Our daughter was diagnosed with a genetic illness. To save her, my husband founded a charity in her name.

To raise the funds, he pushed himself to the brink—working three hundred days straight, surviving on three hours of sleep a night. His relentless drive moved countless people. The media hailed him as "Father of the Year."

Everyone congratulated me on having such a devoted partner.

Then came the day he rallied the entire nation, securing pledges for millions in donations to fund our daughter's cure. At the gala, with over ten million dollars moments from being transferred, I suddenly hit the pause button.

"And now, we'll take a brief intermission for a signing," I announced.

The room erupted. They shouted at me, called me selfish, a monster.

My husband stared at me, utterly stunned. "Have you lost your mind? Children around the world are waiting on this money to survive! What in God's name are you talking about?"

I lifted my gaze to meet his. "A divorce agreement."

"Jessica Wheeler! Don't test everyone's patience with your ignorance!

"You can throw your tantrums any other time, but not now! The fundraiser starts in twenty minutes. Are you really willing to let ten million dollars go down the drain? Could you possibly take that kind of responsibility?"

My husband, Aaron McKinzie, jabbed a finger toward my face as he shouted.

The crystal chandeliers overhead were blinding. In an instant, the warm, elegant atmosphere of the charity gala froze into icy condemnation.

"How could Mrs. McKinzie be so childish? Picking a moment like this to make a scene?"

"Mr. McKinzie is working to change the fate of countless children. How can she stand in his way?"

"What marital issue can't be dealt with in private? Even if she won't support her husband's work, she shouldn't use other children's lives as leverage!"

The whispers pierced me like needles, cementing my reputation as a woman causing trouble for no reason.

But I ignored them all. Nothing was left in me now but a do-or-die resolve.

"If we don't sign the divorce papers today, I'll destroy this activation remote."

I flicked my wrist in a feigned motion. The crowd gasped in horror, and sharp screams erupted around us.

"Don't—!"

A parent of one of the sick children suddenly dropped to his knees with a heavy thud.

"Mrs. McKinzie, I'm begging you—please save my child. This is her only chance to live!"

He slammed his forehead against the floor, again and again, until blood seeped from his brow.

Seeing this, several other parents followed suit, kneeling down together.

Watching their bowed figures, my heart felt as if it were being sliced apart. Every breath hurt.

But the moisture in my eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by something far colder—hatred.

Aaron shoved me hard.

"Jessica, are you satisfied now? Seeing all these people on their knees before you? Give me the remote. Now!"

I staggered backward, my lower back slamming into the hard edge of the sound console. Pain exploded through me, my vision blurring, but I still clenched my teeth and refused to let go.

"I'll give it to you," I said, "but you sign this first."

I flung the divorce agreement in front of him.

"I've always enjoyed helping people get what they want."

Aaron's assistant, Chloe Riddler, adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses, her gaze cold and sharp.

"Mrs. McKinzie, are you really prepared to watch your daughter die? You haven't forgotten, have you? Your daughter, Mia, is one of the core beneficiaries of this charity fund. If you ruin today's fundraiser, her targeted surgery won't proceed. In her condition, she likely wouldn't last more than six months."

She stared at me intently, triumph swirling undisguised in her eyes.

Chloe's words detonated the room. Voices surged like a tidal wave.

"Has Jessica lost her mind? She's gambling with her own daughter's life just to get a divorce."

"I heard the story behind this foundation is incredibly moving. Once launched, it raises at least ten million and helps tens of thousands of families."

"Look at her—she's clearly determined to sabotage an eight-figure donation today. Her motives are despicable!"

How could I forget my daughter's illness?

Before coming to the fundraiser, I had gone to the hospital to see Mia. She held my hand and said happily, "Once Daddy's foundation launches, we'll have the money for my surgery! Then I can come home healthy!"

The daughter I had nearly given my life to bring into this world had always been my light—my life, my purpose, my only hope. As long as she could live, I was willing to do anything.

Yet now, gripping the remote in my hand, my eyes were utterly calm.

"If you want it," I said evenly, "sign the divorce agreement first."

Aaron's face contorted with rage.

"Jessica, be honest with yourself—have I ever wronged you? We met in college. And over time, we became what everyone called the perfect couple.

"You come from a family with a history of hereditary illness. Our daughter was born with a genetic cancer, but I have never once blamed you for it.

"To save our daughter, I built this foundation. I worked three hundred days straight, sleeping maybe three hours a night, pulling together the best doctors and resources to save her—and thousands of other children just like her.

"We're one step away. Why would you do something so insane? If you really want a divorce, fine—but does it have to be today?"

His earnest, pained words brought tears to the eyes of nearly everyone in the room. Chloe and several of his female colleagues discreetly wiped their eyes, murmuring, "Mr. McKinzie has been through so much… our team pulled all-nighters for weeks…"

My stomach turned, but I met Aaron's gaze with icy resolve.

"Why wait? Today works just fine. Sign it."

Aaron finally snapped. He hurled his wine glass to the floor, where it shattered.

"Jessica! Do you have any respect for me at all?!"

Just then, there was a heavy thud. The parent representative at the front fell to his knees, right onto the broken glass. He bowed repeatedly toward Aaron.

