Chapter 1

While my wife, Audrey Kates, stayed by her first love, Gavin Shaw’s hospital room, I lay on a cold operating table.

I was hopelessly waiting for my death.

Tubes ran through my entire body as the monitors beeped like a countdown to death. That sound reminded me that it was time to go. My heart finally went flat on the EKG.

Meanwhile, Gavin’s team reported a successful surgery. The emergency light over the operating room went dark. My eyes closed for good.

Perhaps I had so much anger and bitterness when I died that my soul ended up right next to Audrey.

My heart sank as I watched Audrey hold Gavin with teary eyes. He had narrowly escaped death.

I wanted to ask her whether she even worried if I would make it out alive when Gavin and I were wheeled into surgery at the same time.

The obvious answer was no. After all, she took me to court over Gavin’s illness.

She hired the most famous lawyer in the field. Through her lawyer’s efforts, I lost my case.

When my kidney was removed, I was in so much pain that my back was soaked with sweat as I lay on the operating table.

I called her and begged, “Dear, I’m sorry, alright? Please don’t take my kidney. I’m in so much pain. I’m going to die!”

I had never backed down before. But I thought that if I gave in this time and took the blame for everything I did not do, perhaps she would spare my life for the sake of our five-year relationship.

But Audrey just sneered and said, “Admitting you’re wrong is the least you can do. It’s an honor to save Gavin’s life. Don’t think you can weasel your way out of this. And don’t even think for a moment that giving him your kidney means you’re off the hook for an apology. In all these years, you’ve hurt him repeatedly. Once he’s better, you and I are going to settle the score.

“You want to die? Sure! But you have to apologize to Gavin first.”

I wanted to tell her I never did those things. But I was too weak.

Audrey, as if still not satisfied, said to me viciously, “The way you look right now disgusts me!”

My heart sank when she hung up. My five years of affection for her vanished.

Audrey told me I disgusted her. On our wedding day, she swore she would love me for a lifetime. I was her first choice and exception.

But once Gavin appeared, she forgot about me, her own husband.

She gently caressed Gavin’s face as if he were something delicate.

“Thank goodness you’re alive!”

Her choked voice and tired eyes told me that Audrey had stayed up all night because of Gavin.

But while she was worrying about Gavin, had she thought about the fact that I was dead?

Gavin said weakly, “Audrey, I’m sorry for making you worry. Where’s Jasper? Is he still mad at me? I’ll apologize to him right now.”

With that, he tried to stand up.

Anyone could see right through that performance, just not Audrey.

As expected, Audrey gently guided Gavin back down. She patted his head affectionately.

“Oh, you silly goose! Jasper is the one who should apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong. You’re always so kind. People will take advantage of you.”

The nurse watched the two of them and could not help but tease them.

“You two are so cute together.”

Then, she looked at Gavin.

“While you were in surgery, your wife waited in the hallway all night. She didn’t leave for a second.”

Gavin blushed. Audrey paused for a moment. She did not plan to correct the misunderstanding.

Then, the nurse changed the subject and sighed deeply.

“Unlike the patient on the next table over… He came in all alone and passed away. No family member even came to claim his body. It’s so sad.”

Audrey’s face softened. That sparked my hope again.

If she realized the pitiful person was me, would she be kind enough to claim my body?

After a long pause, Audrey sighed and said, “That’s indeed sad.”

The hope in my heart faded. I laughed bitterly at myself.

Audrey was head over heels for Gavin. Why would she ever think of me?

She did not continue. Instead, she followed the nurse and pushed Gavin into the hospital room.

As she walked past the operating room where my body was, she stopped. She glanced inside.

There I was, lying cold and dead. My feet were pointed toward the door, so my face was not visible.

But if she had looked closer, she would have seen the wound on my ankle. I got that when saving her.