After my car accident, I overheard my husband, Xavier Colton, talking to a surgeon in the rehabilitation center.

“Prepare my wife for surgery and take one of her kidneys. Make sure the transplant is a success.”

He then placed a gentle hand on another woman’s arm and said，“Jennifer needs it to live, so the transplant team must be ready. I want her healthy again.”

I recognized the woman—Jennifer, a socialite whose family Xavier had financially saved.

I heard him sternly remind the surgeon once more, “But ensure Miranda’s recovery is flawless. If this surgery causes any other issues, I'll destroy you.”

My world collapsed. I never thought the man who once worshipped me would suddenly turn against me.

Without hesitation, I left him with signed divorce papers, wishing him success in his “life-saving endeavor.”

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1

As I made my way back to my room, I kept replaying what I had just heard.

The husband who once treated me like a goddess, claiming I was his entire world, was now planning to betray me—arranging for a surgeon to carve out a part of my body.

And he knew better than anyone how much my work, my very life, depended on my physical health.

A young nurse looked at me admiringly as she passed and said, “Your husband is incredible. He booked this entire floor for you to rest. He even hired private specialists to oversee your care. And that’s not all—he’s been here with you around the clock. Isn't he just the most devoted husband?”

Another nurse chimed in, “When you were brought in after the crash, your husband cried until his eyes were swollen shut. I've never seen a man so terrified for his wife. I heard he pursued you for five years. He even put his entire portfolio into a trust in your name to marry you.”

If I had heard this before, I would have felt like the luckiest woman alive.

But now, it made me feel physically sick.

Just then, Xavier’s furious voice echoed from a nearby suite, “You're all incompetent! It's one woman, and you can't keep an eye on her?! If anything happens to Miranda, you'll all pay for it!”

Xavier rarely lost his temper. The last time was when a research vessel of mine was lost at sea, and he was so desperate he nearly bought the entire shipping company just to get it back.

But now, seeing the veins bulging on his temple didn't move me. I simply said calmly, “Xavier, I'm here.”

The moment he saw me, his face flooded with relief. He rushed over and hugged me tightly.

“Miranda, where did you go? Why didn't you tell me? I thought something terrible had happened to you.” His voice shook with worry, sounding so genuine it was almost impossible to disbelieve.

I gently pushed him away and said, “The room felt confining, so I went for a walk in the garden.”

Only then did he seem to relax, though he still gripped my hand tightly, refusing to let go.

Soon, he took a syringe from a nurse and brought it toward my arm with seemingly unwavering tenderness. “Darling, it’s time for your painkiller.”

Looking at the needle filled with clear liquid, I felt a shiver of ice crawl up my spine. The scene I had witnessed earlier flashed through my mind.

“This medication makes me feel groggy. I don't want it,” I refused.

In the past, Xavier would never defy my wishes. But this time, he was unusually insistent, “If you don't take this, your recovery will be slower, and you won't get back to your research. Didn't you always say the ocean was waiting for you?”

He knew my passion for my work was my weak spot, certain that mentioning it would persuade me.

But I no longer trusted him. Without a second thought, I knocked the syringe from his hands.

“I said I'm not taking it,” I stated, my voice flat.

For a moment, his gentle mask froze, and a flash of cold fury crossed his eyes.

I thought knocking it away would save me, but the next second, everything went black, and I lost consciousness.

I regained consciousness the following day.

A dreadful feeling settled over me. I lifted the covers to discover a fresh surgical scar across my side.

My life seemed to shatter in that instant. I intended to demand an explanation from Xavier, but he spoke first, saying, “Darling, you had a sudden internal hemorrhage yesterday evening. The scans showed your kidney was ruptured in the accident, so I authorized its removal to save your life.”

Concerned I might not believe him, he presented me with the forged medical report. Indeed, it indicated a ruptured kidney.

Had I not overheard his orders to the surgeon, I might have accepted his lie.

Gazing at the ugly new mark on my body, I felt as if my soul had been stolen, leaving only a hollow void of pain.

Xavier embraced me, his tone overflowing with sympathy as he tried to console me. “Darling, I know how much your health means for your work, but your life is my primary concern. I can't imagine a world without you. If this means you can't dive for a while, we'll find other ways to support your research.”

I started to speak, but the door opened before I could say a word.

Jennifer entered, carrying a box of rare, imported tea.

“Pardon my intrusion. I just came to check on you, Miranda. We were all so worried.”

Jennifer was a fragile socialite, known for her delicate beauty and a chronic battle with lupus. Her family’s fortune was propped up by Xavier’s firm.

It was easy to see why he might feel responsible for her.

Xavier’s demeanor remained cool and detached. He acknowledged her with a nod, then turned his focus back to me.

However, I saw the tension in his clenched hands.

I turned away from them, burying my emotions, and said, “I'm tired. I want to sleep.”

I expected Jennifer to leave, but surprisingly, she stayed. She sat quietly in a chair nearby, keeping Xavier company.

Xavier stayed by my side, gently rubbing my shoulders. Jennifer, meanwhile, sat demurely, completing the picture of a concerned family friend.

