Sarah's POV

My husband accompanied me to the hospital for a routine check-up, and that’s when they found the kidney cyst. My husband’s "first love," who claimed to be some renowned gynecological expert, told me my risk of developing kidney cancer was high. She said the only way to save my life was to remove the kidney immediately.

After the surgery, I discovered she had grossly exaggerated my condition. It turned out that her brother had kidney failure, and my kidney was a perfect match. She had used my surgery to save him.

When I confronted her, furious, all I got was a divorce agreement from my husband.

"If I had known you couldn’t have children, I never would’ve married you!" he shouted, his voice dripping with contempt. "Besides, you signed the donation papers yourself. You think calling the police will help? Just get lost! Stop being an eyesore!"

Their smug faces twisted in my mind as rage and despair surged through me and right at that moment, I coughed up blood and everything went dark.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day my husband took me to the hospital for surgery.

"Honey, hurry up! I’m starting the car, I’ll wait for you downstairs!" Michael, my husband, called out as he laced up his shoes, ready to leave. "Vanessa made time just to check you today. Don’t keep her waiting!" he added from the hallway, already halfway out the door.

Standing in the bathroom, I stared at my reflection, taking deep breaths to steady myself. I never expected to be reborn on the very day of that hospital visit.

This was the turning point, the day I learned the truth about the man I loved, the man I had shared my life with for so long. The same day I was betrayed by him and Vanessa, the woman who stole more than just my health.

The truth was, it was just a harmless kidney cyst. No pain. Nothing serious. But Michael insisted on taking me back to the hospital for more tests, swearing that Vanessa, the "expert," would give me a thorough check-up. I thought it was his way of caring for me. I was even touched by it.

Now, looking back, I see how foolish I had been.

In my previous life, the moment we arrived at the hospital, Vanessa had jumped in, taking control of my examination. Later, with a grave expression, she told me, “Sarah, you need to prepare yourself. Your situation doesn’t look good. There’s a high risk this cyst could turn cancerous."

I was petrified, hanging on to her every word, while Michael pretended to be just as worried. "How do we fix it?" he asked, his tone insincere but convincing.

"You’ll need to have your kidney removed," Vanessa said matter-of-factly. "As long as we take out the left kidney, she should be fine."

In my panic, I was lost and unsure what to do. Under Vanessa’s intimidation and my husband’s fake anxious persuasion, I signed every document they put in front of me.

I thought I was just signing standard pre-surgery paperwork, but hidden within it was a kidney donation agreement.

It wasn’t until after the surgery, when Michael coldly threw the divorce agreement in my face, that the pieces finally clicked together.

But by then, it was already too late.

Recalling the tragic events of my previous life, I gritted my teeth and murmured, “This time, if I don’t drag you both to hell, it would be a waste of this second chance life has given me!”

Once at the hospital, Michael led me straight to Vanessa. After running a few tests, she looked at the results with a serious expression.

“Sarah,” Vanessa said, her voice grave, “you need to prepare yourself. Surgery is necessary, and soon. If you delay, the risk of cancer is very high.”

I pretended to be frightened, but in reality, I had already started secretly recording the conversation on my phone as evidence.

Michael hurriedly put on his concerned act, his brow furrowing. “But it’s just a kidney cyst. How could it become cancerous? Could this be a mistake?”

Vanessa sighed dramatically. “The chances are low, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. If you don’t believe me, you’re welcome to get a second opinion at another hospital.”

Before I could respond, Michael jumped in. “Of course we trust you! It’s just... hard to accept right now. Isn’t there any way we can treat this with medication instead?”

Vanessa shook her head and firmly said, “In your wife’s case, surgery is the safest and fastest way to address the issue. Medication likely won’t be effective.”

Watching them act out their little play, I couldn’t help but sneer inwardly. They were really going to great lengths to steal my kidney. Fortunately, before coming to the hospital, I had called my uncle.

My parents died when I was young, and it was Uncle Robert who raised me. He had many connections, and the director of this hospital happened to be one of his sworn brothers.

In my previous life, I had been so fooled by Michael and Vanessa that I forgot to inform my uncle, and by the time I realized what had happened, it was too late to stop them.

But not this time. Uncle Robert was already on his way. I just needed to buy some time, and soon, Michael and Vanessa’s lies would unravel.

I grabbed the test results and said, “I think I’ll go to another hospital for a second opinion.”

Hearing this, Vanessa’s face tightened as she exchanged a quick glance with Michael.

He then quickly turned to me, his voice edging toward impatience. “Honey, don’t waste time! No matter which hospital you go to, the results will be the same! Vanessa is an expert. If she handles the surgery herself, there’s nothing to worry about.”

I shook my head and replied, “I just need to double-check before making any decisions. It’s not that I don’t trust Dr. Larsen, I just need some time to wrap my head around all of this.”

Just then, Vanessa’s voice turned more authoritative. “Your condition is serious. The longer you delay, the higher the risk. In fact, I’m only making time for this because of Michael.”

