My mother-in-law had severe heart failure, but my husband insisted on giving the heart source to his first love.

“Winona shows signs of heart failure; she must have the surgery today! Mom's condition is old and she won't die immediately!"

I pleaded with him, "Mom is in the ICU and the doctor said it’s Stage 5 heart failure. Without a heart source, she will die!"

Jovan coldly pushed me away, "Is she dead? If she's not dead, don't delay Winona's surgery!"

I collapsed to the ground, watching helplessly as the lights in the operating room turned on.

In the end, my mother-in-law didn't get the heart source and died that day.

My husband, on the other hand, was celebrating his first love’s new lease on life in the next room. I calmly arranged my mother-in-law’s funeral. Three days later, Jovan, who still couldn’t find his mother, began to panic. He grabbed me by the neck and asked, “Where is Mom?” I pointed to his first love’s dog and said, “There, in its mouth.”

***

In the corridor, Jovan was pushing a hospital bed towards me. I was relieved, thinking that’s why I couldn’t reach him on the phone earlier, he must have been arranging the surgery for my mother-in-law.

I rushed over and said, “Honey, this way…”

Jovan frowned. “What are you doing here?”

As I approached, I saw that the bed he was pushing held a woman with a pale face—Jovan’s first love, Winona.

I quickly took over the bed and said, “Did you just finish the surgery? I’ll take care of the patient. You should go check on Mom. Dr. Zidan said she has heart failure and urgently needs a heart source for surgery…”

Jovan glanced at me coldly and said, “I understand my mother’s condition. Her heart is an old problem; she can wait a bit longer. I’ve already signed to allocate the heart source. Other patients need it more.”

He then looked at Winona tenderly.

I couldn't believe it. “What do you mean? That was the heart source I worked so hard to arrange for Mom! It took a whole six months and Mom is still lying in the ICU. Did you give it away? To whom? Other things might be negotiable, but this one isn’t. Mom is waiting for the heart to save her!”

Jovan looked at me with disgust and said, “Siora, how can you be so selfish! Mom can clearly wait. Why do you have to grab something that belongs to others?”

"She can't wait! Can't you understand what I'm saying? Mom is in the ICU … ICU! Her heart could stop at any moment!" I was on the brink of losing it.

"What's the rush? Is she dead?"

I was stunned, unable to believe what I was hearing.

He dismissively waved his hand at me. "Winona still needs surgery. I don't have time to waste on this drama with you."

I stood firm, stubbornly blocking the bed.

"Alright, Siora, don’t argue over me," Winona struggled to sit up. Jovan attentively adjusted her pillow behind her.

"It's my body that's failing me. Don’t blame Jovan." She clutched her chest and spoke weakly, "Jovan, her health is important. I’m fine." As she spoke, she pounded her chest in discomfort.

Jovan sighed. "Winona, you’re too kind! You have signs of heart failure and you still want to hide it from me? You must have surgery today!"

"But your mom..."

Jovan looked up and fixed me with a sharp gaze, "Can’t you see Winona’s condition? Are you trying to force her to death? Your mother has a chronic condition from old age. Can’t she wait a bit longer?"

Realizing he had misunderstood, I quickly explained, "No, it’s not my mom; it’s your mom. She’s in the ICU right now, waiting for you to bring the heart source to save her! It’ll be too late if you delay any longer!"

Jovan sneered. "My mom? I’ve never heard of my mom having heart disease, let alone heart failure. If you’re going to make up a story, at least make it believable. Just because you don’t want Winona to use the heart source, you’re cursing her into the ICU?"

My mother-in-law had been diagnosed with heart failure six months ago, but she kept it from her son to avoid worrying him. She had been having check-ups quietly whenever Jovan was resting, usually with Dr. Zidan.

"It’s true! Mom was afraid you’d worry, so she had me arrange the heart source under my mother’s name. The one with severe heart failure is your mom! Her condition is critical; if she doesn’t get a heart transplant soon, she’ll die!"

Jovan hesitated for a moment. "Are you telling the truth?"

I sighed in relief. "The ICU is just over there. If you don’t believe me, you can go see for yourself."

Jovan glanced worriedly at Winona.

"Jovan, go ahead. It’s okay if I’m delayed a bit. But Siora's mother is older now. Please don’t make her go through this kind of trouble just to make a scene."

Hearing this, Jovan exploded with anger. "Just because I haven’t seen you recently, you came up with such a low-down scheme? And you’re joking about my mother’s life?"

Winona cast a smug glance at me.

I was burning with anger. “I’m telling the truth, Jovan! You’ll regret it if you give the heart to Winona today!”

Jovan looked at me with a half-smile and said, “Regret? The biggest regret of my life is marrying you! Move out of the way!”

“Jovan!”

Seeing him push the bed away, I dropped to my knees with a thud. “I’m begging you, Jovan. Just go see Mom. She really needs the heart source! You… you’ve always wanted a divorce, right? After the surgery, we’ll get divorced. I’ll make it easy for you. Please, Jovan!”

