The day my five-year-old daughter was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease, I heard my husband talking with his mother. “It’ll cost a fortune, and there’s no cure. What’s your plan?” Judy, my mother-in-law, asked. “I never intended to treat her,”Liam replied, his tone devoid of emotion. “She’s going to die regardless.” A considering pause. “True. If the illness takes her, it’s just fate. You should file for divorce from Sarah soon. Serena is pregnant now. Your heir is secure. She’s waited for you all these years. Don’t disappoint her.” Serena? Judy’s adopted daughter? I forced my hands steady, pasted on a calm face, and walked back into the living room as if I’d heard nothing. Don’t be afraid, my Lily. Even in the deepest dark, Mommy is here. I sat on the living room sofa, replaying the day’s events in my mind. My five-year-old daughter had suddenly fainted at kindergarten. When I rushed to the hospital, a doctor delivered a sentence instead of a diagnosis: a rare genetic disorder. Back then, Liam had held me, his voice a pillar of false strength. “Sarah, we’ll get through this. Together.” “If she’s sick, we treat her. Our savings will be enough to cover Lily’s treatment.” If I hadn’t overheard that conversation tonight, I might have still believed him. I might have still loved the man I’d shared a life with for seven years. From Judy’s tone, it sounded like Liam had been cheating for years. How utterly laughable. Lost in thought, Liam’s voice sliced through the silence. “Sarah? You’re back? I thought you were at the hospital.” I looked up at the sound, catching the fleeting flicker of guilt in Liam’s eyes. I forced a faint smile. “Just grabbing a few things for Lily.” His gaze scanned my face, searching. Finding only exhaustion, his shoulders loosened a fraction. Just then, Judy walked out of the other room. “Sarah, you’re back just in time. There’s something I wanted to discuss with you.” My heart sank, bracing myself for what Judy would say next. “Look, Liam and I consulted a specialist today. The chances of curing this disease are slim, and it’s going to cost a lot of money.” “You’ve scraped together what, a few hundred thousand? Tossing it into a black hole for a chance isn’t practical. It’s financial suicide.” “Think of your future. What if you pour everything into this…and still lose her? You’ll be left with nothing but debt and grief. Could you live with that?” I didn’t answer Judy, just looked directly at Liam. “Is this what you think too?” Liam looked a little embarrassed but still sat down beside me, feigning tenderness. “Sarah, I’ve thought about it. Mom isn’t wrong.” “Lily is only five. Even if we beat this, what about ten years from now? A bottomless pit.” “We’ve worked so hard for our stability. There’s no need to-” I couldn’t stand to hear any more. I stood up and walked towards the stairs. “Liam, that’s your daughter! How can you talk about her like a ledger entry? Do you even hear yourself?” “If you won’t treat her, give me the money. Every cent is marital property. Half of it is mine by law.” “As long as there’s even a sliver of hope, I will not give up on my daughter!” At my words, Judy instantly flared up, blocking my path. “Yours? What is yours? What the hell have you ever contributed?You haven’t earned a red cent in this marriage!” “You want to waste our future on a lost cause? Fine. Liam will divorce you!” “You couldn’t even give him a son. You owe this family, and this is how you repay us?” I ignored Judy and tried to walk past her, heading upstairs. “Then we divorce.” “And Liam leaves with nothing.”
My words finally broke through Liam’s pretense. He shot to his feet, flanking his mother. “Leave with nothing? Sarah, don’t be absurd!” “And…and it was Mom’s idea to divorce, not mine! Why are you so eager to agree?” “Unless…are you seeing someone else?” Liam’s audacity almost made me laugh. In the ruins of our life, with our daughter fighting for hers, he was trying to turn the tables on me. But Lily was waiting. I didn’t want to waste any more time with them. I packed my things and left the house. For the next three days, Liam didn’t call or text me once. His family never came to the hospital to check on Lily. As for his so-called adopted sister, Serena, she even posted her ultrasound scan results on SnapChat. The scan clearly stated: “Serena Miller, 11 weeks pregnant.” Her caption read: “Before you even arrive in this world, Mommy and Daddy already love you.” As I was looking at it, my daughter was wheeled out of the treatment room, and I quickly put away my phone. Lily lay weakly on the hospital bed after her radiation therapy. “Mommy, did you and Daddy fight? Why hasn’t Daddy come to see me?” “Does my illness cost a lot of money?” “Mommy, why are you crying? Don’t cry, Lily doesn’t hurt.” My daughter said, reaching out to wipe away my tears. I fought back the lump in my throat and gently held her small hand. “It’s okay, it doesn’t cost much. Mommy has money, and Mommy will definitely make Lily better.” “Mommy isn’t crying, and you shouldn’t be scared either.” “With Mommy here, I’ll definitely get better.” Lily tried to say more, but after the treatment, she was too weak and soon fell asleep again. Looking at my daughter’s sleeping face, I felt as if a giant hand was squeezing my heart, making it almost impossible to breathe. When Liam and I started our company, we navigated countless client meetings and networking events together, securing one order after another for him. Once the company was stable, Liam didn’t like me being out in the public eye, so I focused on taking care of the home for him. For all these years, Liam and I were seen as a loving couple by outsiders. If it weren’t for Lily’s illness this time, I would never have known that my husband had already been secretly having an affair with someone else, even disregarding our child’s life. Thinking of this, I dialed my sister Luna, who was a lawyer. “Luna, how are things going with what I asked you to look into?” “Good. The trial might be in a few days.” “Please help me.” That night, after Lily fell asleep, I asked the nurse to keep an eye on her for a bit. I took her clothes home to wash and also to pack some