Chapter 1

My wife, Linda Weber, who was a slight germaphobe, didn't hesitate to reach into the greasy paper bag and pull out the hot roasted sweet potato.

She paid no attention to how my face was pale from the heat and that I was showing signs of heatstroke.

Beside her, James Harmon chuckled. "Lin, I only casually mentioned that I wanted to eat that roasted sweet potato sold near our school, and you really made Skylar ride his bicycle all the way there."

Linda peeled the first piece and gently brought it to James' lips. "If you want it, I'll make sure you get it.

"Try it and see if it still tastes the way you remember. I remember back when we were dating, this was your favorite."

A dull ache spread through my heart.

So, that was it. It was no wonder that, on our first date, she took me across half the city to that remote roasted sweet potato stand.

Back then, I foolishly thought it was a one-of-a-kind romantic gesture she'd planned just for me.

It turned out I was just reliving her past with another man.

The bitterness inside me surged up my throat.

I forced down my emotions and asked hoarsely, "Lin, can you give me the money for Lily's kidney transplant surgery now?"

After she was done feeding James, Linda finally cast a lazy glance in my direction.

"Oh, I can't. I just called the hospital. The kidney has already been sent to James' mom. She needs it too."

My head buzzed, feeling as though I'd been hit by a sledgehammer.

"What did you say? What about our daughter? You promised me! You said if I bought it back, you'd schedule her surgery!"

"And who's to blame for this?"

Linda tossed the used wet wipe into the trash, her face full of contempt and mockery. "You were a minute too slow. Rules are rules, got it? Wait until the next suitable kidney comes along."

I felt all my blood rush to my head as my reason started to snap.

"Wait? You know Lily can't wait that long! Lily is your daughter too. How can you be so cruel?"

Linda's expression instantly darkened. "Shut up! I don't have a daughter like her!

"If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have almost died on the operating table!

"If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have lost the ability to ever have children again!"

A deep sense of helplessness washed over me.

Linda's difficult labor happened because she ignored the doctor's advice during the pregnancy. She ate all kinds of high-calorie sweets and refused to exercise, making the baby too large.

The doctor had warned her, yet she blamed everything on a newborn baby.

All these years, Linda had never hugged Lily once.

James slowly wiped his mouth and threw in a sarcastic comment.

"Skylar Colt, don't get so worked up. Sometimes, you just have to accept fate. I guess Lily was just born unlucky."

I clenched my fists, wanting to punch that fake smile off his face.

But I couldn't.