I had donated my kidney over a decade ago.

At that time, both my husband, Xavier, and I were preparing for retirement. He had a shot at a promotion, but his competitor was no slouch.

I discovered unexpectedly that our boss favored Xavier's rival. So, when I returned home to find him burning the midnight oil for the promotion, my heart ached for him. He was surviving on just a few hours of sleep each night.

Then, a twist of fate struck. I received a call from the medical research department.

They reminded me that I had signed an organ donation consent form years earlier. If I were willing to donate a kidney, it would significantly contribute to medical research.

On top of that, the hospital's promotion guidelines stated that those who made substantial contributions to research would be prioritized. Hence, for Xavier's career advancement, I stepped into the operating room.

From that moment on, I lost a kidney.

In the years that followed, no one ever noticed its absence. During my annual checkups, I always went alone.

Xavier and Tobias would simply ask, "Everything okay?"

I would nod in response, and that was the end of their concern. Who could have imagined that there would be a major breakthrough in medicine a year ago?

Queenie's kidney cancer, once deemed incurable, now had a cure.

When Xavier saw the news that day, he couldn't even finish his meal before bolting from the table.

Tobias was equally excited, exclaiming, "Does this mean Ms. Sanders can be saved?"

…

Just like that, Queenie emerged from cryogenic freezing, looking as beautiful as ever. As she gazed innocently at Xavier and Tobias, it ignited their reckless devotion.

Tobias, with tears brimming in his eyes, ignored my presence entirely. "Ms. Sanders, you're finally awake! Do you know my dad waited 30 years for you?"

Meanwhile, Xavier clasped Queenie's hands tightly, his voice trembling with emotion. "Queenie, not a day has gone by in over 30 years that I haven't thought of you!"

I stood frozen in place, feeling as if the breath had been knocked out of me. I couldn't help but wonder what my sacrifices had amounted to.

As Xavier's wife, I had devoted myself to the family for over three decades, transforming from a bright young lady into a weary middle-aged woman.

…

After completing the necessary tests, Xavier turned to me abruptly. "I need to check on Queenie. You should head home by yourself."

His eyes were filled with concern and affection as he added, "She just woke up after 30 years. I'm sure she must feel disoriented. I'm worried she'll be scared if I'm not by her side."

With that, Xavier hurried off, completely unaware of my fever.

My face burned, and the pain in my arm had faded to a dull numbness. I sat alone in the chair, struggling to lift my head.

"Tobias, I think I might be run—"

"Are you trying to fake an illness?" Tobias shot back, irritation lacing his voice. "Mom, stop messing around! You don't even care about Dad!

"For 30 years, he's worked himself to the bone for this family, barely taking a day off. And now that Ms. Sanders has finally woken up, he has a chance to pursue his long-lost dreams and get some rest. How could you think of stopping him?"

His words struck me hard, but I managed to say, "But I'm his wife…"

Tobias scoffed, his tone dripping with derision. "At your age, you're still playing the love card, huh? Don't you feel ashamed? I sure do!"

He then glanced at the clock, frowning. "I need to pick up Poppy. Hurry up and get dinner ready. Make two meals. Since Ms. Sanders can't handle anything heavy, make something light for her."

Having said that, Tobias turned on his heel and left, not sparing me a second glance. He was completely oblivious to the fact that I was shivering on the bench.

…

Later that evening, a phone call from Xavier jolted me awake.

I touched my forehead, relieved to find that my fever had subsided. However, the pain from my fractured arm still throbbed intensely.

As soon as I answered, Xavier's furious voice erupted from the other end. "What's taking you so long? Why hasn't the food arrived yet? Don't you know Queenie can't go hungry right now?

"Harper Jenkins, you're doing this on purpose, aren't you? Do you really think you can manipulate me like this? Remember. There are plenty of cooks out there. I could hire anyone, and they'd do a far better job than you!"

With that, he ended the call, leaving me staring at my phone in disbelief.

Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. I jumped up and immediately rushed home.

