My Final Act of Love

After five years of marriage, the doctor told me I was pregnant. It was something I had waited for so long.

Yet, along with that good news came a nightmare.

My medical tests showed that I had cancer, and it had already spread. The doctor gave me less than a month to live.

I froze, gripping the report so tightly my knuckles turned white. Tears streamed down my face as I thought about how my unborn child would never get to feel a mother's embrace.

My grief was interrupted by the ping of an incoming text message.

It was from Mom.

[Since you're so selfish and refuse to donate a kidney to save Nattie's life, you should divorce Davon. Let him marry Nattie instead. At least that way, you can fulfill her dying wish.]

My tears fell harder. It was not that I refused to donate a kidney to Natalie Rivera, my sister, who was in the final stages of kidney disease. In truth, I only had one kidney left. Five years ago, I had already given one to Dad.

Now, with my life counting down to its final days, I decided that I would donate my remaining kidney to Natalie. I would also let my husband, Davon Parker, go with her.

Before I went into surgery, my parents praised me for finally being thoughtful, saying I had finally learned to care about my sister. They said that once the surgery was over, the whole family would go on vacation together.

Davon even said he was proud that I was no longer selfish and promised he would make it up to me in the future.

None of them knew I did not have a future.

After the surgery, what would be pushed out of the operating room would be a cold, lifeless body.

I stumbled out of the hospital in a daze and went straight to a bridal boutique. Through the glass window, I saw Natalie Rivera standing there in a pristine white wedding dress, her face glowing with happiness.

Davon Parker was right beside her, watching her with a soft smile, like she was the most precious thing in the world.

Davon was the head of the Etelia mafia, and he was always buried in work. Yet, here he was, accompanying Natalie to pick out her wedding gown.

My parents were there too. They looked at Natalie, excited and brimming with pride.

Mom even reached out to smooth the edge of her veil and said gently, "Nattie, you're the most beautiful bride."

I clenched my fists tightly, and my heart felt like it was crushed. The pain was so unbearable that I felt suffocated. Even though I had decided to let Natalie have everything, seeing it all still hurt–a lot.

"Evelyn Rivera, what are you doing here?" Mom noticed me, and a flicker of embarrassment crossed her face.

However, she quickly regained her composure and said, "Nattie doesn't have much time left. Her biggest wish before she passes is to marry Davon and be a bride for one day, so we've all agreed to let them have a wedding. Nattie's terminally ill. You can't possibly deny her this one wish, can you?"

I looked at Mom, feeling my heart shatter into pieces. They knew full well that Davon was my husband.

"I..."

Just as I opened my mouth to respond, Davon stepped forward and handed me a document.

He explained, "This is a divorce agreement. Sign it. Since you won't donate your kidney to Natalie, we'll go ahead with the divorce first. Her dying wish is to marry me and be my bride for a day, and I have to grant her that."

He paused for a second, then quickly added, "Don't worry, it's only temporary. I love you. After Natalie passes away, we can–"

I cut him off before he could finish. "I'll sign it."

My voice was eerily calm as I continued, "And I'll donate my kidney to her."

My parents and Davon froze for a moment before their faces lit up with relief and joy.

"Really, Eve? You'll really do that? That's amazing! Nattie can be saved!"

I looked at them and felt my heart being torn apart.

Two months ago, when Natalie was diagnosed with kidney failure, everyone had begged me to be her donor. When I refused, they disappointedly called me selfish, saying I did not care about my sister.

They told me to leave the house and told me to reflect on myself.

What they never knew was that five years ago, I had already donated one of my kidneys.

Back then, Dad's kidneys had failed, and he desperately needed a transplant. I secretly went for testing and donated my kidney without telling anyone. To keep him from feeling guilty, I hid the truth from the whole family.

During that month of recovery, I disappeared while Natalie stayed by his hospital bed. From that moment on, I became the evil, selfish daughter in my parents' eyes.

None of that mattered anymore.

When they heard that I agreed to donate my kidney and give up my husband, Natalie, the sister who always pretended to be kind and gentle, showed a flicker of confusion. However, it was quickly followed by a smug, victorious smile before she put on her innocent face again.

"You'd really do that to save me, Eve? Thank you so much!" she said sweetly.

I looked at her face and replied flatly, "Yes, I'm willing. This is the organ donation consent form. We can schedule the surgery right away."

"Eve, you really mean it?" Davon stared at me in shock, his dark eyes swirling with complicated emotions.

I had refused his requests many times before to donate to Natalie, and I had refused when he wanted to hold a wedding for her. Of course, he did not believe me.

I nodded wordlessly.

He studied my face for a long moment, then suddenly pulled me into his arms. "Since you've agreed to donate your kidney, we don't need the divorce agreement anymore. You're still my one and only Mrs. Parker, and you're still the lady of the family. It's just that having the wedding is Natalie's wish. Could you..."

"Go ahead with it," I interrupted, speaking in an emotionless voice. "If it makes her happy, then do it."

My parents' faces brightened with delight. "You've finally matured, Eve! Don't worry... Once Natalie gets better, you'll still be sisters like before."

I lowered my head and said nothing.

That night, we all sat around the dining table.

Mom had prepared a nourishing broth for Natalie, Dad was peeling an apple for her, and Davon occasionally placed pieces of food on her plate. They chatted and laughed, the atmosphere warm and gentle, as if I did not exist at all.

I ate quietly until a sharp pain suddenly stabbed through my chest, and I began coughing violently. I covered my mouth with my hand, and when I pulled it away, my palm was stained with blood.

"Eve!" Davon immediately stood up and reached out to steady me.

I quickly wiped away the blood and laughed it off. "It's okay. The weather's been too dry. My throat's just irritated."

"Eve, are you alright?" Natalie frowned, her voice soft with concern, but then her tone shifted. "But don't pretend to be sick on purpose, okay? You have surgery coming up soon, after all."

The color drained from Mom's face instantly. "Coughing up blood? You're not faking it, are you? If you're having second thoughts again..."

Davon's arms, which had been around me, went rigid. Then, he slowly released me.

"I'm not," I said, my voice hoarse.

The air grew thick with tension, and nobody spoke.

Dad tapped the table. "That's enough. Let's eat."

However, nobody picked up their utensils after that. The entire meal tasted like cardboard.

...

Late that night, Davon did not come home.

My phone lit up with a text that read, [I'll be at the hospital tonight. Nattie's upset.]

I stared at those words for a long time. Finally, I pulled out the divorce agreement he had left behind and sat down at my desk.

My hand trembled as I signed my name. When the ink spread across the paper, a single tear fell onto the page.