My child with Milton Shaw needed a kidney transplant, and I was the only compatible match.

Without hesitation, I agreed to donate my kidney to save our child.

But when the surgery was over, Milton broke down in tears.

"Lauren," he said, his voice choked with grief. "The surgery didn't work. We lost the baby."

I screamed and cried like someone out of their mind in the hospital, and the doctors had no choice but to sedate me.

When I woke up, Milton thought I was still unconscious from the anesthesia. He spoke freely to the doctor, unaware I could hear every word.

"Mr. Shaw," the doctor said, clearly struggling with what to say. "You gave Lauren's kidney to Camryn's child... but how could you let your baby die?"

Milton's voice was cold, emotionless.

"I promised Camryn I'd protect her and her child. No matter what."

The doctor hesitated.

"But her baby was only five months old. And yours with Lauren... was three."

Milton cut him off sharply. "I'll tell Lauren we can adopt another child.

"Dispose of the body properly. And while Lauren's still recovering in the hospital, make sure the sterilization procedure is done."

The doctor was stunned. "Mr. Shaw! Your child with Ms. Gordon is gone. There's no threat to Camryn anymore. Isn't sterilizing Lauren going too far?"

But Milton's next words froze my blood.

"I have to eliminate all threats. What if Lauren refuses to adopt and insists on having another child herself?"

The doctor tried to reason with him. "Mr. Shaw, I must remind you—this will severely weaken her body. She just had a kidney removed... "

There was a pause. Then Milton sighed. "I don‘t have a choice. I want to make sure the child comes into the Shaw family.

"She'll have to endure it. I'll make it up to her later. But she can‘t be allowed to get pregnant again."

The doctor shook his head in resignation and left to prepare for surgery.

Just then, Milton's phone rang.

He answered on speaker. His assistant's voice came through clearly.

"Mr. Shaw, Ms. Loyden's child is recovering well. When would you like to proceed with the adoption paperwork for the orphanage?"

Another dose of anesthetic coursed through me. I didn't hear anything else he said after that.

But I didn't need to.

He had told me our child was in critical condition and that I was the only one who could donate a kidney.

But when I woke up, he told me the surgery had failed, and our baby was gone.

Because the kidney I gave went to Camryn Loyden's child.

To Milton, my child and I were nothing more than obstacles in his way.

By the time the surgery ended, the anesthesia had worn off.

When I woke up, Milton was sitting by my bedside.

His eyes held the same warmth and concern as always, but it was all a lie. It was all an act to keep me from suspecting the truth.

"Lauren, you're finally awake. Are you in any pain?"

I didn't answer. I just stared at him.

I wanted to scream, to demand the truth—but I couldn't.

My silence unsettled him. He took my hand, his expression full of sorrow.

"Lauren, I know this is hard. But there was nothing we could do."

Then, the medication from the second surgery kicked in.

A burning pain seared through my lower abdomen, like fire ripping me apart. I felt like I was being sliced open while still conscious, blood gushing beneath me.

Milton pretended to panic. "Lauren? What's wrong?"

He called for the doctor. And I passed out from the pain.

When I opened my eyes again, Milton's eyes were red, his shoulders trembling as he clutched a medical report.

He looked at me, grief etched all over his face.

"Lauren," he said, his voice heavy with sorrow, "the doctor said the surgery caused severe internal bleeding. They tried everything, but... you won't be able to have children anymore."

He reached for my hand gently. "Once you're discharged, let's adopt a child, okay? Having a little one around might help you heal."

I was the one who had lost the ability to bear children, yet somehow, he looked more heartbroken than I felt.

His performance was flawless, but I didn't bother to call him out on it.

After a long silence, I looked at the report in his hands and slowly nodded.

I didn't ask him anything about the adoption.

Seeing how "understanding" I was, Milton teared up and pulled me into a hug, holding me tightly.

He turned down the nurse who came to help me clean up, insisting on doing it himself. He brought warm water and carefully wiped away the bloodstains from my body.

By the time he was done, it was already late into the night.

"Lauren, are you still in any pain?" he asked softly.

I shook my head and reached up to touch the stubble on his chin.

"You haven't slept at all, have you? I'm fine now. Why don't you rest for a bit?"

Milton didn't think much of it. He relaxed and quickly drifted off to sleep.

I waited until his breathing evened out before quietly picking up his phone.

The wallpaper was still our wedding photo. The passcode was still our anniversary.

The irony was bitter.

I opened WhatsApp, and the first thing I saw was a photo of Camryn holding a child.

Camryn was in this very hospital, and her child was alive, thriving, with my kidney.

The more I scrolled through their messages, the colder I felt.

Back when I was pregnant, Milton was constantly "away on business."

I could count on one hand the number of days he spent with me.

I didn't want to distract him from work, so I went to every prenatal appointment alone.

Even after our child was born, Milton was rarely around.

Now I knew the truth. Those business trips were just a cover for him to be with Camryn and her daughter.

Thousands of photos filled their chat—every moment of her pregnancy, every milestone documented.