In the old house where I hadn't lived for years, I finally unearthed the organ donation consent form. Ignoring the pain in my arm, I rushed to the hospital where Queenie was admitted.

…

I pushed open the door to the ward and was greeted by laughter.

My granddaughter, Poppy Larson, lay on the bed, giggling. "Ms. Sanders, you're so pretty! I hope I can look like you when I'm your age!" she exclaimed.

"You're nothing like my grandma. Her face is so wrinkly!"

Laughter erupted in the room at her comment, while I stood awkwardly in the doorway, unsure whether to enter or leave.

My daughter-in-law, Regina Torres, noticed me first. Her expression shifted slightly before she said, "Mom, don't take it personally. Kids just blurt things out without thinking."

I had barely stepped inside when Xavier's icy voice sliced through the air. "What are you doing here?"

Takeout boxes cluttered the nearby table, a silent testament to their meal choice.

Tobias scoffed. "Mom, you really think too much of yourself. In today's world, we won't starve just because you don't cook."

I swallowed hard and replied, "I'm not here to talk about that."

Then, I held out the organ donation consent form. "I came to tell you that I only have one kidney left. If I give it up, I'll—"

But before I could finish, Xavier lunged forward, ripping the form in half. With a darkened expression, he snapped, "Whatever you have to say, take it outside! Don't disturb Queenie's rest! She's already in poor health!"

He yanked my arm, pulling me toward the door. A sharp pain coursed through me, and I cried out in agony.

Xavier released his grip, his brows furrowing even deeper. "Drop the act!"

With one arm hanging limp, I used the other to snatch the torn pieces of the consent form from his hand.

"Xavier Larson! Why would I lie to you?" I shouted, feeling utterly aggrieved.

"This is the organ donation consent form I signed myself! You were the one who made me sign it back then, saying it was for medical research. Have you forgotten? Just look at the stamp—it's from over ten years ago!"

I clenched the paper so tightly that it crumpled in my fist. "If I hadn't donated my kidney, do you really think you'd have gotten that promotion?"

The moment those words left my lips, Xavier's expression changed drastically. A tense silence hung in the air before his brow twitched, and he let out a derisive laugh.

"Harper Jenkins, have you lost your mind? Do you have no shame? How could you claim someone else's hard work as your own? Do you think I'd be grateful just because you said all this?

"You have no clue, do you? I got promoted because of my contributions to medical research!"

"It was because I—" I tried to get a word in.

However, he cut me off sharply, "How do you think I got promoted? I sacrificed everything so Queenie could undergo the cryogenic freezing experiment!

"She was one of the first patients in this groundbreaking study, which is crucial to advancing medical research in our country. The hospital gave me my title because of her!

"If it weren't for her, I'd still be struggling to achieve anything! And you have the nerve to stand here and claim my promotion was because you donated a kidney?"

Xavier's eyes were cold, full of contempt as he looked me over. "I never imagined you'd be so selfish. You can't even bring yourself to donate a kidney, yet you think you've contributed to medical research? It's absurd!"

In one swift motion, he snatched the torn consent form from my hands and shredded it into tiny pieces. His face betrayed no emotion as he scattered the scraps to the floor.

The bits fluttered down around me like snowflakes while I stood frozen in disbelief. My arm hung limp as I desperately tried to gather the scraps. This was the only evidence I had to prove my case!

Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I collapsed to the floor, but Xavier just sneered.

"What's this? Are you about to start playing the victim?" he spat.

I sat there, crushed, staring up at him helplessly.

Right then, Xavier's phone rang. It was the hospital.

A nurse's voice came through the line, "Are you Harper Jenkins' family? The compatibility results are in."

"What is it? It's good news, right?" Xavier asked, his excitement barely contained. "She had a test over ten years ago, and everything was fine then—"

But the nurse impatiently interrupted him. "What's wrong with you people? Don't you know she only has one kidney? We can't operate under those conditions!"

Xavier froze in disbelief. "What?"