more things. But the moment I stepped through the door, I was stunned by the sight. The living room coffee table was covered in wine glasses and various alcoholic drinks, and empty bottles were scattered all over the carpet. Dozens of people were having a party in my living room, and the air was thick with a nauseating, sour smell of alcohol. If it weren’t for the familiar furniture and decor, I would have thought I’d walked into a club VIP room. The moment they saw me, there was a brief silence in the living room. I looked at Liam, pointing at the crowd of men and women in the living room, and demanded, “Our daughter is still lying in the hospital, and you’re in the mood to bring all these people here to party?” “Liam, you truly are an animal!” Hearing my blunt words, everyone in the living room started explaining to Liam’s defense. “Sarah, don’t blame Liam. We heard about Lily and worried he was upset, so we came to keep him company. Don’t be mad at him.” “Explain what? The illness isn’t Liam’s fault. If not for his company, would she be living the good life? The sick child is her problem, not his.” another one said. “I heard you’re even divorcing Liam and want him to leave with nothing? That’s just laughable.” Serena also stepped forward at this moment, apologizing to me with a look of guilt. “Sarah, if you really have to blame someone, blame me. I was worried Liam would do something reckless, so I thought of inviting some good friends to be with him.” “We didn’t expect you to come home suddenly. If you’re unhappy, we’ll leave right now…” I sneered at Serena, finally letting my gaze settle on her still-flat stomach. “Didn’t your SnapChat say you’re pregnant? I suppose you can’t drink alcohol then?” “What? Is the baby’s father not here with you? Oh, right, when are you planning to get married? Liam and I would love to send you a big gift.” Liam pulled Serena behind him. “That’s enough, Sarah! Stop being so snarky.” “I know you’re upset because of Lily, but what does any of this have to do with Serena?” I let out a cold laugh, ignoring everyone present, and walked straight towards the upstairs bedroom. My daughter was waiting for me at the hospital; I couldn’t be bothered to waste time with these trashy people. When I came downstairs with my packed things, the living room was empty, save for the empty liquor bottles and countless glasses scattered everywhere. I pretended not to see them, grabbed my things, and prepared to leave. But as I passed the guest bedroom downstairs, I heard indecent sounds. A man’s voice, hoarse with suppressed desire. “You’re not three months yet. The doctor said we shouldn’t.” “And she’s still upstairs. If she hears us, we’re done for.”
The woman’s voice was so alluring it could make your bones melt. “Don’t worry, just be gentle. It’ll be fine.” “Besides, she’s packed her things and left. Right now, her mind is completely focused on her dying daughter. She won’t care about anything else.” “And I closed the door. Your house has such good soundproofing; she won’t hear us.” “It’s been so long, don’t you want me?” The next second, the man and woman on the guest bed were entwined, and the air was thick with the scent of their passion. I pulled out my phone and, through the slightly ajar door, captured the scene. Just as I put my phone away and prepared to leave, Serena, beneath Liam, shifted her gaze, and our eyes met across the room. In that moment, what more was there for me not to understand? Serena had said she closed the door, but it was clearly open a crack. Serena did it on purpose. She left the door just so. Orchestrated the scene for my eyes alone. We are both women. How could I not understand her intentions? …… The next morning, I was at the hospital’s payment counter, ready to renew my daughter’s hospitalization fees. But the staff member, after checking, looked at me in confusion. “Lily? She’s already been discharged. No more fees are needed.” At those words, my head buzzed. I lifted my leg and ran towards the chief doctor’s office. The moment I reached the doctor’s office door, I heard Liam’s voice. “I am Lily’s biological father; I am her legal guardian. I have the right to refuse treatment.” “Alright, Dr. Lee, I just don’t want the child to suffer. Look at how much she’s already suffering…” I couldn’t bear to listen anymore and burst into the doctor’s office. Liam was sitting opposite the doctor, with a “Do Not Resuscitate” order in front of him. Every rational thought left me. I snatched the form, crushed it in my fist, and hurled the crumpled paper at his face. “Liam, what kind of monster are you?” “Refusing treatment means sending Lily to her death! Do you deserve to be a father?” Liam gave the doctor an awkward smile, then looked at me. “Sarah, what are you saying? I’m doing this for Lily’s own good.” “Just now, Mom and I went to see Lily in her room. Look how worn out she looks! Isn’t this just pure suffering?” “I think you’re just selfish. Just because you can’t bear to part with the child, you…” Before Liam could finish, I suddenly remembered. That’s right, Judy! I turned and rushed to Lily’s room. The scene before me as I entered the room made my heart shatter. Judy was dragging my daughter, still lying in her hospital bed, cursing her out with vile words. “Get home now! Do you know how much it costs for you to stay here even one day?” “Girls are just a bottomless pit for money! She’s only a few years old and already knows how to spend so much!” “Come with me now! Don’t think I won’t hit you just because we’re in a hospital!” My daughter was crying uncontrollably. “Grandma, let go of me! Don’t take me away.” “I want to wait for Mommy to come back. I want to wait for Mommy to come back.” I rushed forward and pushed Judy away, tenderly pulling my daughter into my arms. “What are you doing? The child is already sick, and you’re treating her like this!” Judy stumbled from my push, almost falling. Liam, who had followed me, quickly caught her. “Sarah! That’s my mother! How dare you lay a hand on her?” Judy also pointed a finger at me, her expression as if she had suffered some enormous grievance. “Oh, you dare to hit me!” “Divorce! I demanded my son divorces you! I demand it!”
