Chapter 2

My heart sank to the depths of despair.

Kidney donors weren't easy to find. In fact, many people waited until their dying breath without ever finding a match. Yet, Carla had believed Ivan's words without even bothering to verify them.

Besides, even if a donor had been found, things could still go wrong. Not to mention, the surgery itself carried risks.

I didn't want to be left at their mercy. Just as I was about to fight back, I realized in horror that I was starting to lose control of my body.

A tear slipped from the corner of my eye as my consciousness slowly began to fade.

So, the anesthesia hadn't worn off. It had just taken a little longer to kick in—just like my ridiculous life. I'd been deceived for so long that I'd only just begun to see the truth.

When I opened my eyes again, I was already lying in a hospital bed.

Carla stayed by my side, filling the entire room with flowers she'd bought for me. Just like before, she cared for me with the same tenderness.

The moment she saw that I was awake, she grabbed my hand in delight.

"Honey, you're finally awake! You nearly scared me to death!" She wiped away her tears as she comforted me. "Oh, I'm so furious. This stupid hospital ruined both your kidneys over a simple transplant surgery.

"But don't worry, I've already started looking for a kidney donor. Once you get the transplant, you'll be back to normal. Curse this hospital! I'll make sure they're held accountable! I won't let you suffer for nothing."

In the past, if I'd seen her staying by my side so devotedly, I would've been deeply moved. Then, I would've reassured her that everything was fine and that none of it was her fault.

But now, I kept quiet and bottled up all my pain.

The woman who kept claiming she'd protect me was the one who'd hurt me the most.

How laughable.

Seeing how strangely I was acting, Carla reached out to smooth the furrow between my brow.

"Honey, don't be sad. I have good news—I've decided I don't want to be childfree anymore. Once you're better, let's try for a baby."

She waited expectantly for my response.

But despite how desperately I'd wanted kids, I barely reacted this time. My face deathly pale, I even pushed her hand away.

I knew perfectly well that her so-called compensation was just a way to placate me for now so that she could carry out the remaining two acts of revenge without a hitch.

Since she loved Ivan so much, I'd simply bow out and let them be together.

Carla froze when I slapped her hand away. Then, she reached up to feel my forehead instead.

"Do you have a fever? Why have you been acting so strangely ever since you woke up?"

In the past, my eyes had always been filled with love whenever I looked at her. Now that my burning affection had been extinguished, how could she not notice?

However, I had no intention of answering her.

Betty awkwardly tried to smooth things over. "Anyone would have a hard time coming to terms with a medical mishap like this, so it's only natural for Mr. Draper to feel down. He'll come around in time."

Carla seemed to want to say something but ultimately held back. She recalled the single tear that I'd shed on the operating table, then looked at me now, showing no shock or grief over the "medical mishap".

An uneasy feeling crept over her, as if something had slipped beyond her control.

"Alright, Mr. Draper. It's time for your dialysis."

At Betty's urging, Carla pushed her doubts aside and accompanied me to dialysis.

Without functioning kidneys, my body could no longer filter waste products from my blood. My blood had to be drawn out, passed through a dialyzer to remove toxins and excess fluid, then returned to my body once it had been cleaned.

The process was excruciating, yet I remained so calm that I seemed unable to feel the pain at all.

Betty couldn't help praising me. "Mr. Draper, you really live up to your reputation as a boxing champion. I can't believe you can endure this much pain. It's such a shame, though—"

She glanced at Carla before looking back at me with pity, thinking how unfortunate it was that I'd have to undergo dialysis three times a week for five hours each session from now on.

On top of that, I'd have to deal with a whole host of complications, including low blood pressure, infections, anemia, and bone disease.