On the day of my wedding with Quinn Lee, her cherished friend, Edward Smith, abruptly collapsed, prompting her to abandon the ceremony and rush him to the hospital, leaving me behind. My mother, Lily Blake, was seated below when the shocking scene unfolded before her eyes. The sudden distress triggered a heart attack. Yet, amidst the chaos, the onlookers merely stood by and laughed as if it were all a grand jest. No one stepped forward to offer aid. By the time I sent her to the hospital, the critical moment for saving her had slipped away. It was then that I got a call from Quinn. “Shawn Blake, where are you? Edward is ill and in need of your bone marrow!” “Quinn, we’re through!” I declared, ending the call and leaving. This time, I wouldn’t look back. ***** Five years prior, I had been the savior of Edward after a successful bone marrow transplant. Quinn implored me to stay, insisting she wished to repay my kindness. For five years, I remained by her side, and today was to be our wedding day. Yet, at the pivotal moment, Edward feigned another collapse. I pleaded with Quinn not to leave, but she pried my fingers away. “Shawn, a life is at stake. How can you be so heartless?” She accused me of heartlessness, but she was oblivious to Edward’s subtle fluttering of eyelashes in the crowd, a telltale sign of his deceit. Lily’s heart gave out from the stress. As she lay there, I cried out for help, but none among the guests moved to assist. They all knew who was Quinn’s true love. With her departure, my insignificance was made clear, and no one offered me any aid. In the end, it was a server who dialed the emergency number for me, but it was already too late. I stood there. Lily was shrouded in white, lying in silent repose. I couldn’t muster a single tear. My body felt as if it were encased in ice. At this time, Quinn arrived at the hospital. Upon seeing me, she grabbed my arm with urgency. “Shawn, you’re just in time. Edward’s condition has worsened. Come with me for the check-up!” I shook her off, startling her. “Shawn!” “Quinn, I owe you nothing. I won’t be donating any bone marrow.” She hadn’t anticipated my defiance, so her expression darkened. “I’m not asking! I’m ordering you! Come with me now!” Her position as the president of a publicly traded company imbued her with an unmistakable aura of authority. She moved through life with a strength and decisiveness that was both admired and, at times, feared. In the past, I would have complied without question. But now, with my mother’s life hanging in the balance between us, I refused to be their living bone marrow bank any longer. Yet, I had underestimated her resolve. Quinn summoned her bodyguards, who forcibly dragged me into the ward for a thorough examination. They disregarded the fact that Lily’s body was still in the morgue. My protests were wild. “Quinn Lee! “My mother suffered a heart attack and is gone. Now, you still seek to extract my bone marrow. Are you even human? “I will never forgive you!” A flicker of surprise crossed Quinn’s eyes. “What did you say?” My eyes were ablaze. “Don’t believe me? Go ask anyone! “Half the wedding witnessed it!” Quinn pressed her lips together and kept silent for a long while before she spoke, “Shawn, the dead are gone, but the living are what matter now. “What do you think?” I was on the verge of exploding. How could she speak with such icy detachment? Indeed, in her eyes, no one held more importance than her beloved Edward. My ailing mother was but a burden to her. Now that my mother was gone, didn’t it align perfectly with their desires? I sneered, “If I refuse to donate, no one can force me!” Lily was gone, so I would never beg Quinn for anything again. Quinn’s eyes grew cold, a sign of her rising anger. Just as she was about to unleash her fury, a soft, masculine voice intervened from behind, “There’s no need. If Shawn isn’t willing, let’s not force him.” Edward stood at the doorway and clutched his chest, looking frail and vulnerable. Quinn immediately went to him, embracing him protectively. “No, you are the most important. If he won’t donate, I have other means.” Edward, nestled in her arms, shot me a provocative smile. I couldn’t help but sneer, “I won’t donate. If you want my bone marrow, just end my life!” A fierce glint flashed in her eyes, but I was not intimidated, standing my ground with defiance. She retorted coldly, “You wouldn’t want anything unfortunate to happen to your mother’s remains, would you?” For a moment, I was taken aback. A surge of anger welled up within me. “Quinn, you wouldn’t dare!” “After you donate your bone marrow, I’ll act as if nothing happened,” she said. She held Edward close as they left, leaving me on the floor, defeated. I knew all too well she was capable of carrying out her threat.
