Chapter 1

Liam Bennett took the transplant liver meant for our dying daughter and gave it to his mistress, Sutton.

My daughter died.

My mother had a stroke from the shock and passed away too.

In an instant, I lost everyone I loved.

Yet he showed no remorse. He brought his mistress to see me.

"Sutton's condition was more critical. As for the child..." Liam put his arm around his mistress's waist. "Sutton is pregnant. You'll adopt her child later."

Sutton rubbed her belly and said with fake sympathy, "The doctor says this pregnancy is stable. Liam is thrilled. You should be happy for him too, right? After all, the Bennett family will finally have a healthy child."

This was murder of the cruelest kind.

After they left, I sent a message to a mysterious email address.

"I agree to cooperate."

The response came quickly. "Good. My condition is that you marry me."

Celine POV

My daughter Lily had been waiting three years for a transplant liver. In the end, her father Liam Bennett gave it to his mistress, Sutton Moore.

When I arrived at the children's transplant center, the transplant confirmation had already been completed.

I chased to the surgical corridor and saw Sutton being wheeled toward the operating room.

Liam stood next to Director Mr. Davis, his hand pressing down on a modified transplant confirmation form.

"Change it back." I rushed over. "That's Lily's liver!"

Liam looked up at me, his voice heavy. "I'm Lily's father. I have the authority to sign."

Mr. Davis immediately lowered his head. "Mr. Bennett also confirmed on behalf of the investors. The hospital is executing according to the new signature."

I, the mother who had watched over Lily for three years, was blocked outside the corridor.

I reached out to grab that piece of paper but was stopped by security.

"Liam, she's only five years old! She's been waiting since she was two. She finally got her chance today!"

Liam avoided my eyes. "Sutton took a car crash for me years ago. Her liver damage is a complication from that accident. She can't wait for the next round."

I stared at him with red eyes. "And Lily can wait?"

Sutton lay on the gurney, tears streaming down from the corners of her eyes.

"Liam, forget it." Her voice was soft. "Don't make Celine hate you because of me."

She said to forget it, but her hand gripped Liam's fingers.

"I'm in so much pain." She gasped. "I'm afraid I won't make it."

Liam's jaw tightened.

The next second, he signed his name in the final column of the confirmation form.

The operating room doors closed behind Sutton. I was held back by security outside. I watched helplessly as the surgical light came on.

The pre-surgery corridor in Lily's room was quickly dismantled.

The doctor looked at the monitors and said quietly. "Her numbers are dropping too fast. Backup treatment can only buy a little time. It can't replace the transplant."

When Lily woke up, she could barely open her eyes.

"Mommy." She asked softly. "Am I not having surgery anymore?"

I held her hand, forcing a smile. "The doctors are still working on it."

Someone outside said the donor liver had been transferred.

Lily heard it.

She slowly turned her face. "Did Daddy give my liver to that woman?"

My throat felt blocked. I could only hold her tighter.

Lily's small hand touched the back of my hand, her strength as light as paper. "Don't blame me, Mommy. I didn't wait long enough."

The monitor suddenly shrieked.

Doctors rushed in. I was pushed to the side of the bed. The emergency light flashed on and off. Finally, the doctor removed his gloves and couldn't meet my eyes.

Lily never called me Mommy again.

On the other end, news of Sutton's successful surgery came quickly.

I stood at the end of the hallway holding the death certificate, hearing an assistant ask Liam. "Mr. Bennett, about Lily... should we go check on her?"

Liam was silent for a few seconds.

"Don't release the news yet." He said. "Don't let anyone else know."

I looked down at the name on the death certificate, tucked Lily's small hand back under the blanket, then called my lawyer.

"I want a divorce."

The lawyer paused.

I looked at Lily's pale little face and added. "I want to get back what I deserve."

After hanging up, I opened the email Luke Morrison had sent me three years ago.

Back then, Luke had invited me to work on a pediatric transplant ethics project. I had stayed for Lily.

Now, I replied to that email.

"I agree to cooperate. Please preserve the transplant confirmation form and the surgical corridor surveillance footage."

Luke's reply came fast.

"I'll send someone to get you. Just don't die at their hands first."

I put my phone down beside Lily's hospital bed. Outside, Liam's footsteps stopped.