The Donor's Trick

Jeffrey returned soon with an easy smile on his face. "I checked. The sea urchin quality is top-notch today. You'll love it."

The dishes arrived one by one. Jeffrey still carefully peeled the sea urchin for her and dipped it in soy sauce.

Halfway through the meal, Amelia suddenly looked troubled. "Jeffrey, I thought about it again. Kidney donation surgery isn't minor. Recovery takes a long time. I'm afraid of aftereffects. Aren't we... getting married soon?"

Jeffrey paused while picking up food. "Baby, don't overthink. The wedding is just a formality. Sooner or later doesn't matter. Once you're fully recovered, we'll have a grand one. I promise."

Amelia understood his implication.

For Emma, their wedding could delay indefinitely. Their future could step aside anytime.

At that moment, Jeffrey's phone lit up again.

He glanced at the screen. His face changed slightly. It was the hospital caregiver.

He picked up the phone right away and gestured an apology to Amelia. He said softly, "Office emergency. I'll take it outside."

A few minutes later, he came back. He spoke while grabbing his jacket nearby. "Sorry, Amelia. An urgent project issue at the office. I have to handle it. Take your time. Have the family driver pick you up after. Okay?"

Amelia nodded and watched him leave the private room.

Twenty minutes later, Amelia wiped her mouth slowly. She stood and went downstairs to hail a cab. "To Moss Private Hospital."

The cab stopped at the hospital entrance quickly.

Amelia did not get out. She just rolled down the window. Her gaze fell on the well-kept small garden below the inpatient building.

On a bench not far away sat a figure Amelia knew very well.

Jeffrey.

Beside him sat a young woman in a blue-and-white hospital gown. Long hair draped her shoulders. Her face looked pale.

This was Amelia's first time seeing Emma.

At that moment, Jeffrey leaned slightly. He held a book and seemed to read to her.

Emma rested on his shoulder. She occasionally lifted a finger to point at the page. Jeffrey bent his head to listen. Smiles touched his eyes and brows.

Anyone who saw them would think they were deeply in love.

Amelia sat in the cab and watched quietly for a long time.

Perhaps she had cried all her tears. Only numb dull pain came from her heart now.

His affection for her existed only because she qualified as an organ donor.

She watched Jeffrey carefully tuck the slipping blanket back over Emma's legs...

Enough.

Truly enough.

"Let's go." Amelia withdrew her gaze and rolled up the window.

In the hospital garden, Emma suddenly said, "Jeffrey, your wedding date... is it soon?"

Jeffrey stiffened for a moment. Then he hummed lightly.

"I, can I go? I want... to see the most important moment in your life."

Jeffrey's heart twisted instantly. "Silly, that's just a necessary formality. If you go, won't it hurt you more?"

How could he let her witness that fake wedding planned carefully to save her?

That would be too cruel for Emma.