: Rebirth

In my last life, my son's heart was failing and he desperately needed the only available Bio-Regenerative Valve. But my husband, Joel Shepherd, insisted on giving it to his first love's son to treat a minor heart murmur.

I knelt and begged him, my forehead bleeding, but all I got in return was his cold response.

"Anna's son is timid and easily frightened. Could you please stop being so vicious?"

Later, my son died tragically on the operating table from cardiac arrest. In my despair, I set myself on fire, trying to drag them all to hell with me.

Now, reborn in this life, as Joel Shepherd once again tried to take the valve away…

I wiped away my tears, smiled, and handed him the surgical consent form. "Fine. Let him have it. I'm done fighting."

But the moment Joel Shepherd took the form, his hand trembled.

1

"Leah, I know Leo only has a congenital heart defect, but he's been sensitive and scared of pain his whole life. The doctors say this new Bio-Regenerative Valve can be implanted through a minimally invasive procedure, no major surgery needed."

Joel Shepherd's voice, laced with a matter-of-fact indifference, echoed down the hallway that reeked of disinfectant.

"Andy has heart failure, yes, but he's always been a strong kid. Besides, his risk of rejection is high, so this valve might not even be right for him. We should just wait for the next shipment."

"You're Mrs. Shepherd. Can't you be a little more magnanimous? Do you really have to snatch a lifeline from the child of a single mother?"

The stark white lights of the hospital corridor made my eyes ache.

My eyes snapped open, and I stared at the man before me, his expression a mask of impatience.

Joel Shepherd.

My husband. The man I once loved more than my own life, and the man I came to hate with every fiber of my being.

Right now, his hand was clenched tightly around the surgical allocation form.

It was the only highly compatible Bio-Regenerative Valve in the entire province—the last hope to save my son, Andy.

In my last life, it happened right here, outside the intensive care unit.

When Joel had proposed giving the valve to Anna Shaw's son, Leo, I had flown at him like a madwoman, clawing and screaming.

I screamed through my tears that Andy had already been lying in that cold bed for three months, that his heart could stop at any second.

But Joel, his face twisted in disgust, had kicked me to the floor.

My head slammed against the hard marble floor, and blood streamed into my eyes, blurring my vision.

He didn't spare me a single glance. He just turned and handed the form to Anna Shaw, who stood beside him, weeping into her hands.

He looked down on me and said, "Leah, you're disgusting right now. No wonder you've made Andy so sickly."

Later, because he missed the optimal window for surgery, Andy's small body grew cold in my arms during a raging thunderstorm.

Before he died, he clutched my finger and whispered weakly, "Mom, it doesn't hurt. Please don't cry."

After my son died, I went completely mad.

But Joel claimed it was just my postpartum depression flaring up. To cover his own guilt, he had me committed to a psychiatric hospital.

On the seventh day after Andy's death, he took Anna Shaw and her son to Wonderland Park to celebrate Leo's recovery.

I set a fire in the psychiatric hospital.

The blaze lit up half the night sky, but it didn't kill that wretched pair. It only killed me.

The searing pain of the flames on my skin still seemed to linger in the depths of my soul.

And when I opened my eyes again, I had somehow returned to this very day.

Seeing my silence, Joel assumed I was about to throw another hysterical fit.

His expression instantly darkened, his tone growing even more cutting.

"Leah, I'm talking to you. Are you playing dead or something?"

"It's not easy for Anna, raising a child all by herself in this city. If something happened to Leo, it would ruin her life!"

"Besides, I'm the one who pulled strings to get this valve in the first place. I have the right to decide who it goes to."

Not far away, Anna Shaw stood in a pale blue hospital gown, leaning weakly against the wall.

Leo, in her arms, was watching cartoons on a tablet with the volume turned way up. His cheeks were rosy; he didn't look seriously ill at all.

When Anna Shaw saw me looking, she immediately put on a panicked expression, tears welling up in her eyes instantly.

"Joel, Saozi, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have brought Leo to this hospital."

"If Saozi isn't willing, then forget it. I'll just take Leo home and keep him on medication. The worst that can happen is he won't be able to do any strenuous exercise in the future."

As she spoke, her body slumped limply downward.

Quick as a flash, Joel Shepherd caught her. He turned to glare at me. "Leah Kessler! Will you not be satisfied until you've driven this poor mother and child to their deaths?"

Watching this scene unfold, I was suddenly struck by how absurd it all was.

'In my last life, I cared too much about Joel Shepherd, too much about holding this family together.'

'That's why I argued my case so desperately, why I trampled on my own dignity to beg him.'

'And what was the result?'

'Not only did I fail to secure the life-saving treatment, but I also lost Andy in the process.'

'In this life, I won't be so pathetic again.'

I took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the hatred churning in my chest.

Then, I looked up and gave Joel Shepherd a smile of utter gentleness.

"Alright."

Joel Shepherd froze.

His brows furrowed. The tirade he had prepared got stuck in his throat.

"What did you say?"

I looked at him calmly, my voice softer than it had ever been, even carrying a hint of relief.

"I said, since Leo's situation is so special, let him have it."

"It's a life on the line, after all. How could I be so malicious?"

I took a pen from my bag and signed my name on the treatment waiver.

The tip of the pen made a soft scratching sound as it moved across the paper.

Joel Shepherd took the consent form, a flicker of astonishment on his face. He seemed unable to believe I had given in so easily.

"You've thought it through?" he asked tentatively, his eyes full of suspicion.