“Quinn! You’ll rue this day!” My voice, laced with hysteria, seemed to momentarily stun Quinn, but she paused only briefly before striding away without a backward glance. I gasped for air, but before I could gather my thoughts, I was hoisted up by her bodyguards. “Ms. Lee insists you undergo a check-up first. You’re free to leave only after the bone marrow donation,” they declared. I couldn’t suppress my shout, “This is illegal! Release me!” But I was powerless, a mere speck against their might. I was dragged into the operating room. The sight of the doctor in his white coat, syringe in hand, sent a jolt of panic through me. His words, meant to be a warning, echoed ominously, “Think of your mother; don’t resist in vain.” I offered a bitter smile as the needle pierced my skin. The pain seared. It felt as though my very essence was being siphoned away until darkness claimed me. When consciousness returned, I was alone, save for the cold embrace of the hospital bed. An eternity seemed to pass before a nurse appeared. “You’re awake. Rest up.” Ignoring the throbbing pain, I grasped her arm, demanding, “Where’s Quinn? “Where is my mother’s body?” The nurse looked embarrassed and murmured, “I know little of this. You’ll have to ask Ms. Lee.” In my desperation, I tumbled from the bed, landing in a heap. As if on cue, Quinn entered. She rushed to my side to assist me back onto the mattress. I seized her collar. “Quinn, where is my mother?” “Calm down. She’s been sent to the funeral home. You can visit her anytime,” she replied. I made to leave, but she restrained me, stating, “The doctor said you just had your bone marrow extracted; you need to rest.” “I need no rest!” I snapped, shrugging off her hand coldly. “Remember, this is the last time I donate bone marrow. From this moment on, we’re even!” I tried to push past her, but she clutched my wrist tightly, pleading, “Please! Without the bone marrow, Edward will die!” I sneered, “Did you ever consider, when you left me at the altar, that my mother might leave me because of it? “She was my only kin!” Quinn’s gaze met my bloodshot eyes. Her brow was furrowing slightly. “I’m sorry. I can make amends. The wedding can be rescheduled; your position as my husband is secure.” “As if I care for such honors! “Quinn, you don’t believe I’d forgive you so easily, do you?” I yearned to see a flicker of guilt in her eyes, but there was none. Quinn inhaled deeply. “I will compensate you.” “Compensate? With a life at stake, the only recompense is a life for a life. You owe me your life!” Quinn’s patience frayed. “Enough, Shawn! Sometimes, death is a mercy!” My hand flew, the slap echoing in the room. Her face turned away from the impact, and a voice called from the doorway, “Quinn! What’s wrong?” Edward, clad in a hospital gown, looked pale and stumbled towards us, “Quinn! “How dare you hit her?” Edward accused. He glared at me. I sneered, “A slap is too gentle. Quinn, can’t you bear this from me? Or will you hit me back? Be my guest!” I lifted my chin to confront Quinn, who sighed and prepared to speak, but I turned on my heel and left. “Where are you going?” “It’s none of your concern! I’ve made it clear! We’re even!” I wrested myself free from her grip. As Quinn made a move to follow me, Edward’s strength faltered. He fell into her embrace, an act that halted her right in her pursuit.
I walked away and made a beeline for the funeral home. After presenting my ID, I was finally granted access to Lily’s remains. Her rigid body was rolled out from the cold storage. I knelt before her, my hands trembling as I lifted the white shroud. The sight of her familiar face sent a shiver through me, and only a dry rasp escaped my throat. I couldn’t summon tears; there was no outlet for my emotions. My heart ached with a pain so profound it felt as though it would shatter. I clutched her hands, now cold and unyielding, a stark contrast to the warmth I remembered. Vividly, I recalled the moments before the wedding, Lily embracing me and gently said, “You’ll be married soon, Shawn. Even if I’m not around, you’ll have someone to care for you.” None of us could have anticipated that Quinn would abandon our wedding to be with Edward. It was my fault, my naivety. I believed that by her side, through years of devotion, I could win her true heart. I had overestimated myself and underestimated Edward’s place in her heart. I lost track of time until a staff member’s voice broke the silence, “Mr. Blake, are you done? It’s time.” I stepped to the side. My nod was barely perceptible, and with a heavy heart, I watched as Lily was conveyed into the crematorium. When she emerged, all that remained of her was contained within a small box. Holding the urn, I frowned. Lily had been confined to that small city all her life, never venturing beyond its borders. Her greatest wish was to see me settle into a good marriage. Yet, I couldn’t even afford a respectable burial plot for her. With limited funds, I liquidated what I could, scraping together 30,000 dollars. Just then, a staff member approached excitedly. “Mr. Blake, someone has paid a significant sum to upgrade your mother’s tomb to a high-end one. It’s over there, with an excellent location!” I was taken aback. “What did you say? Who did this?” “She’s still here. Her surname is Lee.” Hearing this, I strode towards the office area ahead. The moment I laid eyes on Quinn, my fists clenched involuntarily. “Quinn, what game are you playing?” Quinn met my gaze. “Shawn, this is a gesture of my affection. Accepting it would ease my conscience.” “We’re simple folk; we can’t afford your generosity.” Her delicate eyebrows arched sharply. “Shawn, why the pretense? “It’s just a wedding. I never wished your mother die, but she was ill. Must you be so petty?” Her words were harsh, cutting. I drew a deep breath. “I’ve said it before. There’s a life between us, so I won’t forgive you. “Drop the act!” When Lily was alive, Quinn never visited her, only expressing interest when Lily’s health was failing. Quinn had overseen our wedding preparations, disregarding Lily’s suggestions. Quinn only viewed our wedding as an opportunity to network. That explained why no one seemed to care when Lily suffered a heart attack. Quinn’s anger flared at my words. “Shawn, don’t be ungrateful! She’s not just anyone; she’s your mother, my elder. She deserves a serene farewell. Do you really want her final resting place to be so unbecoming?” Without waiting for my response, Quinn snatched the urn from my grasp and handed it to a nearby staff member. “Bury her at once!” She then instructed her secretary, “Summon all senior leaders of Lee Group to attend! “Notify the media!” I clenched my fists, my voice rising, “Quinn, what the hell are you playing at? My mother’s funeral isn’t some promotional event for your company! “And I won’t let anyone else take charge of it!”
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