Michael immediately jumped in, eager to push me toward the operating table. “Vanessa is really busy, honey! If we start early, we’ll have peace of mind sooner. But if you delay and it really does turn cancerous... I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

Before I could get a word in, Michael urged Vanessa to get ready for the surgery.

Sarah's POV

Vanessa called over several of her intern assistants, who grabbed me and started dragging me toward the operating room. I struggled with all my might, screaming for help, which caught the attention of people nearby.

Uncle Robert hadn’t arrived yet, and if they managed to get me into the operating room and perform the kidney removal, everything would be over.

Sensing the crowd’s eyes on us, Michael rushed over, clamping his hand over my mouth. He put on his best performance, voice dripping with false concern. “Honey, even if you don’t care about yourself, think about me, think about us! You can’t keep delaying this. Dr. Larsen is doing everything she can to save you—what are you afraid of? If anything happens to you on that table, I’ll suffer with you!”

With his flawless act, Michael looked like the perfect, devoted husband, doing all he could for his wife. The onlookers, clueless about what was really going on, began chiming in.

“Dr. Larsen is very skilled. She was the one who performed surgery on my mom, and my mom recovered really well!”

“You can’t mess around when it comes to your health. If you need treatment, get it done early!”

“Exactly. My dad stubbornly refused to receive treatment for his minor illnesses until it got worse. Because of his stubbornness, he passed away last year. If he only agreed to treatment, he might have lived a few more years. So, please, don't make the same mistake.”

Everyone praised Vanessa, and they all thought Michael was right to push me to undergo surgery.

They had no idea what was really happening. To them, I was just a stubborn woman refusing medical help. But who could guess that Vanessa, this highly-praised doctor, only wanted my kidney for her brother? Or that after the surgery, the loving husband they saw would throw divorce papers in my face?

After I was pushed into the operating room, Vanessa handed me a stack of documents to sign. I’d fallen for this trap in my previous life, but not this time. I refused, glaring at her.

Vanessa’s frown deepened as she saw my resistance. Michael, impatient, stepped forward and grabbed a pen. “I’ll sign for her. I know her handwriting—I can forge her signature without any issues.”

One of the interns nervously spoke up, “Sir, that’s... not allowed.”

However, Vanessa shot the intern a deadly look. “Lilian, do you need a refresher on the rules? You’re my student; you should know by now that I decide what happens. Her husband has given consent. If you think this isn’t right, go ahead, report me to the director. Let’s see who gets kicked out—you or me.”

Her threat shut the intern up immediately and the others followed suit, too scared to stand up to her. Their futures were in Vanessa’s hands after all.

Seizing the moment when the interns were distracted, I broke free and tried to run out of the operating room. But Michael was faster. He grabbed me, his grip tight and unyielding, his once-friendly face now dark with frustration as he yelled at me, "Sarah, stop making a scene! You're wasting time! We’re only doing this for your own good!"

Vanessa, her voice icy, added, "If it weren’t for Michael, I wouldn’t have taken the time to personally perform this surgery for you! Please, stop resisting, you’re only hurting yourself!”

Even at this point, they were still putting on a show, acting as if they were doing me a favor. The sight of them, so self-righteous and smug, made my blood boil.

With a burst of fury, I swung my hand and slapped Vanessa hard across the face. The smack echoed in the room, leaving her stunned, her hand flying to her cheek.

“Sarah, have you lost your mind?!” Michael shouted, his voice full of rage.

Vanessa, her face pale with fury, gritted her teeth and shouted, “Enough of this! Sedate her! Let’s get this surgery over with.”

Retorting, I yelled, “What you’re doing is illegal! I’ll report you—none of you will get away with this!”

This whole surgery had been planned in secret by Michael and Vanessa, and they’d broken so many rules. If word got out, they would definitely face serious consequences.

In my previous life, I had been fooled by them, stupidly signing the documents without any evidence of how they had manipulated me. I was powerless back then and I ended up in a miserable situation.

But now, I had one. I’d been recording the entire time. And I had already contacted Uncle Robert. I just needed to hold out until he arrived. This time, Michael and Vanessa wouldn’t walk away unscathed. Their downfall was coming.

Seeing me still struggling with all my might, Vanessa angrily shouted at the intern assistants, “What are you all standing around for?! Hold her still!”

The interns rushed to help, pinning me to the operating table as Michael hovered over me. Vanessa, her face twisted with frustration, grabbed the anesthesia needle and started walking toward me.

I glared at her, fury bubbling up inside me, and cursed at her, “You’re a shameless, vile woman, Vanessa! You seduced a married man and plotted with Michael to destroy me. You’ll both get what’s coming to you!”

The rage on their faces was unmistakable, but the interns just looked shocked and confused. Michael quickly tried to cover, snapping at them, “She’s hysterical, just ignore her!”

Vanessa’s face hardened as she closed in with the needle. I felt despair tightening around me. Was I really about to suffer the same fate as before? Just when I thought all hope was lost, the doors to the operating room burst open.