I stood at the ICU door, holding the critical condition notice, feeling lost and confused.

I couldn't understand how my usually healthy daughter ended up with acute leukemia.

"Natalie, quickly call Nick and have him come over for the blood transfusion. The hospital is running out of the rare blood type she needs for transfusion.

"Meryl is in grave danger now. If we wait any longer for a blood donor, it might be too late."

After my friend Julia Roberts relayed the message, she rushed into the hospital room again.

Once I regained my composure, my hands trembling, I took out my phone but kept dialing the wrong numbers in a panic.

Finally getting through, before I could speak, a soft, sweet voice answered on the other end.

"Nick, I found a clue. I'm scared, will you come stay with me?"

Nick's reassuring voice followed immediately. "Sure, honey, I will be there shortly."

Despite the bitterness in my heart, now wasn't the time to argue with him.

"Nick, hurry over. Meryl fell down the stairs, diagnosed with acute leukemia, and needs a blood transfusion. The hospital's blood bank is running low!"

"Enough already. You saw Kate's status update and got jealous. I'll come back once it's over. Don't make a scene."

Nick impatiently cut off the call before I could finish.

I cried and called him again.

"Nick, I'm pleading with you. She's your daughter, for God's sake!"

"Natalie, stop calling. Your excuses are too feeble. Oh, Nick, I found a clue!"

"Kate, you're amazing!"

The call was disconnected again.

I kept calling but was reminded by the prompt during the call.

He had blocked me.

As I clutched the critical condition notice in my hand, tears streamed down my face.

I stared at the ICU door, a wave of despair washing over me.

I thought, "Meryl, wait for me."

Gritting my teeth, I stood up and rechecked Kate's status.

The two of them stood intimately together in the background of a murder mystery dinner theater.

The caption read: [Nick was afraid I'd be bored, so he brought me out to play.]

Ignoring Nick's indulgent expression, I searched for the address of that theater and headed there.

Unexpectedly, as soon as I arrived at the hospital's entrance, I saw Nick getting out of the car, holding Kate in his arms.

He looked anxious, running while trying to comfort the weeping woman in his embrace.

I hurried over and grabbed him.

"Nick, you're here. Come with me quickly, or we won't make it in time."

Nick glanced at me with annoyance, coldly saying, "Back off, I don't have time for your melodrama."

With his eyes full of urgency, he was convinced that I was lying to make him abandon Kate.

I didn't care about why he was holding Kate. All I wanted was to take him to donate blood.

"Nick, Meryl truly has leukemia. She's in critical condition. Please! Just come with me."

Kate suddenly cried out in pain.

"Nick, my foot hurts so much, it really hurts."

Nick immediately worriedly soothed her, then impatiently snapped at me. "Move aside! Kate twisted her foot. Can you stop being jealous and making a scene here, using Meryl as an excuse? Didn't she just have a check-up? What kind of mother are you, cursing your own daughter?"

Nick pushed me aside and headed into the hospital.

I gritted my teeth and followed behind him, pleading incessantly.

Kate, noticing my persistent presence, frowned in disapproval.

"Natalie, my foot is twisted, and Nick is worried about me. Can you please stop causing trouble for him?

"Whenever Meryl was sick before, Nick never hesitated to attend his meetings. If she's unwell, go see a doctor, why come to Nick?"

Kate was cunning, immediately painting me as the villain, fueling Nick's suspicions further.

Sure enough, Nick's expression darkened, his eyes filled with disdain towards me.

A few days prior, Meryl had been running a fever and crying for her father.

So, I called Nick.

By the time he arrived, Meryl's fever had subsided.

His response was harsh.

"I'm swamped with work every day. Can't you handle the child properly? What's the point of having you around if you can't even take care of her? She's fine now, why bother me!"

Subsequent calls were met with accusations of stirring up trouble needlessly. Nick began to have arguments with me daily.

Little did he know, Meryl had been showing signs of illness since then.

"Nick, Meryl's frequent fevers might be a sign. She's in the ICU now. If you don't believe me, come up with me and see for yourself if I'm lying or not.

"This is a critical condition notice! Look! Meryl is running out of time. Please, I beg you, come with me!"

I tearfully showed him the notice, hoping he would trust me.

But Nick didn't even glance at it, his eyes fixed on Kate.

Seeing me blocking his path, he grew even more infuriated.

Kate snatched the paper from my hand, glanced at it casually, then tossed it on the ground.

"Natalie, this paper is obviously fake. I have a doctor friend, and I know what an actual critical condition notice looks like. You're trying to deceive Nick without even a stamp.

"I feel sorry for Meryl. With a mother like you, using her as a pawn for attention every day. Nick and I are just friends; why can't you believe that?

"Could it be that the previous fevers Meryl had were deliberately orchestrated by you to make her catch a cold and force Nick home?"

Her disdainful gaze made it seem like every word she spoke was the absolute truth.

"Nick, let's go now. We can explain later to Natalie. My foot really hurts."

Kate's urgency prompted Nick to push me aside once more, ready to leave.

The anger within me erupted.

"Kate, who do you think you are? How dare you say such things!"

