Chapter 1

My son was in a car accident on his way to school, and I watched him die slowly despite my pleas.

I held the urn with his ashes in my hands, while my cheating husband finally expressed regret.

I was tidying up the house as usual when I received a message that shattered me.

"Ma'am, your son was in a car accident. Please come immediately!"

"What?" I gasped.

This morning, Alex suddenly insisted on taking Lucas to school. Lucas was thrilled.

After all, Alex and I had been fighting for a week over Lucas's school transfer.

Before heading out, Lucas beamed with his innocent smile.

"I love both Mommy and Daddy so much! It’s great that you’ve made up!"

Little did I know that less than two hours later, Lucas would be involved in a terrible car accident.

I rushed to the hospital, my mind racing as I kept calling the doctors for updates.

"Your son is in critical condition. He keeps saying, 'Mom, Dad, help me.'"

I broke down in the back of the taxi, crying uncontrollably. My poor Lucas.

At the hospital, I tried to enter, but Nurse Davis stopped me.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. The patient's condition has worsened. We're trying everything we can."

I anxiously waited for the doctor's words. Dr. Stephen informed me that a metal rod had pierced Lucas's heart. The only way to save him was to find a heart donor or use an artificial heart.

I was beside myself with grief, begging the doctor to save my son.

"Sierra, your husband’s company specializes in artificial heart technology. Could you reach out to him?" Dr. Stephen suggested.

That snapped me out of my fog. Alex’s company had recently developed a successful heart donor prototype, and their clinical trials had been highly successful.

I immediately dialed Alex’s number. Once, twice, three times.

"Hello, what... do you need?"

The voice that answered was female, a familiar one. It was Jenny, Alex's step-sister.

I didn’t think much of it; she was just his step-sister, after all.

"Judy, where’s Alex? I—" I started, but was cut off by the sounds on the other end of the line: the unmistakable slap of skin and moans from Judy.

"Slow down... Alex, not so rough... ahh..."

I heard Alex’s breathless voice. "I’m busy."

The call disconnected. It hit me then.

Dr. Stephen rushed out again, asking, "Have you found a heart donor yet?"

In my panic, I couldn't think straight. I cried, offering up my own heart, but I knew it wasn’t possible. I was 30, and Lucas was only eight. My heart wouldn’t be suitable.

I asked if there were any spare artificial hearts, but Dr. Stephen shook his head. "Your husband’s company controls the use of those. They need his approval, and he hasn’t signed off yet."

I kept calling Alex again and again, only to hear the automated response: "The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable."

Desperately, I reached out to his company, but no one had the authority to activate the use of an artificial heart. Only Alex could make that call.

Dr. Stephen informed me that we had only one hour left to save Lucas. If we couldn’t find a heart donor in time, my son would die.

Then I remembered—Alex must still be with Jenny. I rushed over to her place.

When I arrived, I was stunned to see them through the window. Alex and Jenny were in bed together, completely wrapped up in each other.

Jenny, young, beautiful, and seductive, was everything I was not. Her soft skin glowed as Alex moved on top of her. I, on the other hand, had grown older, worn down by the endless chores and responsibilities of our household.

Alex was cheating on me—with his own step-sister, Jenny.

"Why don’t we go to your place? Isn’t it more thrilling to sneak around there?" Jenny moaned.

"That old hag’s at home. It’s not convenient," Alex replied, before they began again.