He was with her at every doctor's visit, never leaving her side, his eyes filled with adoration, as if she were carrying something precious beyond measure.

After every checkup, he'd give her a lavish gift.

"You made it through another appointment safely. We have to celebrate," he'd write.

Meanwhile, all I ever got was, "Lauren, thank you for everything. I have to go to a meeting now."

They even had a separate album just for their daughter, filled with pictures capturing every little moment.

And my baby? Left to grow cold in a hospital morgue.

The difference between being loved and not loved was painfully, unmistakably clear.

I put the phone down, numb.

That night, I bought a plane ticket to leave the country in a few days and began the process of canceling all my legal documents here.

I reached out to my older brother, Caiden Gordon, who lived overseas and asked him to keep it all a secret from our parents for now.

He didn't press me for answers—just assumed I was planning a surprise visit.

Lying on my back, I stared blankly at the ceiling.

The hospital room was so quiet, I could hear my heart breaking.

Milton handled my discharge paperwork and even brought a strawberry cake.

He told me it was a special treat for the kids at the orphanage.

I pretended not to know anything and simply smiled and nodded.

He remembered exactly what Camryn's child liked to eat, yet somehow always forgot that our child was allergic to mangoes.

I closed the bag, put the cake in the back seat, and pretended to be sick before closing my eyes.

After three years of lies, it was finally time to put an end to them.

I had already asked a lawyer to draft the divorce agreement.

The moment we stepped into the orphanage, a little girl came running up and hugged Milton's leg like it was the most natural thing in the world.

She beamed and kept calling him "Dad."

Milton's expression shifted for a second. Probably afraid I'd get suspicious, he quickly said, "Lauren, the Shaw family sponsors this orphanage. I come by often to visit the kids. You can see how familiar they are with me."

I nodded and didn't press the issue. I just smiled and gently touched the little girl's cheek.

"She looks a lot like you. If you hadn't said anything, I'd have thought she was yours.

"What's her name?"

"Her name's Shannon. She's the one I was thinking we could adopt."

Before he could say anything else, Shannon burst into tears and started calling for her mommy.

Milton immediately went pale and looked at me nervously, his brows furrowed.

"I'm fine," I said softly. "Kids at orphanages usually have trouble feeling secure. Go comfort her. She's beautiful—I like her too."

My words seemed to put him at ease.

Without another thought, he picked Shannon up and carried her into the office.

I told him I needed to use the restroom and slipped away.

I'd tried so hard to keep it together, but seeing it with my own eyes was still too much.

After wiping away my tears, I started walking toward Milton's office. But just as I reached the door, I stopped in my tracks.

I heard a familiar voice inside.

"Camryn, once Shannon gets placed with the Shaw family, you won't have to worry about anything anymore. If you need anything, just text me.

"Here—this is a gift for you."

Milton handed her a beautifully wrapped box.

"You're giving me another gift? You've already given me so much. My closet's overflowing. If Lauren finds out, she's going to be upset."

She said that, but she still accepted the gift without hesitation.

Shannon laughed and threw herself into Camryn's arms, calling her "Mom" over and over again.

Just then, the director rushed in to process some paperwork and swung the door open, right in front of me.

I stood there, frozen.

A flicker of panic crossed Milton's face.

"Lauren, what are you doing here?

"Don't get the wrong idea," he stammered. "Camryn is a volunteer here. She just happened to be visiting today—and we were discussing Shannon's adoption... "

Camryn stood up with Shannon in her arms and waved at me.

"Lauren, it's been a while."

I smiled and nodded, swallowing the pain before I spoke.

"I'm fine. Just taking a walk. Since you're busy, I won't get in your way. I'll wait in the car."

I was about to leave when Camryn made it clear she wasn't letting me go so easily.

She said, feigning sympathy, "Lauren, we all heard about what happened with your child.

"My condolences."

I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms.

Even though she was trying to provoke me, I couldn't say a word back.

I kept smiling, gave her a small nod, and turned away.

Milton thought I was upset and chased after me to explain.

"Don't misunderstand—she comes by often to help out with events. The kids here call her 'Mom.' Once the adoption is finalized, I'll explain everything to Shannon."

Looking at how anxious he was to comfort me, I suddenly found it all laughable.

To bring Camryn's child into the family without backlash, he let our biological son die and even made sure I could never have children again.

Now that he's finally gotten what he wanted, he acts like he's the victim.

"Don't worry. I'm not the kind of person to cause a scene. To handle the paperwork—I'll wait in the car like a good girl."

Relieved, he watched me walk off.

Every staff member I passed gave me a look filled with scorn.

I must've seemed so pathetic to them.

I ignored them. A notification came in confirming my legal request to revoke my identity documents had been approved.

I deleted the message and wiped every trace of Milton from my phone.

To celebrate bringing the child home, the Shaw family hosted a family dinner.

I claimed I was still recovering and stayed upstairs to rest.

But the mocking laughter of Milton's parents floated up clearly through the door.

