Chapter 2

I looked at his face, overlapping with the pale, sickly one from my memories.

Regret?

Five years ago, Caleb Thorne's startup failed, and soon after, he was admitted to the ICU with uremia.

The funds raised for his startup had practically drained all our savings.

To cover the exorbitant medical bills, I took on every job imaginable.

At my worst, I ate only one meal a day and slept only three hours.

I worked at my office during the day, then delivered takeout at night.

I pushed myself to the limit, just barely managing to keep Caleb alive.

Without a suitable kidney donor, he was constantly in danger.

Watching his face grow gaunt day by day, I practically begged everyone I knew.

Until that night, the doctor found me. He said they found a match.

But the person who matched Caleb was me.

Before I could respond, Caleb's cold voice cut through my thoughts.

"I don't regret it one bit."

"If you hadn't left me, I wouldn't have met someone as amazing as Sera."

"And I wouldn't have seen through your hypocritical, selfish facade."

Caleb finished speaking and turned away without hesitation, pulling Sera into their car.

I replayed his words of relief in my mind, a numb smile twisting my lips.

The next second, a nosebleed gushed out, unstoppable.

When I woke up, I was already in the hospital.

Looking at the sterile white ceiling, I skillfully pulled out the IV needle.

Grabbing my things, I walked out.

I hadn't gone far when two familiar figures appeared.

My steps automatically paused as I saw the "Obstetrics & Gynecology" sign.

Caleb was holding Sera, his eyes full of happiness as he looked at the report in his hand.

My heart fluttered, and for a moment, I thought back five years.

Back then, Caleb's eyes were only for me. He said that once he recovered, we'd have a child and build our own little family.

Now, he finally got his wish.

It just wasn't with me.

I shook my head, and the report in my hand suddenly slipped, scattering papers across the floor.

Caleb finally noticed me.

He picked up the reports from the ground, his brows furrowed as he read the dense text.

"Severe kidney damage... late stage..."

"What is this?"

I hastily snatched the report, breathing a sigh of relief that he hadn't fully read it.

Caleb scoffed.

"Eleanor, who taught you this trick? Faking an illness just to get money? Did you not manage to snag a rich guy after leaving me?"

I clutched the report tightly, listening to his taunts in silence.

Five years ago, after Caleb received another critical condition notice, I broke up with him.

"Caleb Thorne, I want a rich life. Look at you now, you can't even move on your own. What right do you have to ask me to stay and suffer with you?"

My words were cold, final. It was the first time I’d ever seen Caleb cry.

He clutched my hand, his own trembling, begging for more time, begging me not to go.

That day, I walked away without looking back.

And straight into the operating room, where I gave up a kidney.

So Caleb, to this day, he still has no idea that the very thing that saved his life... was taken from me.