Chapter 1

My wife, Jacqueline Hampton, was hiding a secret. Her first love, Gerald Andersen, had been in a car accident and urgently needed a kidney transplant. She took me to the hospital for a checkup, claiming it was just a routine exam, but the real reason was to see if I was a match for Gerald.

When the results came out, Jacqueline was overjoyed and tricked me into signing a consent form.

"Matthew Hampton, it's just a kidney. You won't die without it. Why are you being so dramatic?

"I promise you, if you help Gerald survive this, I'll have children with you!"

I smirked bitterly, "Children? You've got to be kidding. Only my wife can bear my children. Who are you?"

"Why the sudden need to take the whole family for a checkup?"

I turned to look out the window, my face expressionless, as Jacqueline, holding my hand, awkwardly smiled at me.

"I'm just worried about my parents' health and about you too. You've been working late for years, and your health is getting worse. I just want to make sure everything's okay.

"You're the pillar of our family. If you fall, what will happen to us?"

Sitting in the backseat, my parents nodded in agreement with Jacqueline, adding, "Matthew, Jacqueline really cares about you. You should listen to her."

I turned to look into her eyes, and Jacqueline nervously looked down, her grip on my hand tightening.

"Darling, do you think I would harm you?"

I said nothing, just quietly stared at her. Despite Jacqueline's calm demeanor, I could tell from her body language that she was lying.

Earlier, when I looked out the window, I noticed several cars following us.

No legitimate hospital would perform a transplant without the patient's consent. Judging by the situation, Jacqueline must have gone to a black-market hospital where she could pay to get anything done.

I tried calming myself and spoke slowly, "Jacqueline, I know what's happening.

"You brought us to the hospital under the guise of a checkup, but it's not really a checkup, is it? The real reason is to see if we're a match for Gerald's kidney, right?"

The mention of Gerald's name struck Jacqueline like a lightning bolt straight to her heart.

In the next moment, I clearly felt a thin layer of sweat forming on her palm.

"Matthew, what are you talking about? Since marrying you, I haven't thought about any other man."

"Really?"

I asked, "A week ago, Gerald had a car accident. Didn't you hear?

"I heard he was seriously injured, his kidney was damaged, and without a matching donor, it will fail, and he doesn't have much time left."

As soon as I finished speaking, Jacqueline let go of my hand, her face filled with guilt. She didn't argue, and my heart sank.

"Matthew, I would never hurt you. Please don't think that.

"This accident was a tragedy. Gerald was just an innocent victim, and I won't let him suffer, nor will I let you suffer."

I watched her eyes fill with sorrow, and my heart felt like it was being squeezed, aching to the point I could barely breathe.

"Gerald is a race car driver. How many families has he ruined over the years by ignoring traffic laws and speeding?

"Even this accident was his fault. If not for his family's connections, he would've..."

"Matthew!" Jacqueline interrupted me sharply, her eyes red. She looked up at me, her gaze unwavering. "It's not like that..."

"He's a race car driver. He loves speed. That's his passion. You can't say that about him!

"Besides, I'm just asking you to get a checkup. Even if you're a match, donating one kidney won't affect your normal life.

"Please, just do it for me. Help him, and I'll have children with you!"

Jacqueline looked at me with pleading eyes. What I hadn't expected was that the woman who once refused to have a child with me, terrified of how her body might change, was now using it as a bargaining chip to make demands in exchange for Gerald's recovery.

"Jacqueline, you never used to say things like this," I said, my voice filled with disappointment. Jacqueline must have sensed it because she clutched the sleeve of my shirt tightly.

From the moment she had me get into the car, I knew Gerald was the one who truly mattered to her.

No matter how much I did, how much I sacrificed, it could never compare to him.

For the next few hours, I didn't say a word. The car behind us stayed too close, and my parents were still in Jacqueline's hands. There was no way to escape.

Regardless of what the test results showed, my marriage with Jacqueline was already over.

The driver brought us to a rundown iron gate. The moment we got out of the car, a group of people surrounded us.

"We'll take him first. Remember to pay the balance," one of them said.

Jacqueline stood there, silent. My parents were trapped inside the car, and if I dared to resist, there was a real chance I'd end up dead. The only hope left was that the test results wouldn't match Gerald's.

I was quickly taken to an underground operating room, where the environment was dirty and chaotic. From the medical box next to me, which was filled with medical cotton swabs, I could even hear the squeaky sounds of mice.

As the doctor took my blood, he glanced at me and couldn't help but mock, "I've been in this business for years, but this is the first time I've seen someone send their husband here.

"She is ruthless. Afraid you might run, so she brought your parents along."

I didn't respond. Every word from the doctor felt like a knife cutting into me. When the thick needle went into my skin, my face turned pale from the pain.

About two hours later, the test results came out.

My kidney matched Gerald's perfectly. Hearing this, Jacqueline was ecstatic. She eagerly grabbed the doctor's hand, urging them to take my kidney.

I stared at the woman who had been by my side for five years, and at that moment, my heart completely broke.