"Mr. McKinzie, please don't be angry, don't argue because of us. We don't want to come between you and your wife. If Mrs. McKinzie won't allow the fundraiser, we'll find another way—we'll sell everything we have—just to save our children!"

Blood stained his knees, but he seemed not to feel it. Their words cut through me like a dull blade, over and over. As a mother, I understood that desperation all too well.

"Jessica, you've gone too far!"

Aaron raised his hand as if to strike me.

Before the blow could fall, a furious roar erupted from behind.

"Jessica! I never thought you could be this kind of person! What did our family do to deserve a daughter-in-law so shameless and heartless?!"

My father-in-law stormed forward, trembling with rage. My mother-in-law followed, her face tight with disapproval.

"Do you have someone else? Forcing a divorce at a time like this—you're trying to ruin my son's reputation and pin the blame on him! I won't let you destroy my son's life! You'd better explain yourself today, or don't even think about walking out of here!"

My father-in-law's voice grew louder, then suddenly he clutched his chest, gasping, his face pale. The room fell into stunned silence.

Aaron rushed to support him, then turned a furious glare on me.

"Are you happy now? Look what you've done to Dad! Even if our marriage is over, haven't my parents been good to you? They've been at the hospital with Mia all these years, running themselves ragged. And this is how you repay them?"

With his parents backing him, Aaron grew even more defiant.

"Let me make this clear, Jessica—if you sabotage this event, I will make sure the rest of your life is a living hell. I just don't get it. Why make a scene like this? Is it because I didn't buy you that 30,000 dollar bag for your birthday? I was saving every penny for our daughter's surgery! How can you not understand that? Are you really jealous of your own child?"

His twisted, ridiculous words chilled me to the bone. But the crowd, easily swayed, buzzed with contempt.

"All this over a handbag? How selfish! Her child is sick and she's worried about a bag. Typical gold-digger—completely hopeless."

"Jessica's the only one winning here. If she gets her way, her daughter will die in the hospital without the surgery, and she can run off free. How convenient for her."

"Her lover must be something else, don't you think? Otherwise, why would she force a divorce in the middle of a charity event? Can't she at least wait till the event is over?"

My eyes swept over the crowd, then returned to the divorce agreement.

"Sign this, and you can be the hero you want to be. I won't stand in your way."

Aaron's face twisted with fury.

"You monster! How can you be so heartless—willing to sacrifice your own daughter?! Don't forget—everything I've done has been for her! When I founded the 'Mia Hope Foundation,' I traveled city to city just to raise money for her treatment."

His voice grew ragged with emotion. When our daughter was first diagnosed, I had cried until I felt hollow. Aaron had held me, comforting me, whispering, "We'll find a way."

That hope was what kept me going. Later, he built the foundation, working day and night to secure the funding that had kept her alive until now.

Seeing my distant expression, a shrewd gleam flashed in his eyes. Suddenly, he lunged forward and snatched the remote from my hand.

"Give it back!"

I threw myself at the remote with everything I had, only to be seized and held back by two large security guards.

My eyes darted to the wall clock. Seeing the position of the minute hand, a faint, knowing smile touched my lips.

My desperate cries were swallowed by the din of the fundraiser.

Aaron's mouth curved into the triumphant smile of a conqueror. "You'll answer for this once the event is over."

The crowd, thinking the commotion had finally ended, collectively sighed in relief. Yet the glances they cast my way were still heavy with scorn.

Aaron raised a commanding hand. "Everyone, back to your positions! We have ten minutes. All teams, final checks—I want zero errors!"

Instantly, the hall hummed back to life. Guests resumed their polite conversations, staff moved with brisk efficiency, and soft background music swelled once more.

Then, a panicked shout pierced the air.

"We've got a problem! A major malfunction!"

A technician leapt up from his station, face pale. "The system—the main system has crashed!"

"What do you mean, crashed?!" Aaron's smile vanished. He grabbed the man by his collar. "I paid your company hundreds of thousands! Explain!"

"It wasn't us! Administrative control was seized by a third party!" the engineer stammered, trembling. "We're locked out. The launch sequence is frozen."

Aaron's eyes snapped to me, recalling the smirk I'd worn when I was restrained. The pieces clicked together. His gaze sharpened, turning venomous.

"Jessica! You did this! You set all this up just to force a divorce? Are you that desperate? Ask everyone here—who would back your insane plan?"

I lifted my chin, sweeping my gaze across the room. Their eyes burned with anger, staring at me as if I were a monster beyond redemption.

I squared my shoulders, meeting their collective hostility without a flicker of fear.

"I support Jessica's decision!"

A clear, firm voice cut through the tension, commanding instant silence.

Everyone froze, heads turning to find the speaker.

"I agree Jessica should get the divorce. Sign the papers. Now."

It was my mother-in-law.

She stepped forward through the parted crowd, her voice steady and unwavering. "Forcing two incompatible people to stay in a marriage helps no one. It's time to end this cleanly. And after the divorce, all marital assets will go to Jessica."

Her words exploded in the silence. The room was utterly stunned; jaws dropped in shock.

"Mom?!" Aaron stared at his own mother, his face a mask of pure disbelief. "Have you lost your mind? Why are you taking her side?!"

The sharp crack of her palm striking his cheek echoed in the quiet hall. Her voice was cold with fury.

"Do you still not understand what is really going on here?"