After Saving His Life, I Saved Myself

I donate my kidney to save my husband, Charlie Ashford. However, when I'm discharged from the hospital, he kicks me out of the master bedroom and tells me to stay in the guest room without any hesitation. "I feel sick just looking at your scar. It looks like a centipede," he says. "Savannah will be moving into the master bedroom since she's pregnant." My wound splits open that night. I call Charlie 100 times to ask for help as I lie in a pool of my own blood. My calls go unanswered, but I can hear Savannah Quinton's high-pitched moans of ecstasy coming from the master bedroom. The strength leaves my body in an instant. When I'm hospitalized, I brush my fingers over the military merit medal that Mom left for me before she passed away. I finally recall the man whom even the mayor has to pay his respects to—Joshua Jetson. I immediately dialed the number that has been gathering dust for a long time. "You told me that you owed Mom a favor, Mr. Jetson," I say. "I want you to marry me now." Chapter 1 "I need to think about it, Wendy," Joshua Jetson said in a deep voice over the phone. He didn't immediately agree, but he also didn't reject me. I breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Alright, then. I'll wait for your answer." … I heard a feminine gasp of surprise resound from behind me after I returned home. "You were discharged from the hospital, Wendy? Why didn't you tell us?" Savannah Quinton's eyes sparkled as she looked at the suitcase that I was holding. My husband, Charlie Ashford, stepped forward and swept his disdainful gaze across my abdomen. "Don't blame Savannah. You know she's pregnant and needs to stay here to take care of the baby in her belly, Wendy. Go back to your guest room now. You can move back into the master bedroom after that repulsive wound of yours heals." My heart squeezed painfully as a sour and bitter sensation spread through my chest. Three years ago, Charlie's distant relative, Savannah, showed up at our doorstep right after we got married. I allowed her to move into the guest room because her hometown had been ravaged by a disaster, but I didn't expect her to stay with us for three years. My wound hadn't even healed yet, but Charlie still wanted me to live in the guest bedroom? Charlie grabbed my suitcase when I remained silent. "Savannah just got pregnant. She can't be around a sick person. Don't leave your room unless absolutely necessary!" he snapped. He then tossed my suitcase into the cramped guest room as if it were nothing but trash, kicking up a cloud of dust in the air. Savannah covered her nose with a disgusted look on her face and allowed Charlie to lead her toward the master bedroom. The door slammed shut behind them, totally cutting off the dim and chilly guest room from the rest of the house. I robotically picked up my suitcase, not having the strength to argue with them. Besides, I wasn't long for this world. … I was woken up by the sounds of laughter the next morning. I felt incredibly dizzy. I pulled my shirt up and realized that my wound was festering and inflamed again. I got up and prepared to drop by the clinic to buy some anti-inflammatory medicine. However, I froze on the spot when I pushed the door open. Charlie and Savannah were sitting closely on the couch together. Their lips were connected by a thin string of saliva. The burning desire within Charlie extinguished a little when he saw me, replaced by annoyance at being interrupted. "Why did you only get up now? It's already so late. You've become so lazy after you were hospitalized. Savannah wants to eat the cheesecakes from Westshire. Run along and buy two slices for her." I pressed a hand against my stomach. I couldn't stop my lips from trembling when I said, "My wound is inflamed again, Charlie." Charlie simply scoffed at my words. He approached me and began pushing me toward the door. "Why are you being so pretentious? I'm telling you to go right now! Don't forget that you'd have been sleeping on the streets if the Ashford family hadn't taken you in all those years ago!" I staggered forward and only managed to regain my balance after I collided against a bookcase. Just then, Savannah tenderly locked arms with Charlie, saying, "Don't be like that, Charlie. Wendy's still weak. I can understand why she would be reluctant to go. It's just that I don't have much of an appetite today. I'll just have to skip lunch, then." Charlie looked absolutely heartbroken and held her tightly. "You're already so thin. The baby is going to go hungry if you skip lunch. Wendy just wants to slack off! I refuse to believe that her wound split open just because she took a couple of steps!" I gritted my teeth and did my best to block out his mocking words. However, I couldn't stop the tears from spilling down my cheeks and splattering on the floor. This was the man who I had sacrificed my kidney to save. I slipped my hand into my pocket and clutched the heavy military merit medal that was cool to the touch. Mom had pressed it into my palm before she passed away. I still remembered how she took my hand before speaking her last words. "Wendy… If you ever feel like you can't go on anymore… Take this and look for Joshua Jetson… He owes our family a favor…" Just then, our neighbor, Penelope Myers, knocked on our door. She had a message for us. There was only a single sentence on the note. "My men will be coming tomorrow." I knew that Joshua was going to pick me up soon. Chapter 2 The sour sensation in my heart faded away. I looked up at Charlie and said, "I can go. But if I die on the streets outside, you're the murderer who signed my death sentence, Charlie!" My voice wasn't loud, but it was enough to render him speechless. Charlie stood rooted to the spot. A long time passed before he stammered, "D-Drop the act! So what if you donated a kidney to me? The Ashford family took you in for three years! "You need to prepare some refreshments as soon as possible! I would have wasted my