I nodded, gazing through the glass window at Andy, who lay in his hospital bed, covered in tubes.

"Yes, I've thought it through."

"You were right. One can't be too selfish. You have to know when to let others have their way."

The suspicion in Joel Shepherd's eyes vanished, replaced by the smug satisfaction of someone in complete control.

"That's the right way to think."

"I knew it. All that crying and drama you used to pull was just for attention. Deep down, you still know what's truly important."

He handed the form to Anna Shaw, his tone as gentle as if he were coaxing his beloved.

"Go take care of the paperwork. Don't delay Leo's surgery."

Anna Shaw took the form. A triumphant glint flashed in her eyes, but she still feigned reluctance with her words.

"Joel, will Saozi hate me for this?"

"She won't."

Without even a glance in my direction, Joel Shepherd slung an arm around Anna Shaw's shoulder and walked her toward the doctor's office.

"She's much more sensible now. She knows what's most important."

Their figures gradually disappeared down the end of the hallway.

'Like a loving family of three.'

The smile on my face vanished instantly, replaced by a bone-deep coldness.

I looked down at Andy's pale little face, my fingers gently stroking the back of his hand, bruised and purple from the long-term IV drips.

Tears fell silently onto the pristine white bedsheets.

'Andy, I'm so sorry.'

'Mommy isn't giving up on you.'

'It's because Mommy knows this valve... is a death sentence.'

'In my last life, I only found out after Leo received this valve.'

'This batch of Bio-Regenerative Valves has a severe genetic defect.'

'Due to a data anomaly during the cultivation process, it produces powerful rejection toxins once implanted in the human body.'

'After Leo got it, his heart murmur disappeared, but his kidneys and liver failed rapidly within six months.'

'But my Andy, if he were to receive this valve in his current condition, he would die on the spot.'

'So, Joel Shepherd.'

'Since you care so much about that illegitimate son of yours…'

'I'll generously gift this "lifesaver" to you.'

: Qin Zheng

After Joel Shepherd left, I immediately ducked into the stairwell and dialed a number I hadn't used in a very long time.

The phone rang three times before it was answered.

A cool, deep male voice came from the other end, tinged with a hint of uncertainty and suppressed surprise.

"Leah Kessler?"

Hearing that voice, I felt a sting in my nose, and tears nearly burst from my eyes.

'Zane Quinn.'

He was a world-class cardiothoracic surgeon and also my childhood friend—the older boy who lived next door.

In my past life, when Andy was critically ill, I had thought about asking him for help.

But Joel Shepherd, out of extreme possessiveness and jealousy, spread rumors that Zane Quinn and I were having an affair. He threatened that if I dared to contact Zane, he would cut off all of Andy's medical funding.

For Andy's sake, and for my own pitiful pride, I really did cut off all contact.

It wasn't until after Andy died that Zane Quinn heard the news and flew back from abroad.

He stopped me at the entrance of the crematorium, his eyes bloodshot as he roared, "Leah Kessler, why didn't you call me? With just one word from you, I would have torn out my own heart to save Andy!"

In this life, I will never again push away the person who truly wants to save us, all for that scumbag.

"Zane."

I tried to keep my voice steady, but it still trembled slightly.

"I remember you mentioned before that a research institute in Eldoria is conducting a Stem Cell Regeneration Trial for pediatric heart failure."

Zane immediately grew serious, his voice turning professional and urgent. "Yes, but there are only three spots available worldwide, and it requires an extremely complex match. Has Andy's condition worsened?"

"Yes." I leaned against the cold wall. "The domestic treatment options have reached a dead end. Joel Shepherd gave the only available valve to someone else. I want to take Andy abroad to find you."

The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds, followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the floor, as if he had shot to his feet.

"Has Joel Shepherd lost his mind? Andy is his own flesh and blood!"

"He lost his mind a long time ago." I let out a cold laugh. "Zane, I've made up my mind. As long as I can save Andy, I'm willing to do anything. Even if it means divorce, even if it means forfeiture of all marital assets."

"Okay."

Zane's voice carried a reassuring firmness.

"I'll take care of securing the spot. Even if I have to fight for it, I'll get it for you. Your job right now is to protect Andy and prepare all his medical records."

"I'll arrange for a private jet to pick you up right away. It should arrive in about a day."

"Two days." I glanced at my watch. "Okay, I'll be waiting."

After hanging up, I let out a long breath.

One day.

As long as I can get through this one day, I can take Andy and escape this hell.

'As for Joel Shepherd...'

I looked out the window at the gloomy, rain-threatening sky, the corner of my mouth twisting into a cruel smile.

'We're just getting started settling the score.'

That evening, Joel Shepherd returned.

He seemed to be in a good mood, carrying a limited-edition Build-A-Brick toy box.

"Leo finished his pre-op checkup today. He's in great condition, and the doctor said the surgery has a very high success rate."

He put the toy on the table and glanced at Andy, who was still on oxygen.

"Andy isn't awake yet? This kid is just too frail, nothing like me."

I was giving Andy a sponge bath. At his words, my hand paused for a moment. I said flatly, "The doctor said he needs absolute rest."

Joel Shepherd frowned, apparently displeased by my coldness.

"Leah, I know you're still angry. But regarding today, Leo's situation really was more urgent. The doctors all said recovery from a minimally invasive procedure is fast."

"Besides, I'm making it up to you. This Build-A-Brick set is the Starfall series one that Andy has always wanted. I specifically had someone bring it back from abroad for him."