Chapter 5

The surgery was scheduled for the next morning.

That night, I was kept under house arrest at the Vance estate.

This house used to be our home.

I had personally picked out every piece of furniture, every single decoration.

Now, it was just my prison.

The maids avoided my eyes, whispering in corners.

The dining table was piled high with a lavish feast.

But I couldn't swallow a single bite.

My stomach felt like it was filled with heavy concrete. Even drinking water brought sharp pain.

"What? A hunger strike?"

Ethan walked down the stairs, a glass of red wine in his hand.

He had changed into loungewear, looking less tense, but the coldness in his eyes remained.

I put down my fork. "I'm not hungry."

"You have to eat even if you're not."

He sat opposite me, swirling his wine.

"The surgery is tomorrow. You can't be weak. Lily needs a healthy kidney."

Looking at the greasy food on the table, my stomach did a violent flip.

"I can't eat."

"Chloe, don't make me force-feed you."

He slammed his glass onto the table.

I looked at him, and the last shred of warmth in my heart turned to ash.

He truly didn't care if I lived or died.

Even if you raise a dog for ten years, you’d feel some affection, wouldn't you?

But to Ethan, I was worse than a dog.

I picked up the bowl, forcing myself to swallow a mouthful of rice despite the nausea.

Before I could even chew,

a hot, metallic taste rushed up my throat.

I gasped, covering my mouth, and ran toward the bathroom.

But I only made it two steps before I lost control.

Bright red blood, mixed with white rice, sprayed across the polished marble floor.

It was a horrific sight.

Ethan, who was about to yell at me, froze instantly.

He stared blankly at the pool of blood, then at my deathly pale face.

For a moment, his mind seemed to go completely blank.

"Chloe..."

He took a step forward instinctively.

"Are you..."

I leaned against the wall, gasping for air, blood dripping from my chin onto my collar.

"Are you satisfied, Mr. Vance?"

I wiped the blood from my lips, letting out a weak laugh.

"Is this part of my act too? A fake blood capsule?"

Ethan’s fists clenched tightly.

He stared at me, something in his eyes cracking.

"What is wrong with you?"

He rushed over, reaching out to grab my hand.

I flinched away.

"Don't touch me."

"You're dirty."

Ethan’s hand froze mid-air.

Right then, his phone rang.

It was Lily’s custom ringtone.

The man who had looked shocked and almost remorseful a second ago instantly changed his expression.

He answered the call, his voice shifting to a gentle tone I hadn't heard in years.

"Lily, what's wrong?"

"What? Your stomach hurts?"

"Don't worry, I'm coming right now!"

He hung up, not even glancing back at me as he rushed toward the door.

At the threshold, he paused.

But he didn't turn around.

"Clean up the floor."

"Don't be late for the surgery tomorrow morning."

Then, he slammed the door.

The moment the door closed, my legs gave out, and I slid down the wall onto the floor.

This was the man I had loved for ten years.

When I was coughing up blood on the floor, his only concern was that I was messing up his clean marble.

But the moment Lily whimpered, he ran to her like a dog chasing a bone.

Ethan Vance.

Consider this kidney my final parting gift to you.