Chapter 4 The Child Who Was Still Alive

I left the anatomy lab and rushed to the nearest restroom, retching into the sink until there was nothing left.

Only after I finally calmed down did I replay the conversation I had overheard. At last, I knew who the child was.

I returned to my son's hospital room and grabbed a few things before hurrying to the pediatric ward.

The moment I arrived, I saw a crowd of parents gathered around the nurses' station.

At the center stood my wife and the hospital director.

"Dr. Harper, thank you so much. We've waited so long for a chance like this."

"Exactly. Who would've thought that after losing her own child, she'd still be willing to do something so selfless? She's practically a saint."

Grace accepted their gratitude with a modest expression, while the director beamed with pride and loudly praised the hospital's compassion and dedication to saving lives.

The instant Grace saw me, her expression changed. "What are you doing here? Are you still trying to stop me?"

She gestured toward the parents around her. "Look at them. You're a parent too. Don't you feel anything for what they're going through?"

A thin woman overheard that I was against the procedure and immediately rushed over, grabbing my hands.

"Please, have mercy. My son is only ten years old. He's been waiting for a kidney transplant for two years. This donor is his only chance to survive."

The other parents quickly surrounded me as well. Each told the story of their child's illness.

Kidneys. A heart. Corneas. They intended to harvest everything. To strip one child down to nothing.

I looked at Grace again. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

My voice was cold. "If you wait any longer, it'll be too late."

A tall father suddenly grabbed my collar and yanked me forward. His eyes were bloodshot with desperation.

"Listen to me. Anybody who stands between my son and his chance to live is my enemy. Dr. Harper already agreed to this. Who are you to interfere? Do you have any compassion at all?"

The others joined in immediately.

"That's right. The child is already gone. Let his organs save other children. That's a good deed."

"If these kids die because of you, how are you going to sleep at night?"

"How did a doctor as kind as Dr. Harper end up married to someone like you?"

The accusations grew louder and louder.

Soon, they were no longer just shouting. Some of them started shoving me, their panic and grief turning into anger.

The hospital director cleared his throat. "Honestly, why make this difficult? This is an incredible act of generosity. If I had a child capable of something this noble, I'd be proud."

"Did I ever say I disagreed?"

The noisy crowd fell silent instantly. Everyone froze. Even the father gripping my collar loosened his hold.

Grace's expression softened slightly. Then, she spoke in a tone that sounded almost charitable. "I'm glad you've come to your senses."

She smiled faintly. "Don't worry. When the families send their thank-you banners later, I'll make sure they embroider Leo's favorite flower on them. That way we'll always have something to remember him by."

Then, she paused. "By the way, what was Leo's favorite flower?"

I didn't answer. Instead, I took out my phone and called my mother.

"Evander, when are you getting here?" My mother's voice came through the speaker.

"Mom, Leo's awake, right? Ask him what his favorite flower is. Let him tell his mother himself."

There was a second of silence.

Then, my mother called out from the other end. "Leo, what's your favorite flower? Tell your mommy."

A moment later, a soft, childish voice rang through the phone's speaker. It echoed down the entire hallway. "I like sunflowers. Mommy bought me some last time."

The corridor froze. Every face turned pale.

The silence was absolute.

Grace stared at me as if she had just seen a ghost.