Thinking about my mother-in-law in the ICU, I broke down in tears. She had always treated me like a daughter. If I didn’t get Jovan to go see her today, she… I couldn’t bear to think about it.

Jovan turned around. “Using retreat as a tactic? Siora, I’m very busy and don’t have time to play along with your drama. You’re going to such lengths to prevent me from performing Winona’s surgery! How malicious!”

With that, he strode away, not wanting to say another word to me.

I blocked the bed. “No, you can’t leave, Jovan! If you go like this, you’ll be killing Mom!”

Jovan’s face darkened completely. He pushed me aside roughly. “Enough! Siora!”

I lost my balance and fell to the ground, the leg I had injured in a car accident beginning to throb painfully. I watched helplessly as Jovan entered the operating room. As the lights in the surgery room came on, I felt utterly hopeless.

Stumbling back to the ICU, I saw my mother-in-law pressing her hand against the glass to touch my face. “Siora, what’s wrong? Your little face is all red from crying.”

Seeing her pale face, I was unable to stop my tears.

“Jovan has made you suffer again? That blind, heartless beast! Don’t cry anymore, dear. Mom has already prepared the soup. When you get home, I’ll make your favorite drunken crab and a plate of spicy chicken…”

My mother-in-law gently comforted me as if I were the most precious thing in the world. With many siblings at home, there was little maternal love left for me. I had never experienced such unique and devoted affection.

But she was in the late stages of heart failure. Speaking so much had already drained her strength. She breathed heavily, her face flushed red from the effort. Even so, she still remembered to smile and soothe me.

I rushed out, desperate to prevent my mother-in-law from dying. I dropped to my knees in front of Dr. Zidan, begging him to save her.

Dr. Zidan shook his head. “Without a heart source, there’s nothing I can do! How could Jovan be so foolish?”

“What about transferring to another hospital? Is there still time to transfer?” I asked anxiously.

“There’s only one heart source available in Armdera and if you hadn’t registered it, it wouldn’t have come to our hospital at all… Wait, there’s another one! Yes, there’s another one. The Provincial Cardiology Department contacted us a day ago! I’ll call them. Quick, get ready to transfer your mother-in-law!”

I was overjoyed. There was hope for my mother-in-law.

I ran to the ICU, shouting inside, “Mom! There’s hope! I can save you now!”

My mother-in-law weakly smiled at me and made a heart shape with her hand. I was beaming with happiness, finally able to save her.

Dr. Zidan walked over with a serious expression.

“When can we leave? You need to bring an oxygen machine for us. My mom…”

Dr. Zidan interrupted, “That won’t be necessary.”

I stood there in shock. “What do you mean?”

“The Provincial Cardiology Department contacted Jovan at that time…”

“So what?” I didn’t understand how this was related to Jovan.

“He… refused. Now that heart source has been given to someone else.”

Everything went dark before my eyes. I bit my lips so tight and quickly looked over at my mother-in-law. Fortunately, she hadn’t seen what was happening.

A nurse rushed out. “Bed 7 is failing! Where are the family members?”

My eyes widened in shock. Mother-in-law?

The nurse handed me a card. “The patient asked me to give this to you.”

It was my mother-in-law’s salary card, something I was very familiar with. Every time we went to the mall, she proudly handed me her card and said, “Siora, you are so beautiful. I'm happy to spend money on you!”

I flipped the card over and found a line of small text on the back. "Siora, take good care of yourself. Be brave, you deserve better."

I clutched the card tightly, a torrent of hatred surging within me.

I calmly completed the funeral arrangements for my mother-in-law, sold the house and sent the divorce papers to Jovan.

Three days later, holding my mother-in-law's ashes, I arrived at the old house to prepare for her joint burial with my father-in-law. To my surprise, Winona was living here. She was sitting by the window, her complexion rosy.

"Siora, are you here to see Jovan? He was very tired last night and is still asleep. He specifically instructed me not to let outsiders disturb him!" she said, looking at me with a victorious smirk.

I found it amusing and ignored her, heading straight for the room.

Winona, furious, yelled, "Siora! Why are you so arrogant? Jovan used to revolve around you and now he's mine. I don’t believe you don’t feel a bit of turmoil inside!"

Before Winona returned to the country, Jovan had indeed been a competent husband. After that, everything changed. I endured a lot for the sake of my mother-in-law. Now, I no longer care.

I sneered. "You’ve only picked up a piece of trash. What’s there to be proud of?"

Her expression changed and she soon sneered. "Have you forgotten how you were on your knees, like a dog, begging for mercy that day? Haha, it’s a pity that Jovan wouldn’t even glance at you!"

She still had the nerve to mention that day, the one responsible for my mother-in-law’s death.

I took a turn and stood in front of Winona, raising my arm and delivering a sharp slap to her face.

"Using someone else’s heart and you’re still so dirty!"