Chapter 2

I begged. I pleaded. I leveraged every connection I had left, emptied every emergency fund. I called every powerful person I knew, every medical professional, every favor I was owed.

I tried to find another heart, any heart, anywhere. But it was too late.

There was no other heart. No other chance.

Lily died at 3:17 PM. The exact time Graham had informed me Mia's surgery was a success.

Her small hand, which had been clutching mine with surprising strength just moments before, went limp. The beeping on the monitors flatlined into a long, mournful wail.

My little girl, my brave, bright Lily, was gone.

The grief was a tidal wave, crashing over me, dragging me down into a dark, bottomless abyss. I screamed until my throat was raw, until there was no sound left.

Then, everything went black.

I woke up to the sterile scent of antiseptic and the low hum of hospital machinery. Not Lily's room. A different one.

My head throbbed, and my body felt heavy, bruised. But the emotional pain eclipsed any physical discomfort. Lily was gone.

Graham. He had to pay. They both had to pay.

My mind was a steel trap, every thought cold, clear, and focused. I decided, in that moment, that our marriage, our life, our entire shared history, was over. And so was his.

I reached for my phone, but a nurse gently stopped me. "Mrs. Finley, you need to rest. Your phone was taken away for your recovery."

"I need to call my husband," I said, my voice raspy, unfamiliar.

She hesitated, her gaze dropping. "Dr. Finley... he hasn't been in touch."

Of course, he hadn't.

A desperate, primal need to confront him surged through me. I ripped the IV from my arm, ignoring the nurse's alarmed cries. I staggered out of the room, through the hospital corridors, a frantic, wild animal stalking its prey.

I found him in Mia Savage's recovery room. The door was ajar, and through the gap, I saw him.

Graham. He was laughing, a warm, genuine laugh I hadn't heard from him in years. He was holding Mia's small hand, stroking Bella Savage's hair, who was curled up against his side, tears of joy streaming down her face.

They looked like a family. A perfect, happy family. My stomach churned.

"Graham!" I shrieked, my voice tearing through the idyllic scene.

He flinched, turning sharply. His smile vanished, replaced by a scowl. Bella gasped, her eyes widening in feigned shock as she quickly pulled away from him.

"Emma? What are you doing here?" he snapped, his voice laced with annoyance. "You shouldn't be out of bed." He pushed me back, his hand firmly on my shoulder. His touch felt like poison.

"My daughter is dead, Graham!" I screamed, tears suddenly flooding my eyes, hot and stinging. "Our daughter! And you're here, playing happy family with them?!"

He glanced at Bella, then back at me, his brow furrowed. "Emma, I understand you're upset, but this isn't the place. Mia just went through a major surgery. Bella needs me."

"Upset?" I laughed, a raw, hysterical sound. "Upset?! You don't even remember what day it is, do you? You don't even remember Lily's surgery was today!"

His eyes flickered, a faint shadow of realization crossing them, quickly replaced by indignation. "Don't be ridiculous. Of course I do. But I had to make a choice."

"No, you made a mistake! A choice that killed our child!" I spat, my voice cracking. "I want a divorce, Graham. And I want you to pay for what you've done."

His jaw dropped, but then a sneer twisted his lips. "A divorce? Because of this? Emma, don't be absurd. You're grieving. You're not thinking straight. You're just trying to punish me."

"Punish you?" I echoed, the words tasting like ash. "This is justice. Lily is dead because of you. Because of her," I glared at Bella, who had shrunk back into the corner.

"Don't be cruel, Emma," Graham said, stepping in front of Bella, shielding her. "Bella has been through so much. Mia is her whole world. You have no idea what it's like to be truly desperate."

My stomach clenched. "Desperate?" My mind flashed to Lily, lying in that bed, her small body failing. "You think you know about desperation, Graham? I bought that heart! I secured it! And you stole it! You stole it from our dying daughter to give to your..."

A faint whimper came from inside the room. Mia.

Graham immediately turned, his face etched with concern. "Mia? Are you okay, sweetheart?"

He pushed past me, not gently, but with a firm shove that sent me stumbling. His priority was clear. He rushed into the room, leaving me standing in the sterile hallway, utterly alone.

Before the door swung shut, he turned back, his eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare cause any trouble here, Emma. For your own sake."

I watched him disappear, the door closing with a soft click, sealing them inside, shutting me out.

He didn't just abandon Lily. He abandoned me. He protected Bella. He chose them.