I stood at the staircase landing, silently watching the "perfect little family" downstairs.

Milton thoughtfully filled Shannon's special plate with all her favorite foods.

Camryn teased him with a laugh, saying he was going to spoil her rotten.

Milton didn't care. He ruffled Shannon's hair lovingly.

"I'll spoil her as much as I want."

The weight in my chest finally burst.

Back in my room, I tore up every single thing Milton had given me over the past three years and tossed it all into the trash.

When the trash can was tipped over, I heard footsteps outside the door.

My heart skipped. I quickly turned on the recorder on my phone and tossed it onto the bed.

Camryn appeared in the doorway, slithering in like a venomous snake.

Then, she shoved me hard to the floor.

Pain shot through me, and sweat broke out across my body, but she just smiled sweetly.

"Lauren, losing a child must hurt, doesn't it?

"All these years, and you're still so pathetic.

"You gave your kidney to save my daughter. Watched your child die. Watched your husband bring my daughter home. And now you still stay silent? I feel sorry for you."

I tried to get up.

Camryn picked up a glass from the nightstand, smashed it, and then jammed a shard into her shoulder. Blood gushed out instantly.

She screamed, eyes full of tears.

Before I could even react, the Shaw family were in the room.

Milton rushed in, scooped Camryn into his arms, and glared at me with fury.

"Lauren, what the hell is wrong with you? Are you insane?

"Camryn only came to check on you because she was worried. How could you do this to her?"

His parents glared at me, full of disgust.

Shannon stood nearby, bawling her eyes out.

"You're a bad lady! You hurt my Mom! I don't want this bad lady in our home!

"I want Mom! I want Mom!"

Camryn clung weakly to Milton, crying into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry. It's my fault. I shouldn't have come to talk to Lauren. She just lost her child—she must be overwhelmed with grief.

"Don't blame Lauren. She didn't mean it."

I lay on the floor, feeling humiliated, and released a cold laugh.

"Really? Milton, don't you think it's time to explain about my kidney and our child?"

Milton didn't flinch. He just stared at me with the same cold fury.

"There's nothing left to say between us."

His parents, frantic over Camryn's injuries, urged him on.

"Stop wasting time. Get Camryn to the hospital now!"

Without another word, Milton carried her out the door.

The entire house went silent, leaving only me behind.

I took a deep breath and forced the tears back down.

Then I packed my things and headed straight to a hotel.

The lawyer informed me that the divorce papers were ready. I signed them electronically and told him to deliver them to Milton first thing in the morning.

As I looked at the flight details for tomorrow, a message from Milton came through—trying to explain.

"Camryn's already forgiven you. I get that you're upset, but what happened was your fault. No matter how angry you were, you shouldn't have taken it out on her.

"Anyway, just stay home and wait for me. Let's spend some time with Shannon when I get back."

I read Milton's message but didn't reply. Instead, I quietly went on packing.

I didn't take a single thing that had anything to do with him.

After three years of living inside the web of lies he spun, I was exhausted—mentally, emotionally, completely.

When I got to the airport, I stood in front of the departure gate, looking down at the plane ticket in my hand.

A one-way trip overseas. And for the first time in a long time, I smiled.

I was finally leaving this place where every memory stung.

I used to have nothing but Milton in my head. I gave up the chance to go abroad with my family just to stay behind and live under his roof, tiptoeing around his world.

But my humility never earned me an ounce of respect—only endless humiliation.

Thinking about my baby, gone too soon, my tears fell silently down my cheeks.

All I brought with me was a single photo of him.

It wasn't much, but I wasn't about to leave even that for Milton.

Right before boarding, I opened the recording I had saved.

I had planned to send it to Milton immediately but then paused.

Instead, I scheduled it to be sent at a later time.

Then I pulled out my SIM card and tossed it into the trash. With that, I cut off every connection I had left in this country.

I didn't look back as I boarded the plane.

At that same moment, back at the Shaw's manor, Milton had just returned—only to find the lawyer waiting at the front door.

The lawyer didn't waste time.

"Mr. Shaw, perfect timing. This is the divorce agreement. Mrs. Shaw has already signed."

Milton froze like he'd been struck by lightning.

The words hit him like a punch to the gut.

"What did you just say?" he asked, his voice low, slow, and laced with a dangerous chill.

His assistant looked puzzled, then tried to clarify, "The divorce papers, sir. Isn't that what you told... "

"Shut up!" Milton snapped.

He shoved open the front door and rushed inside.

The house was silent. Empty. There wasn't a single trace of me left.

Milton's eyes reddened with panic. His mind went completely blank.

"Lauren?" he called out.

"Lauren!"

But there was no answer.

The assistant and the lawyer stood frozen in place, shocked by what they were witnessing.

The assistant quickly ushered the lawyer away.

Milton finally looked down at the divorce papers in his hands.

A storm of emotions churned inside him—so tangled he couldn't even name them.

One memory after another flashed through his mind like a cruel movie reel.

He'd always been calm, composed, and in control. But at that moment, even his breathing started to spiral out of control.