time taking care of you if you couldn't even carry out such a simple task!" He looked like he had more to say, but I didn't want to listen to him anymore. I turned around and headed downstairs, doing my best to ignore the way my body felt like it was burning. In the past, right after we got married, Charlie would spend all day and night taking care of me whenever I fell sick. When I mumbled that I wanted hot chocolate with marshmallows in my sleep, he immediately went to buy it for me. We didn't live in a villa. We only lived in a small house, but the sweetness of the hot chocolate spread through my entire heart. Suddenly, I heard Savannah call out to me sweetly from behind me. "Wendy!" A few coins were thrown at me before I could turn around. Savannah's grating laugh echoed in my ears. She didn't even bother hiding her glee. "You didn't bring any money with you, Wendy. Are you planning to beg the bakery's owner to give you the cakes for free?" It was obvious that she was mocking me. I kept my back ramrod straight as I glanced at the scattered coins on the floor. I pretended that I didn't see them, stepping on them as I headed downstairs and made my way to the clinic. I was shaking all over when the doctor applied ointment on my wound. My entire body was drenched with sweat. The doctor shot a serious look at me after he looked at my medical report. "The infection is quite serious, Ms. Lawrence. On top of that, you didn't receive any proper treatment or nutrition after your surgery. The spread of the renal mass on your kidney is quite severe. You have to be very careful in the future. Your very life might be at risk if your condition deteriorates." I wasn't surprised by his words and just nodded calmly. I didn't just sit around and fiddle with my thumbs after I left the clinic. Instead, I made my way to the closest post office. I personally wrote about Charlie's years of misconduct in the letter. A faint sense of relief washed over me as I watched it be sent off to the Internal Revenue Bureau. Just then, a newspaper brushed against my hand. There was a photo that showed Joshua in his military uniform. He looked like he oozed authority. "The youngest commander, Joshua Jetson, inspects Lunaria." "Commander Jetson receives the latest report from Lunaria's cancer research institute." A trace of hope sparked in my heart as I dug my fingers into the newspaper. … The sun was high in the sky when I returned home to retrieve my documents. I had just stepped through the door when Charlie began to interrogate me immediately. "Savannah was waiting for you all morning. Where are the cheesecakes?" Savannah looked pale as she slumped against the couch. Her appearance tugged at one's heartstrings and made them want to take care of her. I completely ignored Charlie as I circled him and headed toward the master bedroom to retrieve my documents. Impatience flickered in his eyes. He grabbed me, causing me to stumble over my feet. "Are you deaf? I'm talking to you!" Chapter 3 I looked up at Charlie. "I fainted on the street, but the coachman wasn't willing to give me a ride. Do you know why?" I asked while staring calmly into his eyes. "It was because he was terrified that I would die in his coach." Panic flickered in Charlie's eyes. However, it didn't take long before his embarrassment morphed into anger. "You… Stop lying!" he roared. "The doctor said you were in perfect health!" I couldn't help but feel how absurd the situation was as I took in the fury burning in his eyes. "I'm not lying. I have cancer. The doctor said I only have three months left." Charlie inhaled sharply. He stared unblinkingly at me as if he were trying to determine if I was lying to him. Just then, Savannah cried out while pressing a hand to her stomach. "My stomach hurts so much, Charlie," she whined. "Is the baby upset because it's hungry?" Charlie immediately abandoned me and hurried over to Savannah's side. He looked absolutely heartbroken, and his eyes were overflowing with tenderness. "It's alright, Savannah. I won't let you or the baby go hungry no matter what happens." A layer of ice had frosted over his eyes when he whirled around. "I won't forgive you if anything happens to the baby in Savannah's belly!" he snapped. "How dare you lie about having cancer? If you really do have cancer, you should just leave and die somewhere away from here. Don't come back!" It was as if a hole had been torn in my heart at that moment, allowing the cold winds to billow through it. I was shaking when I grabbed my ID from the cabinet. I was just about to take my leave when Charlie's mother, Alice Peterson's booming voice, resounded from beyond the door. "Where's Wendy? Show yourself!" Alice barged into the room and slapped a divorce agreement on the table. "Sign this right now, Wendy!" she demanded. "You won't be getting a single penny from our family. A person who's riddled with sickness like you shouldn't get in the way of Charlie and Savannah's future!" Savannah stood in surprise. She approached Alice and gently said, "There's no need for you to get angry on my behalf, Mrs. Ashford. Wendy and Charlie have been married for three years, after all. My baby and I will be fine…" However, her words only fanned the flames of Alice's fury even more. "She couldn't give birth to a single child even though it's been three years! My family isn't a charity center!" Then she turned to me. "Pack your things and get out of my sight if you know what's good for you!" Impatience flickered across Charlie's face as he supported Alice. "Mom's telling you to sign the papers! Don't make things more difficult than they have to be!" My chest tightened painfully. It turned out that the Ashfords had already been planning to get rid of me in favor of having the baby in Savannah's belly join the family. The corners of my lips curled up into a smile as I glared at them. "Why should I leave without a single penny?" I demanded. "I was by Charlie's side when he was just a regular factory worker