I held my daughter tightly in my arms. “Get out! This is a hospital. Don’t make a scene here.” Liam tried to pull his mother back, but Judy shook him off. “You both have to leave! Do you think I don’t know? You’ve blown through nearly ten thousand dollars here in just a few days!” “That’s ten thousand dollars! Do you think money grows on trees?” My gaze was ice as it settled on Judy. “For ten thousand? I’d spend a million. I’d spend every last cent if it meant saving her.” “And you, Liam, if you ever sign another DNR behind my back again,” “I swear,I will burn our entire world to the ground!” Judy was so enraged by my last sentence that she almost fainted, her finger pointing at me trembling uncontrollably. “You, you, you, you wretched woman! You’re cursing my Thompson family!” “Fine, fine, fine, you want to treat her, then treat her, but don’t expect us to pay another cent. I’m making Liam divorce you right now!” I was about to say something when Lily tugged at my sleeve. “Mommy, Lily doesn’t want treatment anymore.” “Don’t argue with Daddy and Grandma.” I hadn’t felt like crying when the old woman was yelling curses in my face. But my daughter’s thoughtfulness now made my nose sting sharply. I gave Lily a reassuring look, then turned to Judy. “Divorce is fine, but as I said, Liam leaves with nothing!” Liam, who had been silent, was now breathing heavily, enraged by my words. “Sarah, if you want a divorce, fine, but leaving with nothing is a bit much, isn’t it?” “You’ve never worked a day since you married me. Every penny in this house was earned by me. What right do you have to make me leave with nothing?” “Sarah, why are you so aggressive now?” Liam’s words almost made me laugh in disbelief. He hadn’t even cleaned up his own mess, and he was calling me aggressive? Seeing that I remained silent, Liam took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and spoke each word slowly. “Sarah, I’ll ask you one last time. Are you absolutely set on divorce?” I stared at him with a half-smile, offering no reply. Liam slammed a piece of paper fiercely at my feet. “Then let’s divorce!” “But you’ve been eating my food and using my money all these years. You’re the one who should leave with nothing, not me!” I picked up the divorce papers from the floor and looked at the clause demanding I leave empty-handed, finding it utterly ridiculous. Seven years of marriage, and Liam wanted everything from this union. Except for me and our child. “You know perfectly well who the at-fault party is in this marriage. And whether your company reached where it is today solely by your efforts, you also know.” “Liam, don’t make me sick to my stomach.” The instant my words fell, Judy could no longer hold back. She grabbed the bag in her hand, intending to hit me over the head. “We never should have married a jinx like you! You wretched woman, are you trying to say my son is the one at fault?” “Let me tell you, either you leave with nothing, or we’ll see each other in court! I will absolutely not let you take a single penny from my son!” I grabbed Judy’s bag. At the same time, her words made my heart lighten. Going to court was exactly what I wanted; I was afraid Liam wouldn’t agree to it. A week later, Liam and my divorce case finally opened. The trial was public. The courtroom was packed with Liam’s family and friends. Before the hearing, Liam and Judy cornered me in the hall. Their eyes were red-rimmed with rage. “You dream of taking my son’s assets? Never!” “A barren wife demanding money? The law doesn’t reward failure!” Serena stood beside Liam, a triumphant expression on her face as if victory were already assured. I walked past them without a word. Once proceedings began, the judge reviewed Liam’s filings. After a long moment, he looked at me, his expression impartial. “Mrs. Thompson, a child’s illness is a tragedy, not a fault. A parent’s refusal of treatment, while morally complex, is not in itself unlawful.” “You may file for divorce from Mr. Thompson.” “However, you cannot use this reason to demand Mr. Thompson leave with nothing.” I stood up and faced the judge directly. “Your Honor, I have new evidence.”
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “313304”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn
Leave a Reply