To save my father-in-law, I donated a kidney—but on the very day I was discharged, she didn't hesitate for a second to shove me into the guest room.

"Those centipede-like scars are disgusting. Don't show yourself to me again!"

In the dead of night, my wound tore open. I collapsed into a pool of blood, dialing her number 100 times, desperate for help.

She hung up every single time. Meanwhile, the master bedroom echoed with Theo Reynold's low, passionate growls.

In that instant, every ounce of strength drained from me.

When I was admitted to the hospital, I held the military medal my mother had left me on her deathbed. That was when I remembered the woman even the mayor bowed to when she walked into a room.

Without thinking, I dialed the long-forgotten number.

"Commander Jennings, you once said you owed my mother a debt of gratitude. Now… I want you to marry me."

"Caleb, I'll do it."

Commander Kathryn Jennings's voice over the receiver sounded like music from heaven, and in that moment, the weight I'd been carrying for so long finally lifted.

I hadn't expected her to agree so easily. For a second, I just stood there frozen.

When I got home, a sudden shout from behind made me jump.

"Caleb! You're out of the hospital? Why didn't you tell us?"

I turned to find Theo Reynold staring at the suitcase in my hand, his eyes flickering with something I couldn't quite read.

"Since Nina's pregnant and needs looking after, she asked me to move into the master bedroom for now. Hope you don't mind?"

Nina Dawson stepped forward, her eyes sweeping over my scar with barely concealed disgust.

"Caleb, Theo knows how to take care of someone. You go back to the guest room. Once that ugly scar heals, you can come back to the master bedroom."

A sharp pang of bitterness hit me. Three years ago, right after we got married, Nina's distant relative Theo showed up claiming family ties.

I took him in because his hometown was going through a crisis, letting him stay in the guest room—but I never thought it would turn into three whole years.

Now that my wound had just split open, she still wanted me to live in the guest bedroom?

Seeing me hesitate, Nina grabbed my suitcase.

"I'm pregnant, and stress is bad for the baby. If you're fine, just stay out of the way."

My luggage was tossed into the cramped guest room like it was garbage. Dust instantly puffed up into the air.

Theo pinched his nose in disgust and let Nina lead him into the master bedroom. The pine door clicked shut with a finality that sealed off the chill of the guest room.

On autopilot, I picked up my suitcase. I didn't have the energy to argue. Not that it mattered—there were only a few days left anyway.

The next morning, I woke to the sound of teasing voices from the TV in the living room.

My head was spinning. Lifting my shirt, I saw my wound had become inflamed and started to fester again.

I got up to head to the clinic for some antibiotics.

But the second I opened the door, I froze.

On the couch, the two of them were tangled together, lips locked in a kiss that left a silver trail.

When Nina saw me, the lust vanished from her face, replaced by irritation.

"Finally up? Staying in the hospital made you lazy, huh? Theo wants buns from the west side of town. Go get him two packs!"

I pressed a hand to my stomach, my lips trembling.

"Nina… my wound is infected."

She just snorted coldly, strode over, and shoved me hard in the back.

"Quit your whining! I said go, so go! Don't forget—if it weren't for my family taking you in, you'd be out on the streets!"

I stumbled, hitting the bookshelf before catching myself.

Theo, meanwhile, clung to Nina's shoulder.

"Nina… please. Caleb's not feeling well… I get it. I just… don't have much of an appetite today anyway, so I'll skip it."

Nina hugged him tighter, her face full of concern.

"You're so thin. If you don't keep your strength up, how are you supposed to take care of me? It's just a short walk! I don't believe the wound's gonna split open!"

I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to ignore the cutting words. But big tears rolled down my cheeks anyway, each one hitting the floor like a heavy drop of rain.

But... I just saved his father with one of my kidneys.

I slipped my hand into my pocket and gripped the cold, heavy medal. My mother had pressed it into my palm on her deathbed.

I could still hear her final words, "Caleb… if someday… you can't go on… take this… and go find Kathryn Jennings… she owes our family her life…"

Just then, the neighbor, Patty Rogers, knocked and passed along a cryptic message—just one sentence.

"Commander will come for you tomorrow morning."

I knew—she was coming to get me.

The ache in my chest ebbed like the tide. I lifted my head, staring at Nina.

"I can go… but Nina, if I die out there, you'll be the one who drove me to this."

My voice was quiet, yet it hit Nina like a slap. She froze, stunned, her words catching in her throat. After a long pause, she finally forced out a few ragged, broken sentences.

"You… what are you pretending for? It's just a kidney donation! My family took you in for three years! Didn't you hear? The commander's sending someone tomorrow. Go pick up more pastries! If you can't even handle something this small, I've wasted my care on you."

She opened her mouth to argue further, but I couldn't take it. I turned, my body burning, and headed downstairs.

Before we were married, whenever I got sick, Nina had cared for me without rest, day and night. One night, I'd muttered in my sleep that I wanted a cup of spiked hot cocoa. She'd walked six miles to the all-night convenience store to get it.

