"Family of bed number 7, if you don't pay, the kidney will be given to the next patient!"

The doctor kept urging. I stood at the door of the ward, trembling uncontrollably.

I dialed Harris's number again.

"The number you have dialed is currently switched off."

Listening to the repeated cold voice, I felt extremely hopeless.

A kidney was hard to come by.

Linda had finally waited for a kidney donor, and the surgery was ready to go.

It was a matter of life and death, yet her own son was fulfilling his filial duties at his first love's house.

I couldn't bring myself to tell Linda the truth.

The viability of the kidney was limited. The family of the next patient waiting for a kidney couldn't wait any longer and paid the surgery fee, and the patient was wheeled into the operating room.

I cried and begged the doctor to wait a little longer.

Linda raised her hand, signaling me to get up.

She looked towards the door of the ward, seemingly understanding everything.

I knew she was waiting for her son.

Seeing tears well up in the corners of her eyes, I couldn't hold back anymore and burst into tears.

Linda gently patted my hand, comforting me. "Rachel, having you here with me, I could rest in peace.

"Don't cry, In the bedroom drawer, there's my will, remember..."

I knelt in front of her bed, crying uncontrollably.

"Mom, I'll do everything you say, don't worry."

That night, Linda passed away due to organ failure.

After Linda's funeral, Harris didn't show up.

I called Harris countless times, but the calls were either unanswered or hung up.

I had to suppress my grief and cremate Linda alone.

Until I walked out of the crematorium with her ashes, I didn't receive a single call from Harris.

Looking at the screen of my phone, my eyes filled with tears.

I took Linda's ashes back to her hometown.

She had said that she wanted to be buried in her hometown after she died, to return to her roots.

But I didn't expect to find Harris and Celine in the old house.

Celine was Harris's first love. She broke up with him to go abroad.

I knew about this.

When Harris pursued me, I was bothered by this.

He swore he had forgotten about Celine, and that was why I agreed to marry him.

In the fifth year of our marriage, Celine returned from abroad, everything changed.

Harris seemed to have amnesia, forgetting all his promises to me and becoming a simp by her side.

I had argued with him and fought with him.

But he insisted that he and Celine were just ordinary friends.

He said he was just taking care of her out of classmates' bond, and I shouldn't overthink it.

Now, it's not that I overthought it. What they did far exceeded my imagination.

The more I thought about it, the more I felt like a fool.

Celine was gratefully saying, "Harris, you're my guardian angel. Not only did you pay over a million dollars for my mom's surgery, but you also arranged a place for her to recuperate..."

Harris responded with devotion, "She's your mom. It's not easy raising you. Naturally, I'm willing to take care of her."

When his own mother was critically ill, he didn't even have the patience to finish a phone call. Yet, he had the patience to take care of his lover's mother.

The old house was the place Linda cherished the most in her life.

I couldn't help but remind him, "Harris, this is your mom's house. She didn't like others living in it. Did you forget?"

My sudden appearance startled them both.

Harris frowned immediately. "Why did you follow me here?

"Your mom's medical bill of 50 thousand dollars isn't a small amount. Even if I can help, it takes time. Did you have to come all the way here?"

Celine took the opportunity to mock me, "Rachel, 50 thousand dollars is no small amount. You just asked Harris for it to support your own family. That's not how it's supposed to work."

Harris's frown deepened at her words. "Rachel, your mom has always been healthy. Are you sure she really needs surgery? Even if she does, I can't give it all to you. This money is for my mom's retirement. Stop thinking about it."

I suddenly understood. He thought I needed that money for my own mom's surgery.

"Since you're here, you might as well call my mom and ask her to transfer the ownership of the old house to Celine. Her mom needs to recuperate after surgery. Mom likes you, so she definitely won't refuse."

Linda died waiting for the life-saving money from her son. And now, they want to take her most treasured house after her death. She's already gone, yet they still bully her!

My heart ached more and more.

I felt injustice for Linda and myself.

"I'm not calling."

Celine's face changed slightly but quickly returned to a smile. "Rachel, it's just a phone call. Why are you being so difficult?"

"I know you're still mad about Harris not transferring the money to you two days ago. Actually, it's my fault, not his.

"That day, my mom was undergoing surgery. We didn't know how much it would cost, and Harris was unsure. So, he didn't dare to transfer the money to you. It's all my fault. I'm sorry."