before he was promoted to factory director. Half of the technology in the factory is using my patents! "Also, have you forgotten how you begged me when Charlie's kidney was failing?" Steely expressions appeared on their faces upon hearing my words. Overwhelmed by anger, Charlie slapped me hard across the face. His furious shouts echoed in my ears. "What patents? Your mother died three years ago. We took you in out of the kindness in our hearts. Everything that you've done for us is part of your obligations. I don't care if you disagree. You must sign the divorce papers today!" His powerful slap caused my head to snap to the side. My forehead collided against the corner of the table. I pressed a hand against my bleeding forehead and stared at Charlie, who seemed more demon than man. My heart felt utterly hollow. Since he couldn't win the argument, he was forcing me to sign the divorce agreement, wanting to kick me to the curb without a single penny to my name. Well, they were the ones who were going to be in deep trouble when the employees of the Internal Revenue Bureau showed up at their doorstep. "Fine… I'll sign it!" Charlie looked at me strangely when I agreed without much hesitation. I clutched the military merit medal in my pocket. I then grabbed the pen and signed the divorce agreement. Blood flowed down my forehead and dripped onto the dotted line, reminiscent of a flower blooming in despair. "From today on, I will have nothing to do with the Ashford family!" I exclaimed. I grabbed my suitcase and stormed out of the house without sparing a single glance at them. Chapter 4 I found a cheap motel to stay in. The next day, I heard a series of knocks on my door. Two military soldiers stood in the hallway. Their backs were ramrod straight, and they carried themselves with cold and tough demeanors. One of the soldiers nodded at me and politely asked, "Pardon me, are you Ms. Wendy Lawrence? Commander Jetson told us to inform you to meet him at the entrance of the courthouse at 11:00 am." I breathed a sigh of relief. The heavy weight on my shoulders disappeared. … Charlie and I agreed to meet at 8:00 am to file the divorce. I waited at the entrance of the courthouse. Charlie was late. Savannah was with him when he finally showed up. The two of them were dressed in bright and vibrant colors as if they were going to get married in the next second. Charlie was worried that I would cause a fuss. But he realized that he had nothing to worry about when he noticed that I was very cooperative throughout the entire process. Suddenly, a man dashed toward us and whispered in Charlie's ear. His face twisted before he glared daggers at me. "They're saying that you reported the factory, Wendy! It's been shut down by the Internal Revenue Bureau!" he exclaimed. "Have you lost your mind?" I ignored him as I left. However, a pair of large hands clamped around my throat in the next second. My neck throbbed painfully. Black spots exploded in my vision as I began to suffocate. My face began to turn purple from lack of oxygen. Just then, my throat began to itch terribly. In the next second, fresh blood spurted from my mouth. My blood splattered on Charlie's hands, causing his eyes to widen. He immediately loosened his hold on me and exclaimed, "Wendy… You… Why are you vomiting blood?" The people in the courthouse shrieked when they saw the blood. Blood pooled in my mouth. I braced my hands against the floor and pushed myself back on my feet. I barked out a bitter laugh, saying, "I already told you… I have a terminal illness." Charlie finally started to panic upon hearing my words. Meanwhile, Savannah's eyes flashed darkly before she let out a shaky gasp. "Why would you lie to Charlie, Wendy?" she asked. "The hospital never would have agreed to you signing the transplant consent form if you had a terminal illness." She grabbed Charlie and continued to plant the seeds of doubt in his mind. "What if Wendy is just putting on an act because she doesn't want to get divorced, Charlie?" Charlie's temper exploded when he heard her words. "I nearly fell for your lies, Wendy. Well, I'm curious to see just how long you'll survive if you're so fond of pretending to have a terminal illness!" He aimed a powerful kick at my abdomen, causing me to crash into the wall. The stitches on my abdomen split open again, revealing the flesh beneath the skin. Blood stained my sweater red in an instant. I curled up on the floor and looked around, hoping to see Joshua. However, Charlie kicked my abdomen again in the next second with his leather shoes. The pain was excruciating. Charlie looked down at me from the tip of his nose. His eyes were full of mockery when he said, "I didn't know that you're such a good actress, Wendy. Where did you get your hands on so much fake blood?" My soul felt like it was being torn in two. The pain robbed me of my ability to speak and explain myself. "Stop!" Two sets of panicked voices resounded from the front door. The two soldiers from earlier that morning burst into the courthouse. They wore cold and serious expressions as they stood before me, shielding me behind them. "This woman is Commander Jetson's wife! How dare you lay your hands on her?" Charlie burst out laughing upon hearing their words. "The script has to make sense if you want to put on a show, Wendy." He sneered. "Why would Commander Jetson play along with your little scheme? Don't tell me you were hoping that these two thugs would come to your aid earlier?" Charlie's eyes were full of disdain as he looked down at me. "You bitch! How dare you seduce other men when you were still married to me? Someone! Get a reporter over here and snap a few photos of her. I want everyone in the country to know that you're a promiscuous slut! How shameless can you possibly be?" He then reached out to me, wanting to tear my clothes to shreds. A wave of humiliation crashed over me. However, an intimidating voice cut through the air at that moment. "Who dares lay a hand on my woman?"