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Chapter 17
Wh-what…?” My eyes widened as I stared at my mother in disbelief.
It’s true.” My mother let out a soft sigh. “Before the anesthesia kicked in, I saw the person lying on the bed next to mine. It was Vaughn Sterling. He asked me to keep it a secret, to not tell you. But I’ve been thinking about it… and I felt it was better for you to
know.”
Inside the room, Rowan and Leander fell silent.
No one had expected the anonymous donor to be Vaughn.
I woke up during the procedure and they had to give me more anesthesia. Through the anesthetic haze, I saw the doctors performing CPR on Vaughn. It looked like he was hemorrhaging… his heart wasn’t getting enough oxygen.” My mother asked worriedly, “Has Vaughn been moved out of the ICU yet?”
‘Not yet,” I replied, my voice heavy.
My mother spoke softly. “Elara, no matter what happens, you need to go see him.”
I nodded. “I know.”
had originally planned to have a serious talk with Vaughn once he woke up, but his condition only seemed to get worse with each passing day.
Because of the massive blood loss, his incision had become infected, leaving him in a coma with a high fever.
When Mr. and Mrs. Sterling arrived at the hospital, the father looked grim, while the mother rushed toward me, intending to slap ne. Leander moved quickly, intercepting her arm.
What kind of spell did you cast on Vaughn, you bitch?! Didn’t I warn you not to respond to a single message from him?” Mrs. Sterling screamed hysterically. “Why was he stupid enough to give your mother a kidney? Why?! Did you suggest it? Did you hint it it?!” She shrieked, her eyes wild. “Is my son the only one to blame for your father jumping off that building? Did Vaughn push him? He was guilty, yes, but the law already punished him! Why do you keep making him groveling to atone for his sins? Why?!”
Give my son’s kidney back! Give it back to me!”
Mrs. Sterling broke down, howling with grief as she glared at me with pure venom.
I didn’t ask him to donate. I only found out it was him after the surgery was over,” I explained, my voice steady. “Since he left France, we’ve had absolutely no contact.”
Shut up! Shut your mouth!” Mrs. Sterling pointed at me, swearing. “You burned all his trophies, and now you’ve made him lose a cidney. My son is cursed to have ever met someone like you!”
Mom…
A weak voice broke through the shouting.
Vaughn was sitting in a wheelchair, looking pale and fragile as he watched them. “I’m the one who caused the death of Elara’s Father. These are my sins, and it’s only right that I pay for them. I don’t want to hear you blaming her again.”
Mrs. Sterling wept silently, finally falling silent.
‘Elara, can we talk alone for a minute?” Vaughn looked up at me.
I walked over to him, and we entered the hospital room together.
‘Sorry… it looks like I’ve caused you more trouble,” Vaughn said, his voice raspy. He stared directly at my face, a bitter smile
touching his lips. “You know, while I was in the ICU, I was actually somewhat conscious. I just couldn’t open my eyes. My body was in so much pain… I was terrified that I’d never get to see you again.”
I listened quietly, saying nothing.
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‘Are we… still unable to go back to the way we were?” Vaughn asked tentatively. “Is there really no hope for us, no matter what I do?
‘No.”
I delivered the verdict without a hint of hesitation. “Vaughn Sterling, I don’t love you anymore. I’m grateful that you gave my mother a kidney. That kidney is incredibly important to her. But I can’t just wipe the slate clean. I can’t forgive you on behalf of my Father. Three years of deception and my father’s death are facts. They happened. No one can erase that.”
Vaughn closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Okay… okay. I understand.”
I wish you a speedy recovery.” I turned to leave, but he called out to me one last time.
I heard that man also got tested for a match, but he failed. I’m glad he did. If he hadn’t, I wouldn’t have had the chance to hear a sincere ‘get well soon’ from you. Enough, Elara. At least you shouldn’t hate me as much as before, right?” Vaughn managed a small, comforting smile. “Be happy. And never meet a piece of trash like me again.”
I blinked and pulled the door open.
Vaughn watched my retreating figure, whispering “Goodbye” in his heart.
Days turned into weeks. On the day Vaughn was discharged, he saw Leander and me helping my mother into a car.
Our eyes met across the parking lot for a brief second before we both looked away.
Vaughn didn’t return to the United States to finish his studies. He stayed in the country, drowning himself in alcohol and cigarettes
very single day.
During his time in the hospital, he thought he had finally let go. But the truth was, he hadn’t.
He couldn’t move on. He couldn’t learn how to sincerely wish me happiness with another man.
t was only when he received the daily surveillance photos from the private investigator that he realized the true meaning of nissing someone until it hurts.
This life of spying on my happiness from the shadows lasted for three or four years before it finally came to an end.
Because Vaughn had neglected his health after the transplant, his remaining kidney was overtaxed. He developed end-stage renal
lisease.
The doctors told him his only options were dialysis or another transplant.
Vaughn refused the transplant. He planned to live for however many days he had left. He couldn’t help but wonder… if I ever heard he news of his death, would I shed a single tear for him?
joon, he received the latest photos from the investigator.
Leander had proposed to me at an art gallery. In the photo, I was smiling as the man on one knee slid a ring onto my finger.
/aughn poured more alcohol down his throat, staring at the photo for hours in a self-inflicted torture.
He pulled a bottle of sleeping pills from his drawer and swallowed half of them at once.
f he woke up, he would go to France to find me.
f he didn’t, he would wait to be with me in the next life.
Outside the window, the night faded and the sun began to rise. But the man on the bed… never opened his eyes again.
Let’s start a new farewell with Sophia.
Sophia, the hidden partner of the Pack’s Head Warrior Jason, discovered her husband was cheating with a college student-he even
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took the girl on business trips and snuck her into the office.
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Mersi
But she didn’t crumble; instead, she tricked Jason into signing the Bonding Severance Agreement and negotiated a ten-million-dollar settlement with her mother-in-law.
And amid this mess, Xander, the future alpha of MoonCloud Pack, has quietly appeared by Sophia’s side…
See you in the story!
