“A year ago, Miss Jiang came to our temple, bowing every step, wishing for her critically ill husband’s safety. Later, she returned to express her gratitude, saying her husband recovered and she was pregnant. Our abbot said she was blessed and specially consecrated a longevity locket for her child’s safety, but we haven’t been able to reach her for months.”
When Declan was diagnosed with late–stage heart failure, I tried everything to treat him, even begged the heavens, bowing until my head was
bloody.
Later, I happily returned to the temple, thinking we’d overcome this and found hope.
But in the end, I lost everything.
I clutched my aching heart, a bitter smile on my lips.
Turns out, even an artificial heart could hurt this much.
The crowd was stunned:
“Who would have thought Nora was so devoted? When you had heart failure, we all thought she ran away to avoid responsibility. Looks like we misunderstood her…”
Declan suddenly clutched his chest lightly, frowning deeply.
After a moment, he coldly laughed:
“No need. Toss the longevity locket.”
He hung up the call.
Lowering his gaze, he scoffed:
“That’s the difference between Nora and Lydia.”
“Nora only does things to comfort herself, while Lydia saved my life! If it weren’t for Lydia’s heart donation, I’d be dead!”
“Lydia’s life is short because of it, but Nora? She only knew how to be jealous, deliberately causing an accident to lose the child, and then
demanded a divorce!”
Bitterness filled my mouth.
I was the one who donated my heart to Declan.
The doctor told me that even if I paid a high price for an artificial heart transplant and took medication daily, with current technology, I’d only
live another year or two.
I didn’t regret it, grateful for the time I had left.
But when I woke from a coma, I found Declan tearfully thanking Lydia for donating her heart to him.
I tried to explain countless times, but he accused me of imitating without success.
It wasn’t until I discovered I was pregnant that our relationship somewhat mended.
Lydia visited me once, clutching her heart, looking desolate:
“Too bad, I won’t live long. I probably can’t have my own children or see yours, Declan.”
Declan didn’t hesitate to give Lydia the chance to be a mother.
That led to the tragedy that followed.
Listening to Declan’s accusations, the crowd exchanged glances, the air thick with tension.
To ease it, they turned on the TV:
“Declan, you just had a baby boy. Don’t be so angry, relax a bit.”
Unexpectedly, the news was showing:
*A drone survey discovered a woman’s skeleton on a Pacific island. This is an advancement in drone technology…”
Declan’s head snapped up, eyes widening:
“Which island?”
2
Someone timidly said:
“Declan, I heard the island you took Nora to is around those coordinates…”
Declan’s frown could tie knots.
Lydia’s eyes glinted, and she gently grabbed Declan’s fingers, shaking them slightly:
“There are many similar islands, right? But this skeleton is so intact, like a model from a hospital.”
Declan snapped back, coldly laughing:
“Hah, Nora used to fake heart disease to deceive people. Now she found a skeleton model to scare me. She sure has time on her hands. I let her live too comfortably!”
Turning to his assistant, he ordered:
“From now on, don‘
tente ora’s unreasonable demands! Just provide basic survival supplies, no more playing along with her antics!”
The assistant, sweating bullets, nodded obediently.
I knew why he was guilty.
After leaving me on the isolated island, Declan left without hesitation on a helicopter.
Exhausted, my artificial heart couldn’t take it.
I reached for my
medication.
It was this assistant who kicked my lifesaving pills into the sea, disdainfully saying:
“Declan is right. You’re such a drama queen, still acting like you have heart disease!”
“Just live out your days on this island. Declan and Lydia are having a baby. No way he’d bring you back!”
After that, he left the island with everyone, leaving me to die in agony.
I clawed at the ground, my fingers bloody, heart stopped, dying in a foreign land.
My body was exposed to the elements, pecked by birds of prey.
Thinking about it now, that feeling of a heart being crushed seems so vivid.
Declan’s mood inexplicably soured.
Expression cold, he tucked Lydia’s hand back under the covers, starting to usher people out.
“You all should leave. Lydia is tired.”
The crowd exchanged looks, leaving the room.
Lydia called out to Declan, pleading:
“Declan, stay and watch over the baby. They say with a father’s protection, babies are less likely to startle.”
Since it was a natural birth, Lydia could get out of bed and leave the hospital in a few days.
Declan, holding the baby skillfully, was about to hand him to Lydia.
But Lydia’s eves suddenly welled with tears, falling onto the baby’s face.
Declan was immediately flustered, carefully wiping Lydia’s tears, gently comforting her:
“Don’t cry after just giving birth, little one will worry about you.”
“Please, everyone, leave the room now; Lydia is tired.”
The group exchanged looks and quietly exited the hospital room.
Lydia stopped Declan, earnestly saying:
“Declan, please stay and watch over the baby. I’ve heard that with a father’s presence, the baby is less likely to have seizures.”
Since Lydia had a natural birth, she was able to get out of bed and leave the hospital within a couple of days.
