The Moment She Knew

Victoria waited until the voices faded before opening her tear-reddened eyes.

So it had been Aunt Mary who found the kidney donor.

When Victoria had told Gabriel the news, his excitement had seemed real. He had smiled, held her hands, thanked God. She had believed he was happy for her.

Now she understood.

He had been celebrating for another woman.

He had never planned for her to live.

Her fingers trembled as she reached for her phone beneath the blanket. She typed a message to Aunt Mary, her heart pounding with every word, begging her to secure the donor immediately—and to keep Gabriel away from the process.

Moments later, the door opened.

“Sweetheart, you’re awake!” Gabriel said, rushing to her side. His eyes were red, his face tight with worry. “You scared me to death.”

He clasped Victoria’s hand and pressed it to his cheek, his touch gentle enough to fool anyone watching.

A young nurse nearby smiled warmly. “Your marriage is just too perfect, Mrs. Bathram,” she said with open envy. “The woman in the next room? Her husband hasn’t visited her once in two months. You’re so lucky.”

Victoria forced a smile.

The nurse didn’t know that Victoria envied that woman.

At least she wasn’t being held together by lies. At least she hadn’t watched every hope she had crumble into nothing.

“I want to visit my parents’ house,” Victoria said hoarsely.

Gabriel froze.

His smile stiffened, unnatural. “Why go there?” he asked quickly. “It’ll only upset you. Once you recover from the transplant, we’ll move back. For now, just focus on getting well.”

His eyes held no guilt. Only calculation.

Victoria swallowed the bitterness rising in her throat. “It’s because of the surgery,” she said softly. “I want to see their place… and ask for their blessing to live a long life.”

There was an edge to her words.

Gabriel didn’t hear it.

He blinked, then slipped back into his familiar, caring mask. “Alright,” he said gently. “Whatever you want.”

After a pause, he added, almost casually, “The house is a bit messy, though. I’ll have it cleaned before we go.”

Victoria nodded, her face calm.

Inside, she smiled for the first time that night.

Victoria nodded. She knew he needed time to prepare.

That house once held memories worth protecting. Now it was stained beyond saving, no longer deserving of her attachment. Fate, however, was cruel. She wanted to avoid the woman—but the woman came to her instead.

Victoria met Prisca for the first time that afternoon.

“Hi, I’m Prisca,” the woman said, stopping beside Victoria’s hospital bed with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “My daughter is having a transplant soon too.”

She extended her hand, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.

Victoria looked at her coldly.

Prisca wasn’t prettier— she only looked flashier. And men like Gabriel didn’t care about beauty when they were already staying. Victoria didn’t take her hand. She said nothing.

If Prisca couldn’t keep her husband’s heart without scheming, how could Victoria blame her?

Embarrassment flickered across Gabriel’s face. He quickly looked away from Prisca and helped Victoria sip some water instead. Prisca bit her lip, irritation flashing in her eyes.

She had only come because Gabriel had called earlier—telling her and their daughter to move out of the Bathram villa. Prisca didn’t care about the house itself, but she knew how much it would hurt Victoria. They had lived there for five years. Winning mattered more to her than comfort.

“I heard you found a kidney donor too,” Prisca said lightly. “I hope nothing goes wrong.”

Her tone was unmistakably taunting.

“Enough,” Gabriel snapped.

The glass in his hand cracked as he slammed it onto the table. He turned on Prisca, his face dark.

“If you can’t speak properly, keep quiet. My wife doesn’t bother with things like this—but I do. Say another word, and you’re out of this hospital.”

Victoria leaned back against the headboard, silently applauding his performance.

What an actor.

Did he plan to lie to her until her last breath?

Her heart ached. Too tired to confront his hypocrisy, she closed her eyes and let exhaustion pull her under. Fighting them could wait. Healing her body came first.

Without Gabriel, she would grieve for a long time. But now, more than ever, she wanted to live.

Because only by living could she make them pay.

In the middle of the night, Victoria woke, thirsty.

Gabriel was gone.

She stepped into the hallway and heard low, muffled sounds from the stairwell—soft voices, hurried breaths. Her body stiffened. She knew that voice.

Her chest tightened as she pushed the door open slightly.

Gabriel was there.

So was Prisca.

They stood too close. His hand rested where it shouldn’t. Her fingers were curled into his shirt.

“Why were you so harsh earlier?” Prisca whispered. “You hurt me.”

“You shouldn’t have provoked her,” Gabriel replied quietly.

“The kidney is still for my daughter. Don’t doubt that.”

Prisca laughed softly. “I just wanted to upset her. She always takes so much of your time.”

“Enough,” Gabriel murmured, pulling her closer. “This isn’t the place.”

Victoria stepped back silently.

She didn’t cry.

She didn’t scream.

The pain was there—but it no longer ruled her.

She returned to her room, lay down, and stared at the ceiling.

Now she knew.

And knowing meant she could plan.