of that pork rib soup and bring it to the office tomorrow night." I gave a sarcastic little smile. This was the man I'd loved for years. "Chase, let's get a divorce." I sat up and looked at him, my voice soft. He froze for a second, then scoffed. "Divorce? Over a little thing like today? Are you serious, Mia? Without me, you wouldn't be living so comfortably as Mrs. Miller. You want a divorce? Who are you kidding?" "You and Lucy are having a baby. Is there any point to our marriage anymore?" "Don't bring Lucy into this. If it weren't for your mom, Lucy would have someone else to take care of her! Now she has no one, so what's wrong with me looking after her a bit more?" It was only then he noticed the urn on the nightstand. His face darkened, and he strode over and knocked it over before I could even react! "Mia, don't push it! Bringing that thing into the house, aren't you worried about bad luck?!" Chase was furious. "If you're so keen on cursing your mom to death, then fine, let her die without the heart I found! She owes Lucy a life anyway!" Chase slammed the door and left, my words caught in my throat. At the same time, a text from an unknown number popped up on my phone. [Your mom's heart is working out great.] Attached was a picture of a young boy in a hospital gown. I didn't even have to guess it was Lucy. I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms. Buddy came up to me, his wet eyes fixed on mine, and he licked my hand worriedly. He was a stray I'd found right after Chase and I got married. I'd had him for three years; he was practically family. Now, he cared more about me than Chase did. 4 The day after that night, I left Buddy with the housekeeper I'd hired and took a flight back to Mom's hometown with her urn. By the time all the funeral arrangements were finished, five days had passed. During that time, Chase called me over a dozen times. I ignored every call, along with his texts and messages. I found a lawyer at a firm to draft the divorce papers. After the plane landed, I went home with the divorce agreement in hand. The housekeeper told me Chase was in the study. The door wasn't completely closed, and I could vaguely hear voices talking inside. "Chase, don't blame Mia. It's normal for her to be in a bad mood." "Normal? Have I ever wronged her since she married me? It was just a small thing, and she throws a tantrum." "Worst case, when we get in touch with Mia, just have her make soup for a few more days. Her temper isn't great, but she's a good cook. I'm really craving her pork rib soup..." "Alright, alright, you little glutton." So, all the soup I'd made for Chase before had ended up in Lucy's stomach. No wonder Chase had specifically asked me to make soup before I left. Even though I was already disappointed beyond words, it still hurt. I took a deep breath to calm myself and pushed the door open hard. Lucy was leaning against Chase's shoulder on the sofa. "You're finally back." Chase stood up immediately when he saw me, somewhat annoyed. "Where have you been these past few days?" I didn't wait for him to say more. I put the divorce papers on the table and told Chase calmly, "I've already signed them. I don't want to make this ugly. You should sign them soon too. Tomorrow, we'll go to the courthouse." I glanced at Lucy, who clearly understood what was happening, a flicker of joy in her eyes. I gave a cold smile. "If I'd known all that soup I made was ending up in some leech's stomach, I would've put something nasty in it." "You want to divorce me?" Chase glanced at the papers, a mix of disbelief and anger in his voice. "Mia, are you really serious about this?" "Let me tell you, if you divorce me, your mom can forget about ever getting that heart transplant!" Lucy quickly tried to soothe him, then said to me in a reproachful tone, "Mia, everyone knows how much you love Chase. Even if you're unhappy about something, you should talk it out and resolve it, not just demand a divorce. It's so damaging to your relationship." Chase composed himself a bit, then sneered and picked up his phone. "Zack, tell the hospital there's no rush on the heart transplant. We'll observe Mrs. Miller's mom's condition for a while longer." Yes, everyone knew how much I loved Chase. I was a sheltered kid myself, yet when Chase had an accident, I stayed by his side for half a month straight, barely sleeping, just three or four hours a night to take care of him. I couldn't handle alcohol, but at those business dinners, when people were giving Chase a hard time, I downed half a bottle of hard liquor for him, which led to a stomach hemorrhage and landed me in the hospital with chronic stomach problems. Because I felt guilty towards Chase about what happened with Lucy's husband, I willingly put up with his sudden change in attitude towards me and the way he doted on Lucy, crossing all lines. "Woof woof woof—" Buddy had somehow run into the study and lunged at Lucy. Startled, she reflexively kicked out, catching Buddy right in the stomach. He yelped in pain and collapsed, whimpering by the side. "Buddy!" I was furious. I rushed forward and slapped Lucy hard across the face, sending her stumbling back onto the sofa. Tears instantly welled up in Lucy's eyes. As I grabbed the nearest book and brought it down on her head, Chase shoved me hard. My lower stomach slammed into the corner of the desk, and a searing pain made me crumple to the floor. Chase paused for a second when he saw my reaction, but Lucy's cry drew his attention. "Chase, my stomach hurts..." Cold sweat beaded on my forehead from the pain. The housekeeper rushed up from downstairs to the study door and screamed, "Ma'am, you're bleeding! Don't move, I'll call an ambulance right away!" Chase didn't hesitate. He immediately turned, scooped Lucy into his arms, and strode past me. His phone started ringing incessantly. He answered impatiently, "What is it? Spit it out!" He must have accidentally hit the speakerphone button, because Zack's voice came through clearly: "Mr. Miller, the hospital said... Mrs. Miller's mother passed away six days ago."
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