My Husband Stole My Kidney,Then Died for the Girl Who Was Me

And now, for the sake of another woman, he was going to carve out my kidney with his own hands. I looked at Benedict, my voice calm. "Could I meet this kind stranger? She's saving my life, after all. I'd like to thank her properly." Benedict had a reputation in our circles—the devoted husband, the one-woman man. Young, successful, handsome. Women threw themselves at him constantly. Even the hospital director's daughter had made her interest painfully clear, publicly declaring that if Benedict wanted her, the entire hospital could bear his name. But he never wavered. He'd nearly gotten himself blacklisted from the medical community for turning her down. And through it all, he'd held my hands and said: "I could lose everything else in this world. But never you." So what kind of woman could make a man like that—a man who treated loyalty like religion—change? Benedict hesitated for just a moment before smiling. "She left the hospital right after signing the donation consent forms. After your surgery tomorrow, I'll take you to thank her properly." He didn't want me to see her. That much was obvious. Which only made me more curious. I didn't push. Just nodded obediently. "Alright. Whatever you say." I let out a small sigh. "I'm tired. I think I'll head home." Benedict's shoulders relaxed. "I'll drive you." I shook my head, managing a weak smile. "No need. The surgery's tomorrow—you must have so much to prepare. Focus on that. I'll just grab a cab." Something softened in his eyes. "Fern," he said quietly, "marrying someone as understanding as you is the greatest blessing of my life." If I hadn't seen that post. If that college girl didn't exist. Maybe I really would have been moved by the sincerity in his gaze. But now, meeting those eyes so full of love— All I felt was the bitter taste of irony. So love really could be faked. I said nothing. Just turned and walked away. But I didn't go far. I slipped into a café on the ground floor of the hospital, ordered a coffee, and waited. A few minutes later, Benedict emerged from the building, his white coat gone, walking quickly toward the street. I set down my cup and followed. He looked happy. Thrilled, even. He was on his phone, practically bouncing as he walked, clearly sharing good news with whoever was on the other end. I trailed him to an upscale residential complex near the hospital. The moment he reached one of the buildings, a girl came flying down the stairs and threw herself into his arms. When I saw her face, my eyes went wide. Her? I'd been trying to understand how Benedict—who supposedly loved me enough to die for me—could suddenly be keeping a mistress. Now I knew why. My breath caught. Everything clicked into place. That's why he'd gone to such lengths to get me to donate my kidney to her. I couldn't watch them anymore—couldn't stand seeing them wrapped around each other like that. I fled. Back home, I collapsed onto the couch, unable to calm down. Her face kept flashing before my eyes. This was worse than I'd imagined. So much worse. My hands shook as I pulled out my phone and made call after call. Half an hour later, my parents, my mother-in-law, and my sister-in-law all came rushing through my door.

"What's wrong, Fern? You called us over so suddenly—did something happen?" The four of them sat by the sofa, watching me with worried faces. I looked at them for a long moment, then told them everything. Benedict's affair. How he'd tricked me into donating a kidney to his mistress. When I finished, my mother-in-law shot to her feet. "That animal!" "How could he do this to you?" "Fern, don't be upset. I'm going to give him a piece of my mind right now!" My mother grabbed her arm to stop her, then turned to me with a cautious look. "Fern, could there be some kind of misunderstanding?" My father nodded. "Everyone can see how much that boy loves you. How could he possibly cheat?" My sister-in-law chimed in, disbelief written all over her face. "Exactly. You're the only woman my brother has ever loved, his whole life." "He treasures you more than his own life. Why would he cut out your kidney for some other woman?" I knew they wouldn't believe me. So I pulled out the photo I'd secretly taken while following Benedict—the one of that girl. "What if it was her?" The moment they saw the photo, all four of them went pale. The certainty drained from their faces in an instant. "How is this possible?" "Why would it be her?" My mother-in-law's lips moved soundlessly, her voice barely a whisper, her eyes filled with horror. My sister-in-law's confident expression crumbled. "So it's her. No wonder he'd do this..." My parents seemed to collapse in on themselves, their voices trembling. "It's over. It's all over." In that moment, the way they looked at me changed. Despair. Pity. Like they were looking at someone already dead. That's when Benedict walked in. He was carrying a bag of roasted chestnuts—my favorite. Seeing my parents and his mother and sister all gathered there, he froze. "What's everyone doing here?" Then, as if figuring it out himself, he answered his own question. "Are you worried about Fern's health?" "Don't worry. I've already confirmed with the kind donor—she'll be here first thing tomorrow morning to give Fern her kidney." "I'll be performing the surgery myself. I'll make sure nothing goes wrong." Everyone knew he was lying. But no one called him out. They just exchanged silent glances and said nothing. After a long pause, my mother-in-law finally spoke, as if she couldn't hold back any longer. "Benedict, can't you postpone the surgery?" He frowned slightly. "Why would we do that?" "Mom, Fern was incredibly lucky to find a matching donor. If we don't operate tomorrow, someone else might take the kidney. What then?" My sister-in-law looked like she was about to cry. "Please, just cancel it. If you don't, you'll regret it. I know you will." Benedict shook his head. "How could I possibly regret this?" "Saving my wife's life? I couldn't be happier." Then he turned to me—I'd been silent this whole time—and his voice softened. "Honey, you look terrible. Are you feeling okay?" "Is something wrong?" Looking at the concern on his face, I felt a tightness in my chest. "It's nothing." "I'm just a little scared." That was the truth. But it wasn't the surgery I was afraid of. Benedict smiled gently, his voice impossibly tender. "Don't be scared. I'm right here." "Tomorrow, once you're in the operating room, you'll just fall asleep. When you wake up, it'll all be over." No. He didn't understand at all. What that surgery truly meant. Victoria and Daphne wanted to say something more, but my parents cut them off and hurried them out. Before leaving, my parents looked back at me. Their eyes were full of complicated emotions. Benedict didn't notice any of this. He was completely absorbed in his excitement about tomorrow's surgery. He was in such a good mood that he personally cooked a whole table of my favorite dishes. That night, Benedict was more passionate than ever, more eager. Afterward, he held me tight and fell into a deep sleep, murmuring my name even in his dreams. Early the next morning, I went to the hospital with Benedict. Soon, I was wheeled into the operating room. The moment the anesthesia entered my body, my consciousness began to blur rapidly. Through my heavy eyelids, I saw Benedict in surgical scrubs, leaning down to comfort me: "Fern, don't be scared. I'm right here." "You've always wanted to see the Northern Lights, haven't you? Once you recover, I'll take a long vacation and we'll go together." "Oh, and that necklace you've had your eye on for so long—I already ordered it for you. You'll have it as soon as the surgery's over." "And if you're willing... I'd like us to have a baby..." Listening to him plan our future, I couldn't stop the tears that rolled down my cheeks. I won't make it. Benedict. This ending was already written. I can't escape it. And neither can you. The instant Benedict's scalpel broke my skin— I heard the operating room doors slam open. Then came a voice, frantic and loud: "Dr. James, something terrible has happened!"