Ignoring Nick's impatient look, I moved forward, intending to push Kate away.

But she clung tightly to Nick, crying out in pain.

"Nick, Natalie bumped into my foot..."

Nick's expression grew gloomier as he raised his foot and shoved me aside.

"Enough, Natalie! Stop embarrassing yourself here. Kate's foot injury could worsen if we delay any longer."

"I've told you countless times, we're just friends. She got hurt, so I took her to the hospital. Why do you always have to make a scene?

"Can you try a different lie? Meryl is fine. How could she be sick? You even brought a fake notice to deceive me. I don't have time to argue with you here. Move aside! Kate's in pain!"

As I clutched my stomach, the area where he kicked me throbbed painfully. I struggled to stand, realizing the extent of force he had used.

He was truly capable of anything for Kate.

Seeing Meryl upstairs waiting for a blood transfusion and then looking at Kate, who Nick was protecting in his arms, infuriated me.

I rushed over and grabbed onto his leg with all my might.

I pleaded desperately, "Nick! Meryl is our daughter. No matter how much we argue, I would never joke about her life. She's really in grave danger now. You used to cherish her the most; are you really going to ignore her now?

"I can take Kate to the doctor, and you can go to the fourth floor for the blood transfusion."

Nick was moved by my words but hesitated. He turned to Kate and said, "Kate, I'll go to the fourth floor to check on Meryl. Natalie can take you, okay?"

Kate, with a pout and tears in her eyes, protested, "No, I twisted my foot for you, Nick. Are you going to leave me?

"She never likes me usually; what if she refuses to take me?

"I saw the notice just now, it's fake. Natalie has deceived you several times, and you still believe her? I won't contact you again after this, otherwise, Natalie will deceive you with her lies again."

Feeling sorry for her distress, Nick quickly reassured her, "Don't cry. I won't let her harm you. I'll take you to the doctor now."

With a forceful kick, he pushed me away once more and hurried off.

Seeing him about to leave, I tried to stand up, but my movement pulled the place where he had kicked me before, causing me to trip over.

In that brief moment, he had already boarded the elevator.

Desperately, I shouted after him, "Nick, Meryl can't wait any longer. I'm not lying to you. Please, save her. I beg you, save her!"

The elevator doors closed with silence, leaving me with only his cold gaze.

Overwhelmed by despair, I received a call from Julia, urging me to hurry over.

I managed to stand up and rushed to the fourth floor.

Julia stood at the ICU door, tears streaming down her face as she grabbed onto me.

"Where did you go? Why didn't Nick come? Meryl's gone. When she was awake, she kept calling for you both, but neither of you were by her side."

I felt a chill run down my spine, my mind in a daze, rendered speechless.

Julia hugged me as I pushed her away from her bloody hand, walking into the ICU in despair.

As I saw Meryl lifeless on the hospital bed, uncontrollable tremors shook my body.

I let out a heartbreaking cry of Meryl's name, holding her close as tears flowed endlessly.

Julia stood behind me, her voice choked with emotion.

"Why didn't Nick come? Meryl kept asking where her daddy went just now, saying she was scared and wanted daddy and mommy.

"Why didn't Nick come? Meryl is only six years old! How could he be so heartless?"

I cried inconsolably, unable to articulate a word.

Images of Meryl's fearful pleas for her parents and the sight of Nick walking away with Kate clouded my mind.

Lost in my grief, I couldn't fathom how long I cried. Eventually, I let go of Meryl's body, turned, and left the room.

I made my way to the orthopedics department, but he was nowhere to be found.

I asked the doctor, but he gave me a peculiar look.

"That gentleman seemed to say he wanted to take her home."

Lowering my gaze, I chose not to call him again.

I knew he wouldn't answer.

Returning to the fourth floor, I picked up Meryl's lifeless body and drove home.

As I entered, the first thing I saw was Kate sitting on Nick's lap.

The air was thick with intimacy as they shared a passionate kiss.

He looked dazed and immersed in it.

Startled by my sudden entrance, Nick quickly pushed Kate aside, his eyes avoiding mine.

Kate coyly pouted, tugging at his sleeve, seeking his attention.

"Nick, see that? I told you the report was fake; Meryl is fine in Natalie's arms, right?

"It's a good thing you didn't fall for it. Natalie, you're unbelievable, always using Meryl as an excuse to deceive him."

Upon hearing this, Nick immediately stood up for himself, completely ignoring the recent kissing incident.

"Natalie, enough! I'm glad I didn't believe you; otherwise, Kate's foot injury would have been delayed by you.

"If you keep causing scenes like this, let's get a divorce. You argue with me every day; how can I focus on work? If I don't work, how will I have money to feed you and Meryl?

"All you do is pick fights every day. Give me the child! Don't let Meryl be influenced by you!"

He frowned impatiently, glanced at me, and snatched the child from my hands.

"Meryl! Daddy's back."

He gently patted Meryl's cheek, trying to wake her up.

Suddenly, his body stiffened, hands trembling as he touched Meryl's cold face in shock.

"Meryl?

"What's wrong? Meryl? Natalie, why is Meryl so cold?"