Yet unseen, beneath the blanket, Jennifer was desperately gripping Xavier's other hand.

He didn't pull away, letting her hold on until her grip became frantic. Only then did he reach down, squeezing her hand tightly to silence her desperation.

But Jennifer persisted. Once his hand was free, she stood and moved behind him, her touch on his shoulder a silent plea.

Xavier glanced at me, making sure my eyes were closed and my breathing was even, as if I were in a deep sleep. Convinced, he turned and followed her out into the hall.

He quickly withdrew, his icy gaze a warning to be careful.

But Jennifer was beyond caution. She leaned into him again, her body trembling.

This time, Xavier couldn't resist. After one last look in my direction, he took her arm and led her away.

As the door clicked shut behind them, I opened my eyes.

Xavier would never suspect that every detail of his silent, tense exchange with Jennifer had been reflected on the dark screen of my tablet, allowing me to witness everything with perfect clarity.

I silently followed them to a deserted balcony.

Hidden behind a large potted plant, I saw Xavier pinning Jennifer against the wall, his jaw tight as he hissed, “Didn’t I tell you to control yourself around her?”

Jennifer remained defiant. She leaned her frail body against his arm and whispered, “It’s just that you’ve been so focused on her. I’m scared, Xavier. The doctors said…”

Her voice cracked, her fingers tracing the lapel of his suit, “Mr. Colton, haven’t you always loved taking risks? Let’s just… forget everything else. This floor is empty, and your wife is asleep. No one will ever know.”

Before Xavier could reply, she raised herself on her toes and pressed her lips to his.

Xavier remained still for a second before his control shattered, swiftly cradling her head and deepening the kiss with a desperate, feverish passion.

“Xavier, please be gentle. I'm worried about my health…” she whispered against his lips.

“Be quiet. I’m handling it.”

I couldn't bear to watch what came next. As I fled, their desperate whispers stabbed at me like knives.

The man who had once sworn to protect me for eternity was now secretly clinging to another woman behind my back.

It felt like an invisible hand had struck me across the face. The humiliation was absolute, swallowing me like a riptide. My knees gave out, and I collapsed to the floor in a pathetic, broken heap.

A nurse rushing past hurried to help me up. Seeing the silent tears streaming down my face, she assumed I was in pain and consoled me, “Ma’am, please don’t cry. Mr. Colton would be devastated if he saw you like this.”

Seeing the nurse’s genuine concern, I could no longer hold back my grief. I burst into wrenching, silent sobs.

After weeping until I was empty, I returned to my room and collapsed onto the bed.

When I came to, Xavier was gone. Instead, Jennifer stood at the foot of my bed, her expression grim.

Her gaze held no trace of sympathy. Instead, she looked at me with a cold pity and said, “You saw, didn’t you? He’s doing this for me. He loves me.”

I clenched my fists, my body trembling as I asked, “How long have you two been together?”

Jennifer smiled faintly, raising two fingers.

“Two years. Two years ago, he met me at a charity ball and was captivated. That very night, he stayed with me until dawn. When he went home, he felt so guilty about you that he transferred his assets into your name. But those resources were meant to save me. You’ve taken what was supposed to keep me alive!”

I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood, fighting the urge to lash out.

Seeing my restraint only made Jennifer bolder. She added with a cruel softness, “Do you think he truly loves you? He comes to me whenever he can. Even now, with me so sick, he can’t stay away. And by the way, on the day of your accident? He wasn’t in some board meeting—he was with me at the hospital, holding my hand through a flare-up. He can’t live without me anymore. If you have any decency, you’ll grant him a divorce.”

Her words hit me like a physical blow. I remembered that day—the blinding pain as the world spun, the near-death experience in the ambulance.

The paramedics called Xavier ten times, but he never answered. Eventually, his phone went straight to voicemail.

The next day, he returned and knelt by my bed, claiming he'd been trapped in a hostile takeover negotiation. He hated himself for not being there and even slammed his fist against the wall in self-recrimination.

But in reality, while I was fighting for my life, he was tending to another woman.

The last shred of hope I held for him disintegrated. My heart turned to stone.

Jennifer, sensing her victory, grew even more confident. With a triumphant little smile, she sneered, “Oh, and next week, Xavier is taking me to Monaco. His ‘humanitarian trip’? It’s to finalize the arrangements for my private transplant surgery. He’s saving my life.”

With that, she turned and walked out of the room like a fragile, victorious queen, her head held high.

As I watched her leave, a sharp pain shot through my side. The next moment, darkness closed in, and I lost consciousness.

When I opened my eyes again, it was already the next morning. The first thing I saw was Xavier, his eyes bloodshot as he sat beside me, watching over me.

The moment he saw I was awake, he pulled me into his arms, his voice thick with emotion.

“Miranda, you’re finally conscious. You scared me half to death just now.”

The memory of what I’d witnessed in the hall flashed through my mind, filling me with disgust. I pushed him away.

“I’m fine,” I said, my voice ice.

Xavier froze, stunned by my coldness. A flicker of hurt flashed in his eyes.