My child with Milton Shaw needed a kidney transplant, and I was the Shaw family Loyden family only match.

Without hesitation, I agreed to the surgery for my child.

When the operation ended, Milton wept bitterly.

"Lauren Gordon, the surgery failed. Our child is gone."

I screamed like a madwoman in the hospital until doctors sedated me.

Waking later, Milton thought I remained sedated and spoke freely with the doctor.

"Mr. Shaw!

Switching Lauren's kidney to Camryn Loyden's child was one thing, but how could you abandon our child?"

Milton answered coldly.

"I promised Camryn I'd protect her and her child."

The doctor hesitated:

"But that baby was five months old. Your child with Camryn is already three."

Milton cut him off sharply:

"I'll tell Lauren we can adopt another."

"Dispose of the body. And while she's still hospitalized, perform the sterilization immediately."

The doctor gasped, protesting:

"Mr. Shaw!

Your child with Ms. Gordon is gone—she's no threat to Camryn now. Why sterilize her?"

What Milton said next chilled me to the bone.

"All threats must be eliminated!"

"What if Lauren insists on having her own child instead of adopting?"

The doctor hesitated before speaking:

"Mr. Shaw, I must remind you this would severely weaken Ms. Gordon's health. Especially since she just had a kidney transplant..."

Milton paused, sighing heavily:

"No choice. This is for the child to carry the Shaw name."

"She'll just have to endure it. I'll compensate her later, but we absolutely can't risk another pregnancy."

The doctor shook his head helplessly and prepared for surgery.

Just then, Milton's phone rang.

He hit speakerphone, and his assistant's voice came through:

"Mr. Shaw, Ms. Loyden's child has made a full recovery. When should we initiate the orphanage adoption process?"

Anesthesia flooded my veins again, drowning out their conversation.

But maybe I didn't need to hear the rest. I could already guess.

He'd told me our child desperately needed a kidney, that only mine was compatible.

Yet when I woke, he claimed the surgery failed and our baby was gone.

Now I know—that kidney went to Camryn's child.

To Milton, my child and I were nothing but obstacles.

The surgery ended as the anesthesia wore off.

I opened my eyes to find Milton sitting by the bed.

The concern and tenderness in his eyes remained unchanged, yet it was all just a facade meant to dull my senses.

"Lauren, you're awake?

Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"

I didn't answer, keeping my gaze locked on him.

I wanted to confront him, to sob aloud, but I couldn't.

My stare left him flustered. He reached for my hand,

his expression clouded with sorrow.

"Lauren, I know you're hurting, but this was unavoidable."

Just then, the anesthesia from the surgery took full effect.

Flames licked my lower abdomen as if knives were carving through flesh,

blood pooling beneath me.

Milton feigned alarm:

"Lauren, what's wrong?!"

He called for the doctor as agony ripped through me—

then everything went black.

When I opened my eyes again, Milton's eyes were red-rimmed. He clutched the medical report, shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

He looked at me with pained expression:

"Lauren, the doctor said the surgery caused complications leading to massive hemorrhage. You... you can never conceive again."

"After you're discharged, let's adopt a child, okay?

Having a child around will help you recover gradually."

I was the one rendered infertile, yet he seemed more devastated than me.

His performance was convincing, but I couldn't be bothered to expose it.

After a long silence, I nodded heavily while staring at the report in his hand.

I didn't question the adoption plan.

Touched by my compliance, Milton teared up and pulled me into an embrace.

He dismissed the nurse offering to clean me, fetching warm water himself to wipe away the bloodstains.

By the time he finished, midnight had fallen.

"Lauren, any discomfort left?"

I shook my head gently, fingertips brushing his stubbled jawline.

"You haven't slept at all, have you?

I'm fine. Get some rest."

Without suspicion, Milton relaxed and soon drifted into sleep.

Quietly, I picked up his phone.

The wallpaper remained our wedding photo, the passcode still our anniversary date.

The irony cut deep.

I opened WhatsApp, and a photo of Camryn holding a child stung my eyes.

She was in this same hospital, her child living with my kidney.

Scrolling up through the chat history, my heart grew colder.

During my pregnancy, Milton was always away on business trips.

The days he stayed by my side could be counted on fingers.

Not wanting to hinder his work, I went to prenatal checkups alone.

Even after the birth, Milton rarely stayed with us.

Only now did I realize those "business trips" were excuses to be with Camryn and her daughter.

Thousands of photos documented her entire journey from pregnancy to delivery.

At every checkup, he stayed by her side, gazing at her like a precious gem.

