We're Free

Later, I walked into Lily's hospital ward like a walking corpse. I started crying as I looked at her thin face.

Our parents had died young. Lily, who was three years younger than me, was the only family I had left. The first year after Jason founded his company, a wealthy heir assaulted her. I called the police without hesitation, but Jason stopped me.

He said the man had promised to invest a huge sum in his company, enough to change its fate. "Even if this goes to court, nothing will happen to him with his family's influence. Lily's reputation will be ruined, too."

In the end, I gave in.

But Lily broke completely. She jumped from the sixth floor and had been in a coma ever since.

Jason had arranged for her to stay in the best hospital, keeping her alive until now. That had always been the responsibility he was supposed to bear. I had never expected him and his mother to use Lily against me.

That was because his mother had threatened me with Lily, too.

"If you tell anyone I'm the one sending these women to Jason, I'll have someone pull Lily's oxygen tube! You can't even give Jason an heir! You forced me to do this!"

Their words were like knives, stabbing deeper and deeper into my heart.

I asked out loud, "Lily, will you leave with me?"

-

The doctor said Sylvia was about a month pregnant, but the pregnancy was unstable, so she needed to stay in the hospital for a few days.

Jason stayed with her day and night.

I finally had a chance to breathe.

I went home, took the few pieces of jewelry I had left, and sold them.

Over the years, Jason had told everyone in our circle how many expensive jewels he had bought for me, but his mother had taken almost all of them. She said I rarely socialized anyway, so there was no need for me to keep so many valuables at home.

As for the card Jason gave me for my monthly pocket money, his mother checked every penny I spent. That was why I could not touch that money now.

With the money from the jewelry sales, I contacted a nursing home in a small town near my hometown. After the divorce, I planned to take Lily there with me. Then, I rented a small apartment near the hospital.

There were still many days before we could get the divorce certificate. There was no way I could live under the same roof as Sylvia.

When I returned to the villa to pack, I took down our enormous wedding photo. Then, a document envelope fell from behind it.

Confused, I opened it. The papers inside had already yellowed with age.

It was a consent form for a liver transplant. My name was clearly signed on it, but the recipient was the son of a powerful official.

I collapsed to the floor, completely stunned.

Eight years ago, Jason had suddenly developed liver disease and needed a transplant. I happened to be a match, so I had the surgery without hesitation.

After I left the hospital, his company seemed to have turned itself around and grown rapidly. I had thought that maybe the gods had finally seen our hard work and decided to favor us for once.

I had never expected all of it to be bought with my liver.

The man I had loved for more than a decade had been plotting against me every step of the way.

Just as I was crumbling, my phone rang. It was a wealthy woman I had gotten to know for Jason's career's sake.