My Revenge Began When I Exposed Their Lies

I struggled to open my eyes, each breath causing a sharp pain in my right side. The blood-soaked bandages clung to my wound, and any movement sent a searing agony through me. Time seemed to crawl, but neither Calvin nor my father returned.

Late into the night, the door hinges creaked as someone gently pushed open the door to my hospital room. Yara Tucker entered cautiously and, upon seeing me, tears filled her eyes. "Miss Emory..."

She pulled a thermos from under her coat and helped me sit up against the headboard. "How can they leave you all alone, with your wound getting infected..."

She turned away to wipe her tears. I parted my cracked lips, my throat burning. "Yara, please... don't cry."

She spun around quickly, her hands trembling as she opened the thermos and ladled out some steaming chicken soup. "Don't talk, Miss Emory, just eat something."

She blew on the soup to cool it and brought it to my lips. Seeing my difficulty swallowing, she dabbed the corners of my mouth with a handkerchief, her voice quivering: "Calvin, that heartless man, is marrying Teresa in three days. Everyone's saying..."

Her voice faltered, and it took a moment before she continued. "He's spreading lies about you being unfaithful, entangled with several men, and that’s why someone powerful abducted you at his wedding to steal your kidney..."

Calvin concocted countless vile rumors, painting me as deserving of disgrace. Those who once blessed our union now reviled my alleged "scandal."

"Come with me!" Yara suddenly grabbed my hand. "I've saved up some money. You can come back to my hometown with me, away from these monsters."

I shook my head. "There's no escaping this. You should go. If they find you, they won't let you off."

The pain intensified, and darkness clouded my vision. In my final moments of consciousness, Yara clung tightly to my hand, refusing to let go.

When I opened my eyes again, the morning light streamed through the window. Calvin stood at my bedside.

"Awake?" he asked.

He reached out to touch my face, but I turned away. His hand hovered awkwardly before he pulled back, frowning.

"Emory, Teresa isn't doing well. Her only wish is to wear a wedding dress. I want to marry her to fulfill that wish."

"You know that if it weren't for her asking her mother to take me in all those years ago, I would have starved on the streets. I'm just trying to repay her kindness. You understand, right?"

I stared at his deceitful face, the pain in my wound intense, yet not as piercing as the ache in my heart.

"So you took my kidney, ruined my reputation?"

"I gave you everything—my love, my savings. And this is how you repay me?"