Rhea said, "Mom, you already owe me so much. You must save me this time!"

That crying voice unquestionably shattered my fantasies.

I turned around in shock and saw Rhea struggling to stand up from her wheelchair. She was trembling as she threw herself into Mom's embrace!

It was then that I could get a clear look at Rhea's body—even with Rhea's mother's meticulous care, she was still tormented by her illness and looked in a terrible state.

She had told me countless times that she wanted to be able to live a healthy life.

Now that an opportunity that came at no cost was presented before her, she would naturally seize it without hesitation.

Jeremy also tenderly approached to hug her, comforting her nonstop, "I'm sorry, Rhea. All these years, I've been caring for the wrong person. In the future, I'll treat you even better!"

Mom cried as she hugged her, "I'm so sorry, my daughter! Whether she lives or dies has nothing to do with me. I will definitely save you!"

I watched as the little bit of affection I had barely gotten in 20 years went toward her effortlessly.

Suddenly, a wave of bittersweet feelings surged within me, but I forcefully suppressed it. I laughed self-deprecatingly.

Most people could usually donate a kidney and not die from it. But Mom had never loved me since I was little, and I grew up neglected—my body had long broken down.

Even bleeding just a little could cost me half my life.

I watched them embrace and suddenly remembered something. Instinctively, I lifted my gaze to the neighbor, Rhea's mother, Wilma Shaw.

Wilma stood there looking indifferent, as if all this absurdity had nothing to do with her. She neither wept for her daughter's betrayal nor showed any desire to save me, who might be her biological daughter.

Shakily, I asked, "Don't you care at all? I might be your biological daughter. Why won't you save me?"

She merely shrugged. "So what if you're my biological daughter? What feelings do I have toward you? I've raised Rhea for so many years, and she's the real daughter I acknowledge. I don't mind if I can use you to save her."

As expected, this was probably the most normal reaction of a mother who loved her daughter.

My eyelids quivered as I lowered my head. So it turned out love only went to those who already had it. Meanwhile, I was just trash abandoned by the whole world.

Still, even if I was trash, I still wanted to live!

I mustered all my strength to shout at the people who were practically my family, "You can't do this! This is illegal!"

Mom looked at me. "It's fine. Legally, I'm your birth mother. I will sign your kidney donor consent form."

"I agree as well." Wilma raised her hand. "It doesn't matter if Rhea is the real or fake daughter. I'll still love her."

Just like that, the two mothers casually handed out my death sentence.

I hoarsely called out to Mom with determination. I refused to believe that, after all these years, there were no feelings for me. Was our bond really worth nothing more than a mere blood relation?

Perhaps it was my anguished cry that caused her to hesitate, but she remained still for a long moment.

Jeremy frowned and grabbed Mom's wrist, but she gently patted his hand. She turned to face me, her eyes red-rimmed. With a trembling voice, she said, "Faye, Rhea is my flesh and blood—my biological daughter.

"I've waited and loved for her all these years. You must donate your kidney, no matter what."

She took a deep breath and added, "I've already asked. You won't die. You might just be rendered unable to care for yourself. When you leave the hospital, I'll definitely love you and properly make up for everything."

My 20 years of longing had instantly turned to dust at that moment. All I got at the end was, "You won't die."

I laughed in self-despair, cruelly cursing myself, "I can't live on like this. I will definitely die."

Mom yelled at me, terrified, "No! That's impossible! I'll have your brother personally perform the surgery!"

Even if a medical expert like Jeremy tried, he wouldn't be able to save someone who was determined to die.

Dad, who had been silent this entire time, held me up and tied me to the operating table like a lamb awaiting its slaughter.

Jeremy presented the surgery consent form, and Mom quickly signed it.

I lay there, staring at them weakly, up until Jeremy started to wheel me into the operating room.

I blinked and stared blankly up at the ceiling, allowing my tears to slip down my face.

With a forced smile that looked uglier than if I cried, I said, "I can give it to her, whether it's my kidney or my life. Either is fine, but I have one request… I want to have a paternity test done with Mom."

Jeremy frowned, loudly scolding, "What's the point of doing all this? You still want to resist?

"Rhea has suffered for you all these years and hasn't returned to Mom's side for 20 years, yet you dare to make demands?"

She suffered? Who was the one who endured so many years of suffering, only to now be reduced to risking their life?

I only wanted that one answer.

Dad sighed. "It's been so many years. Let's just let Faye know the truth. It's best if we can end it here. Then we can all be united as a family."

Mom spoke up in agreement. "Alright. From now on, don't call me 'Mom' anymore."

I smiled with relief. After over 20 years of effort, it was also time for me to give up completely.

To ensure the surgery's success, Jeremy did not administer a sufficient amount of anesthesia to me.

I could even feel the scalpel slicing through my flesh and the scissors severing my tissues—it hurt so much.

Whenever a person got scared, they would usually instinctively call out for their mother.

But as soon as I opened my mouth, I suddenly snapped back to reality—I no longer had a mother.

Jeremy raised an eyebrow and looked at me. With disgust, he spat out, "I can't believe you're a fake! No wonder you don't look anything like our family! All the affection we gave you was wasted!"

At that, my pupils dilated slightly, and I found his words laughable. I softly said, "Don't be mad, Jeremy. After I get out, I won't call you my brother anymore."

Displeased, he viciously twisted the scalpel. I shuddered in pain, sweating profusely.

He chuckled smugly. "Good! You don't deserve to call me your brother."

The surgery lasted a long time—so long that I felt like I had already died.

After a long while, Jeremy finally closed up the last stitch. He tilted his head and said, "Consider yourself lucky to be alive."

I blinked slowly and said with indifference, "Thank you… Dr. Campbell."

Upon hearing that, he inexplicably got angry. He threw the scissors down and walked out.

I could hear the sounds from outside the operating room. I heard Mom anxiously approaching and asking, "How is Faye?"

Jeremy smirked with disdain. "It was very successful. It's just that her body is too weak. From now on, she'll always be suffering."

Mom murmured, "As long as she's alive… "

"By the way…" She turned to Wilma and said, "Wilma, she wants a mother. I'll return her to you now. You have to treat her well!"

Before Wilma could respond, I suddenly started coughing up blood uncontrollably.

The nurse assisting with the post-op procedures panicked. She tripped and fell to the ground as she scrambled to the door and shouted, "Dr. Campbell, bad news! The patient is hemorrhaging after surgery! And it looks like she might have gotten an infection!"

As soon as she finished, Jeremy panicked. He turned and ran toward me, calling my name loudly.

I heard Mom try to rush in, but she was stopped. She kept asking what was happening.

Amidst the chaos, the nurse from the Genetics Department arrived with the paternity test results. Her voice was full of joy as she repeatedly congratulated them, "Congratulations! These two have been confirmed as mother and daughter!"