Harris straightened up more and more, speaking with righteous indignation. "Rachel, Celine's mom needed surgery. It was a matter of life and death. So what if I didn't transfer the money to you?"

Celine's mother's surgery was a matter of life and death. But Linda's surgery wasn't worth mentioning.

Thinking of Linda's unrestful death, I felt unbearable pain.

"Say what you want. If you want to be obsequious, that's your business. I won't make the call."

Harris was furious, his face livid. "What do you mean obsequious?"

"Rachel, I've told you many times. Celine and I are just friends. Can't you stop being so suspicious?

"If you keep making a fuss, I'll really consider a divorce."

He emphasized the word "divorce" clearly and slowly, with a hint of threat in his tone.

I paused and nodded. "As you wish."

Linda's gone, and I have nothing left to hold onto in this family.

If he wants a divorce, so be it.

Harris wiped his face, looking exasperated. "Rachel, I'm your husband. Do we have to make things so ugly?"

His words brought a flood of long-suppressed exhaustion and helplessness to my heart.

I forced a bitter smile. "Say what you want. I still won't make the call."

Celine spoke up for Harris. "Rachel, it's just a small matter. Why won't you help Harris? You don't treat him like your husband at all."

"Any other man would've slapped you already. Only Harris is kind enough to tolerate you."

Harris's temples throbbed with anger at her words.

His ferocious look seemed ready to lash out at me any second.

But he held back.

Seeing that Harris didn't act as she wished, Celine showed a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

"Harris, you're being misunderstood because of helping me. I'm really sorry."

"I can't let you continue to be misunderstood. I'll go back now and arrange another place for my mom to recuperate."

With that, she turned to leave.

But Harris grabbed her arm, his tone filled with concern and pity. "If anyone has to go, it won't be you and your mom. Listen to me, you'll stay here."

Seeing that I wasn't responding to their tactics, Harris's so-called gentleness vanished.

He picked up his phone, pointing at me threateningly. "Just wait. After calling Mom, we'll get divorced. I'm her own son, she won't refuse!"

With that, he dialed Linda's number...

Linda's phone was naturally unreachable.

Harris frowned, puzzled, and asked me, "Why can't I get through to my mom's phone?"

From Linda's passing until now, in these two days, I've gradually gotten used to it. It's like peeling layers, burying that lingering pain deep within my heart.

So much so that I could calmly explain, "Linda is gone. Of course, the phone can't be reached."

"What do you mean? What happened to my mom?"

Harris's voice suddenly rose, his pupils dilated as he stared at me, not missing any expression on my face.

His words made Celine's breathing heavier.

Compared to their agitation, my emotions were excessively calm, like a robot without any fluctuation. "You refused to transfer the money for the surgery, missing the kidney source. She died of a heart attack due to anger."

Harris's expression was one of disbelief, his face looking unusually grim as he asked me, "The fifty thousand was for my mom's surgery, not your mom?"

I repeated his words with a cold face. "My mom has always been healthy. She doesn't need surgery."

He was stunned, unable to believe how sharp-tongued I had become.

His eyes were fixed on mine, but he was pained by the contempt and loathing in my gaze.

He seemed to remember something and suddenly spoke in a long-unseen gentle tone.

"Rachel, are you upset because I left my mom to you alone? Have you been so tired from taking care of her in the hospital recently that you're lying to scare me?

"If that's the case, when I get home, I'll take over so you can rest and enjoy yourself for a few days."

I shook my head. "No need."

Linda was already reduced to ashes; she didn't need care anymore.

But he insisted on taking over. "Since Mom was hospitalized, you've been taking care of her alone for three months. It's been exhausting, and you've lost a lot of weight. You need to rest for a few days."

So, he knew all along!

But why didn't he ever offer to give me a break before?

When Linda was alive, he feigned ignorance.

Now that she's gone, he wants to pull the same trick.

The emotions I had suppressed for so long could no longer be contained. I couldn't hold back the pretense of calm any longer and exploded.

I yelled at him, "Harris, how long will you keep deceiving yourself? Linda is dead! She didn't wait for the surgery money and was angered to death by you!"

"Rachel, don't say such outrageous things about something so serious!" He trembled with agitation, his teeth grinding audibly.