Chapter 3

I went to work the next morning. However, before I even reached the office entrance, my phone started buzzing repeatedly.

I checked it, only to see that a coworker had sent me a video.

"Isa, look! Isn't this the family whose daughter you previously donated bone marrow to?"

I focused on the screen. Sure enough, it was the Smith family. They were gathered outside my workplace, causing a commotion.

In the video, Gerald and Elizabeth sank to the ground as they wailed about how hard their lives had been.

"Three years ago, we sold everything we had to save our daughter," Gerald cried. "She's only just recovered, and now, some heartless woman is trying to guilt her into donating her bone marrow!"

Elizabeth sobbed even louder. "She can die for all we care, but she wants to take our daughter down with her! Who could be this cruel?"

Their cries soon prompted several coworkers to step forward and defend me.

"Donating bone marrow doesn't even cause serious harm!" someone argued. "If it weren't for Isabella, your daughter might not even be alive today!"

Another chimed in, "Exactly! Just because your daughter doesn't want to die, does that mean someone else has to? She's just trying to survive!"

Seeing everyone around them speak up in my defense, Courtney looked utterly devastated. Tears streamed down her face as she cried out, "So, her life matters. But what about mine?

"Donating is an act of kindness, and I have every right to refuse! Why should anyone try to guilt me into it?"

Elizabeth's eyes blazed with rage when she saw Courtney cry. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and seized the wrist of the young woman who had just spoken.

"Put it in writing then!" she snapped. "If anything happens to my daughter because of this bone marrow donation, you'll take full responsibility!"

At that threat, the young lady immediately withdrew her hand and didn't dare say another word.

Meanwhile, the rest of the onlookers instinctively stepped back. They, too, were afraid of being dragged into the Smiths' scheme.

With no one left to defend me, Gerald and Elizabeth began twisting the facts.

They accused me of extorting a huge sum of money from them three years ago before agreeing to donate my bone marrow. They even said I had shown up at their home with a knife, forcing Courtney to donate hers.

Worse, they claimed that I had threatened to drag their entire family down and ruin them completely if they refused.

Seeing sympathy begin to ripple through the crowd, Gerald and Elizabeth immediately put on a show of selflessness.

"If our daughter's leukemia were to relapse, we'd rather give up treatment than force someone already in poor health to donate their bone marrow."

Elizabeth added, "Besides, she's carrying a fatherless child. If she goes through with a bone marrow transplant, that bastard won't survive.

"But if she skips the surgery, she could live a couple more years. What kind of mother would abort her own child just to save herself? Someone like that will get what karma has coming!"

My grip on the phone tightened until my knuckles turned white.

The word "bastard" struck a nerve. My baby was not a bastard. It was the child of a hero.

Still, I forced down the rage burning inside me and quietly saved the video. I couldn't help wondering if they'd still be able to keep up that righteous act when they eventually learned that Courtney's leukemia had relapsed.