After each appointment, he gifted Camryn something extravagant.

"Our Camryn passed another checkup safely! We must celebrate!"

While all I ever got was:

"Lauren, thank you for your hard work. I need to attend a meeting."

A dedicated album chronicled every milestone of their child.

While mine was left to rot in a cold morgue.

The presence and absence of love could never be clearer.

I put down my phone disheartened and booked an overseas flight departing in a few days.

I filed to cancel all my domestic identification documents.

I contacted my brother Caiden Gordon abroad, asking him to keep it from our parents.

He didn't press, assuming I wanted to plan a surprise.

I stared blankly at the ceiling.

The hospital room was deadly quiet.

So quiet I could hear the sound of my heart breaking.

Milton handled my discharge paperwork and bought a strawberry cake.

He claimed it was specially for the kids at the orphanage.

I pretended not to know better and smiled with a nod.

He even remembers what Camryn's kid likes to eat,

but he always forgot our child was allergic to mangoes.

I closed the bag, tossed the cake in the backseat, and shut my eyes feigning discomfort.

This three-year deception had to end.

I'd already asked my lawyer to draft divorce papers.

The moment we entered the orphanage, a little girl dashed over and clung to Milton's leg.

Beaming, she kept shouting, "Daddy!"

Milton's face paled instantly. Afraid I'd suspect, he hastily explained:

"Lauren, the Shaws fund this place. I visit often—see how comfortable she is with me?"

I nodded, choosing not to press, and gently touched the child's cheek.

"You look so alike. I'd have thought she was yours."

"What's her name?"

"Shannon Shaw. The one I'm planning to adopt."

Before he could say more, Shannon wailed, "I want Mommy!"

Milton's face went bone-white.

He stared at me, brows knitted tight.

"I'm fine. It's normal for children from the orphanage to feel insecure. Go comfort her. She's a beautiful doll, and I adore her too."

My words visibly eased his tension.

Without another thought, Milton scooped up the child and carried her into his office.

I excused myself to the restroom, needing space.

Even after steeling myself, witnessing it firsthand shattered my composure.

After wiping my tears, I intended to enter Milton's office.

But at the doorway, I froze.

Familiar voices drifted from inside.

"Camryn, once Shannon settles with the, you needn't worry about these matters. Message me if anything requires attention."

"Here, this is for you."

Milton handed her an exquisite gift box.

"You're spoiling me again?

How many gifts is this now?

My walk-in closet's overflowing. Lauren would be upset if she knew."

Even as she spoke, her hands never hesitated to accept it.

Beside them, Shannon giggled, clinging to her while chirping "Mommy!" repeatedly.

The orphanage director rushed to finalize paperwork, abruptly pushing past me to swing the door open.

And there I stood at the threshold, motionless.

Panic flickered in Milton's eyes.

"Lauren? What brings you here?"

"Don't overthink it. Camryn volunteers at this orphanage. She happened to come by today to discuss my adopting Shannon..."

Camryn stood up, cradling Shannon in her arms as she waved at me.

"Lauren, long time no see."

I nodded with a smile, swallowing my bitterness.

"Just looking around. Since you're busy, I won't bother you. I'll wait in the car."

I turned to leave, but Camryn wasn't done.

With feigned regret, she said:

"Lauren, we all heard about what happened to your and Milton's child."

"My condolences."

My fists clenched, nails digging into my palms.

I couldn't retaliate against her provocation.

Forcing another smile, I walked away.

Milton thought I was angry and chased after me.

"Don't misunderstand. She often sponsors activities here. All the orphanage kids call her mom. I'll explain everything to Shannon after the adoption."

Watching his anxious expression,

I almost laughed aloud.

To legitimize bringing this child home,

he'd let our own son die.

He'd made sure I could never bear children.

Now that he'd gotten his wish,

who was this pitiful act for?

"Relax, I'm not that unreasonable. Finish the paperwork. I'll wait patiently in the car."

He exhaled in relief, watching me return to the vehicle.

Every employee passing by looked at me with eyes full of mockery.

I must seem utterly pathetic in their eyes.

I ignored them, deleting the confirmation message after successfully canceling my credentials.

I erased everything related to Milton.

To celebrate Milton bringing his child home,

the held a family dinner.

Claiming incomplete recovery, I hid in the second-floor lounge.

Yet the scornful laughter of Milton's parents still seeped through the door crack.

I stood at the staircase landing,

silently watching the harmonious trio downstairs.

Milton tenderly placed Shannon's favorite dishes into her own plate.

Camryn teased him with a smile,

saying this would spoil the child eventually.

