Chapter 1

The diagnosis paper confirming my terminal stomach cancer was still warm in my hand when Ethan Vance threw the divorce papers right at my face.

The sharp edge of the paper sliced across my cheek, leaving a stinging cut.

"Sign it."

His voice was as cold as ice. "We found a kidney match for Lily. It's you."

I gripped the diagnosis sheet. My knuckles turned white, but I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Ethan, I’m your wife. You want to harvest my kidney to save your precious first love?"

Ethan looked at me with pure disgust. "Chloe, stop acting so noble. If you hadn't set me up all those years ago, I would never have married you."

"Lily is sick because of me. You owe her this."

I owed her?

I was the one who dragged him out of that raging fire.

I was the one who inhaled so much toxic smoke that my vocal cords were permanently damaged.

But Lily was simply the one who wore my jacket and sat by his hospital bed crying when he woke up.

I crumpled my diagnosis paper into a tight ball, squeezing it in my palm. "And what if I say no?"

Ethan grabbed my jaw, squeezing so hard I thought my bones would shatter.

"Then I’ll throw you in prison. Trust me, Chloe, I have a million ways to make your life a living hell."

"Don't push me to do this the hard way."

Looking into his ruthless eyes, the last flickering spark of hope in my heart died.