Chapter 3

After a heavy silence, Vincent sighed and leaned in, his voice shifting into a placating tone.

"Selena, since you already know, why make a scene?"

"You're down a kidney. You can never dance again. If you stay with me, I'll take care of you for the rest of your life. If you leave, where could you possibly go?"

Chloe held her belly and sneered.

"Exactly. As long as you know your place, I'll let you stay by Vincent's side. At least you're cleaner than the sluts outside."

Vincent didn't utter a single word of protest.

I laughed at myself.

What was I still expecting from him?

For the sake of loving him, I had sacrificed an organ.

In the end, it was nothing more than leverage for them to control me.

I stopped looking at them.

I stopped talking.

I wiped away my final tear, grabbed my packed suitcase, and walked toward the door.

Vincent frowned and reached out to block my path.

Suddenly, Chloe cried out in agony from behind him.

"Vincent! My stomach hurts so bad... Take me to the hospital, please!"

Without a second thought, Vincent pulled his hand back from me.

"Selena, Chloe is pregnant. I have to get her to the hospital. Stay here and wait for me to come back."

He picked Chloe up and rushed out the door.

I didn't wait.

I dragged my suitcase to a nearby boutique hotel and checked in.

Opening my inbox, the ballet conservatory in Paris had sent over my flight itinerary for tomorrow morning.

I replied with my gratitude and confirmed I would board the plane on time.

Outside, rain began to tap against the windowpane. I couldn't sleep a wink, staring at the ceiling until dawn.

In my daze, the hotel room door was shoved open.

Vincent rushed inside.

Seeing me, he let out a huge sigh of relief, though his eyes were rimmed with red and full of blame.

"Selena, didn't I tell you to wait for me at home? Why did you sneak off to a hotel?"

Pale-faced, I sat up on the bed and smiled bitterly.

"Home? Is that place my home? The marriage is fake. You're Chloe's husband. It was never my home."

Vincent choked on his words.

After a long pause, he sighed and pulled out another contract.

"Selena, sign this. I can't give you a legal marriage, but I swear I will give you a real home."

It was a voluntary kidney donation agreement.

"I, Selena, hereby voluntarily consent to donate my remaining kidney to Chloe..."

I stared at Vincent in sheer disbelief.

"My remaining kidney? Vincent, are you telling me to go die?"

Vincent avoided my eyes.

He thrust a medical report into my hands.

"Chloe's body is rejecting the transplanted kidney. She's pregnant. She can't survive without it."

"Don't be scared, Selena. I already talked to the doctors. You can live a full life on dialysis."

Three months ago, after I gave up my first kidney, Vincent had held me and wept, swearing he would protect me with his life.

The vows were still ringing in my ears, yet the man who once mourned my lost organ was now demanding the last one I had left.

The final spark of warmth in my heart turned to ash.

I slapped the contract out of his hand with a cold laugh.

"Get out. I will never sign that."