Milton dismissively stroked Shannon's hair with affection.

"My daughter could never be spoiled too much."

The pent-up bitterness in my chest erupted completely.

I returned to my room, shredding every gift Milton had given me over three years before tossing them into the trash bin.

As the bin toppled over, footsteps echoed outside my door.

My heart seized. I activated my phone's recorder, flung it onto the bed just as

Camryn appeared before me.

She slithered closer like a venomous serpent,

then violently shoved me to the floor.

I was sweating from the pain, yet she flashed a bright smile.

"Lauren, losing a child hurts, doesn't it?"

"After all these years, you're still just as useless."

"Watching your kidney go to my daughter, seeing your own child murdered and abandoned, watching your husband bring my daughter home—yet you swallow your pride. I pity you!"

I struggled to get up.

The next second, Camryn grabbed a glass and shattered it.

She drove the shards deep into her shoulder, blood gushing out.

She gasped dramatically, tears instantly welling up.

Before I could react,

the appeared before me.

Milton urgently gathered Camryn in his arms, glaring at me with fury.

His voice burned with anger:

"Lauren, what are you doing?

Have you lost your mind?"

"Camryn came to check on you out of kindness, worried you might be upset. How could you do this?"

Mr. and Mrs. Shaw also shot me disapproving looks.

Shannon wailed beside them.

"Bad lady!

Bad lady hurt Mommy!

Don't let this bad lady in!"

"I want Mommy! I want Mommy!"

Camryn wept pitifully, weakly draping her arms over Milton's shoulders.

"Sorry, it's my fault. I shouldn't have come up to talk to Lauren. She just lost her child and must be heartbroken."

"Don't blame Lauren. She didn't mean to."

I lay sprawled on the floor, letting out a cold laugh.

"Oh?

Milton, about my kidney... and our child... don't you have anything to say?"

Milton remained oblivious, still glaring at me fiercely.

"I have nothing to say to you."

Seeing Camryn in this state, the Shaw parents grew frantic.

"Stop wasting words! Get Camryn to the hospital now!"

As soon as the words fell, Milton scooped Camryn up and strode away.

The vast villa held only me now.

I breathed in deep, holding back every tear.

Gathering my things, I turned and headed for a hotel.

My lawyer informed me the divorce papers were ready. I scrawled my e-signature across them.

And instructed him to deliver them to Milton tomorrow.

While checking tomorrow's flight details, Milton's message popped up explaining himself.

"Camryn has forgiven you. You were clearly in the wrong here. No matter how angry you were, you shouldn't have taken it out on Camryn."

"Forget it. Wait for me at home. We'll spend some quality time with Shannon."

I read his messages but didn't reply, silently packing my belongings.

I left behind everything related to Milton.

Having lived in his three-year web of lies, I was utterly exhausted.

At the airport, I stood before the boarding gate.

Staring at the overseas flight ticket in my hand, I smiled faintly.

I was finally leaving this land of heartache.

Once, Milton had been my entire world. For him, I'd abandoned my family's move abroad, choosing instead to live subserviently in the Shaw household.

Yet my humility earned me not respect, but endless humiliation.

Memories of my deceased child surfaced, tears tracing paths down my cheeks.

All I took with me was his photograph.

Few as they were, I refused to leave even these remnants for Milton.

Before boarding, I opened that audio recording.

Preparing to send it directly to Milton, I paused briefly.

Instead, I scheduled its delivery.

Then I discarded my SIM card into the trash bin, severing all ties to this country.

Without a backward glance, I stepped onto the plane.

At the same time, Milton returned to the villa just as the lawyer arrived.

Seeing Milton, the lawyer handed him the divorce papers directly.

"Mr. Shaw, what timing. These are the divorce papers. Mrs. Shaw has already signed."

The words struck Milton like a thunderbolt.

"Divorce papers" hit him like a physical blow.

"What did you say?

Say that again."

Milton's voice came slow and low, icy cold.

The assistant looked puzzled and repeated:

"Divorce papers. Didn't you ask for—"

Milton cut him off angrily:

"Shut up!"

He then hurriedly flung open the villa door.

The empty villa held not a single trace of her belongings.

Milton's eyes reddened with panic, his mind went blank.

"Lauren?"

"Lauren!"

Silence answered him.

The assistant and lawyer stood frozen at the doorway.

The assistant quickly dismissed the lawyer.

Only then did Milton look down at the divorce papers.

Emotions too complex to name churned inside him.

Memories of their life together flooded his mind.

Usually so composed, he couldn't even control his breathing now.