A Heart Taken in Vain

That night, after Charles had left, Charlotte had kept asking to see him. "Daddy promised that you two would spend the day with me on my birthday. Where did he go? Is he still angry with me?"

She'd wiped her tears away sadly. "I'll be good from now on and won't upset Xavier again."

Xavier was Charles' first love, Ruby's, son. He'd been born with congenital defects. After Ruby had gotten divorced, she'd taken him to Charles' hospital.

Since then, Charles wouldn't stop talking about Xavier. At home, he'd scold Charlotte constantly, saying that she was spoiled and childish.

Even when Xavier had torn up Charlotte's doll or messed up her hair, it had somehow always been Charlotte's fault.

Charlotte had cried a lot that day. The next time Xavier had come over, she'd run to her room and refused to come out.

Charles had dragged her out coldly once and forced her to apologize to Xavier. I'd done all I could to smooth things over and calm everyone down.

Remembering this, I'd felt a pang of sadness.

I'd stroked Charlotte's hair and said, "Daddy is a doctor, so saving his patients' lives is his priority. It's not that he doesn't care about you, Charlotte. He just has other things that need his attention."

Charlotte had looked up, her eyes bright. "Daddy is the greatest person in the world," she'd said firmly, guileless yet determined. "He's my hero!"

I'd smiled and taken her back to her room. Then, I'd left to get a book from the study so that I could read her to sleep.

To my shock, she'd disappeared by the time I'd come back.

I'd searched the entire house, only to find the front door wide open.

It had been late at night, but I hadn't even stopped to think. I'd run outside in my slippers and had begun searching for her.

The rest was history.

Just as I was deep in despair, a familiar voice sounded from the door.

"Charles, can you go take a look at Xavier? He's in a bad way!"

It was Ruby. Why was she here?

Before I could make sense of things, I saw Charles, who'd always been composed, turn pale. He dropped the file he was holding and rushed out of the room.

Over in Xavier's room, Charles frowned as he examined him.

"He was doing fine just now…" Ruby sobbed, falling to her knees on the floor. "I can't live without him!"

Charles became paler. He pulled her up. "What are you talking about? We'll find a heart donor for him soon!"

"Where are we going to find a donor who suits his age? Xavier's too young!"

Charles pursed his lips silently.

I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Even though Ruby was Charles' first love, he'd promised me before that they were just friends now. No matter what, Xavier was still an innocent child.

Ruby clung to Charles, begging, "Please find a way to save him, Charles. I'm begging you. He's all I have right now—my only son. You wouldn't stand by and watch me lose my only son, would you?

"We agreed that once Xavier is cured, you'd get a divorce and be with me. Please save him. He'd be your son eventually too!"

I froze. I couldn't believe my ears.

That was impossible. How could that be true?

Charles had told me that the past was in the past! He'd said he was only helping Ruby because they had grown up together and were still friends.

Why would he lie to me?

However, Charles didn't deny anything. He remained silent, looking conflicted.

After a moment, he said softly, "Okay. I'll help you."

My heart went cold.

Ever since Ruby had appeared in our lives, he'd been colder toward me.

He'd told me it was because he was stressed by the work at the hospital and that he just didn't feel like talking after a long day at work.

I'd believed him and even felt sorry for him.

I couldn't believe it was because of Ruby.

He'd cheated on me!

Ruby breathed a sigh of relief at his confirmation. "I'm glad. You know, Xavier likes you too, Charles. He only eats when you're around. When you're not there, he makes me call you…"

I didn't know how to feel at that moment.

So, it hadn't been work that had brought him to the hospital in a rush—it had been his first love's son.

While Charlotte had been lying in her bed, close to death, he'd been comforting someone else's child at the dinner table.

I wanted to laugh. The bubble of happiness that I'd been living in burst without warning.

All this time, Charlotte and I had been living a lie.

Charles held his head and waved his other hand tiredly. "Even so, it's not going to be easy to find a heart donor. I still have some savings. If we can get enough money, maybe someone would—"

"There is someone!" Ruby pulled out a compatibility report that she'd somehow prepared. "Look at this. It's from that girl in the ICU. Her family hasn't come forward to identify her, have they?"

My blood immediately ran cold.