Back then, our apartment had been just a cramped studio, but that cup of spiked hot cocoa had tasted sweeter than anything I'd ever known.

Suddenly, a sharp voice cut through the silence from behind.

"Caleb!"

Before I could turn, a few coins clattered heavily against my back.

Theo's laugh rang shrill and cruel, brimming with unrestrained pride.

"Caleb, broke again? Planning to mooch off the shop owner now?"

Every word dripped with mockery. I stared at the coins on the floor, straightened my back, and stepped over them. Without a glance, I walked down the stairs and headed straight for the clinic.

My hands trembled as I applied the medicine to my wound. Sweat soaked my body through.

The doctor frowned as he read my chart.

"Mr. Barnes, your infection is severe. Combined with inadequate post-op care and nutrition… the swelling around your kidney has spread significantly. You'll need to be extremely careful going forward, or it could affect your long-term health."

I nodded calmly, unsurprised.

After leaving the clinic, I didn't just sit around. I went straight to the nearest post office. On the letter, I documented Nina's personal misconduct over the years—the lies, the cover-ups—everything. Watching it get sent to the tax authorities, I finally felt some relief.

Then my eyes landed on a newspaper.

The photo on the front showed Kathryn in full military uniform, radiating authority without a word.

[Youngest Female Commander Kathryn Jennings Visits Reed City]

[Commander Kathryn Jennings Tours National Cancer Institute, Reviews Latest Research]

My breath caught. A flicker of hope surged in my chest.

By late morning, I returned home to grab my ID.

The moment I stepped through the door, Nina launched into an interrogation.

"Theo's been waiting for you all morning. Where are the buns?"

Theo slumped on the sofa, his face pale and pitiful. I ignored her scolding entirely, brushing past her into the master bedroom to get my documents.

Nina's impatience flared; she grabbed me, nearly knocking me over.

"Are you deaf? I'm talking to you."

I lifted my head, calm, meeting her gaze.

"Nina… I almost passed out on the street corner. The cab driver wouldn't take me. You wanna know why?"

I locked eyes with Nina and said, "Because… they're afraid I'll die out there."

Nina's eyes flickered with panic, but only for a moment before she erupted into fury.

"You—stop lying! The doctor said you're fine!"

Her anger burned in her gaze, and all I could feel was the absurdity of it all.

"I'm not lying," I said. "It's cancer. The doctor said I don't have long to live."

Her breath caught. Her eyes blazed as she stared at me, searching, as if trying to see through my words.

Then Theo groaned, clutching his stomach.

"Nina… my stomach hurts… is my old condition acting up?"

In an instant, Nina abandoned me and rushed to him. Her eyes overflowed with concern, soft and tender as if they could melt.

"It's okay, Theo. No matter what, I won't let anything happen to you."

But when she turned back, her gaze had frozen to ice.

"If Theo actually gets sick from hunger, I will never forgive you! And now you're making up lies about having cancer… if you really have cancer, you'd better die out there and never come back!"

In a single heartbeat, my hollow chest felt torn apart, a bitter chill flooding in.

I shakily gathered my documents from the cabinet, preparing to leave.

Suddenly, Nina's mother's booming voice thundered from the doorway.

"Caleb! Get out here!"

Leena Dawson barged in, slamming a divorce agreement onto the table with a sharp thud.

"Caleb, sign this! Leave with nothing! You're a sick man—don't waste my daughter's and Theo's future!"

Theo stood, feigning shock, leaning in with gentle words.

"Leena, please don't be angry. Caleb and Nina have been married three years… it's fine, I don't mind…"

But his words only fueled Leena's rage.

"Three years, and she's still not pregnant! This house isn't a shelter! Pack your things and get out!"

Nina steadied her mother, staring at me with impatience.

"If Mom want you to sign, just sign! Don't make a scene!"

A sharp ache tightened my chest. This family had clearly been waiting for me to make way so Theo and Nina could be together openly.

I glared at them, lips twitching.

"Leave with nothing? On what grounds? I worked alongside Nina from the factory floor to management. Half the technology in that factory is my patent!

"And when Nina's father's kidneys were failing, do you remember how you begged me?"

Their faces turned pale with embarrassment, but then flushed crimson with anger.

Nina slapped me across the face, her shouts ringing in my ears.

"What patents? Your mother died three years ago! My family took you in out of kindness! You owe us! Sign it today!"

The heavy slap sent me sprawling, my forehead smashing into the corner of the table. Blood trickled down as I pressed my hand to it. The woman before me was like a demon. My heart was ashes.

All I wanted was a divorce, and they wanted me to leave with nothing. Fine. Just see who would truly pay the price.

"Fine… I'll sign."

Nina's eyes flickered at me, confused by my calm.

I clenched the cold military medal in my pocket, picked up the pen, and signed my name on the divorce papers. Blood from my forehead dripped onto the signature.

"From this moment on, I am no longer part of your family."

I grabbed my suitcase and walked out, never looking back.