Chapter 1

My daughter scored 1570 points on the SAT.

That day, my husband took her to the water park.

Later in the evening, she called me at work. She said my husband had received a call from a woman on their way home and dropped her off at a highway intersection.

I told her to get off the highway quickly, but as soon as I finished speaking, I heard a loud crash.

My daughter had been hit by a truck.

At the hospital, the doctor said she had suffered a severe head injury, and only Dr. Stewart, the vice president of Center Hospital, could perform the surgery.

Dr. Stewart is my husband.

After dozens of calls, he finally answered.

“Our daughter has been in a car accident, please come and save her,” I pleaded.

“Are you crazy? You made up a car accident just to get me back,” he scolded.

“Aiden, come here quickly,” I heard the voice of his first love, Maria, on the other end of the call.

He hung up.

When I called again, his phone was off.

——

As I kept calling, my daughter’s vital signs dropped rapidly. The attending doctor rushed into the ICU with two nurses.

Half an hour later, he came out.

“Doctor, how is my daughter?” I sobbed and my whole body shook.

“She needs surgery immediately, or she won’t make it.”

“Is Dr. Stewart the only one who can perform this surgery?”

“Yes. Your daughter suffered a severe head injury. Dr. Stewart is the only one in the city who has successfully performed this surgery.”

“Can we transfer her to another city?”

“She won’t survive the transfer. Dr. Stewart must perform the surgery. Go find him at Center Hospital.”

Aiden was on vacation and had turned off his phone.

He was with Maria,

but I didn’t have her contact information.

Suddenly, I remembered seeing her Short video account recently. I opened it and found her account.

I wanted to ask her privately, but she had just released a video.

The video was filmed at a hospital, and the caption was: [When I was most helpless, you always showed up first. Thank you for letting me lean on you. ]

The video attached a location at Harborview Hospital.

I drove to Harborview.

After three hours, I arrived at Harborview Hospital at 8:30 in the morning.

I saw Aiden and Maria sitting on a bench.

Maria leaned on Aiden’s shoulder.

“Aiden, my daughter will be okay, right?”

“Don’t worry, it’s just a minor surgery for meningitis. I can handle it.”

“Aiden!” I yelled angrily, just wanted him to go back quickly to save my daughter.

They separated immediately.

“How did you find me? Did you put a tracker in my car?” Aiden questioned.

I didn’t dare to waste time, so I reached out to pull him, “No time to explain. Our daughter had a car accident and is in the ICU. Only you can save her.”

He shook off my hand angrily. “Clare, are you done yet? Why do you always think Maria and I are doing something wrong? I’m here to perform surgery on Maria’s daughter.”

“Clare, I understand you’re jealous, but my daughter needs Aiden’s help,” Maria added pitifully.

Tears streamed down my face. “Aiden, you’re choosing to save someone else’s daughter over your own?”

“Clare, Maria was my first love, but that’s in the past. Now Maria’s daughter has meningitis, and I came here to save her. You followed me and cursed my daughter. You are becoming more vicious,” he said contemptuously.

“Aiden, our daughter is in the ICU. Come with me and see for yourself.”

I cried bitterly and my whole body was shaking with anxiety.

“Clare, I know you can’t stand seeing us together, but my daughter needs Aiden for surgery. Don’t be jealous now,” Maria interrupted.

“Shut up!”

I slapped her.

“Clare, how dare you hit Maria!” Aiden was furious and moved to hit me, but Maria stopped him.

“Aiden, you need to perform surgery soon. Don’t get angry,” Maria said calmly.

“It’s almost time. I’ll wait in the operating room,” Aiden turned and left.

I rushed forward and tried to hold Aiden, but Maria held me back.

“Aiden, please, come back and save our daughter.” I cried and called out.

But he didn’t even turn his head.

“My daughter really needs you to save her. Please, come back with me…”

He disappeared from my sight.

Grief-stricken, I cried until I fainted.