The Kidney That Never Came

Kylie's smile vanished like a switch. "Aaron, what are you doing here?"

I walked in slow, eyes locked on the birthday cake sitting smug on the table.

It hit me like a punch to the chest.

My kid had just died in a hospital bed.

And her mom was up here, throwing a party for someone else's son.

Caleb noticed me staring and jumped in with that fake smile. "It's Evan's birthday. His surgery went great, and he's healing fast. Kylie came to celebrate. Since you're here, why not have some cake?"

Cake?

His kid stole the kidney meant for my daughter, and he wanted to share cake?

My mind snapped.

I slammed my hand across the table, sent the cake flying—smashed to pieces on the floor.

Evan wailed.

Caleb shouted, "What the hell are you doing?! Jealous of me and Kylie, fine—but don't pull this crap in front of a kid!"

Before I could say a word, Kylie stormed over and slapped me. "Aaron Abel, are you out of your damn mind?! Who said you could come in here and act like this?

"Let me make one thing clear—you're not even good enough to shine Caleb's shoes.

"Apologize to him right now, or we're done. Divorce. Immediately."

I turned to Caleb. "Apologize? For what? Do you even know where that kidney in your kid came from?"

His face twitched. He tried to play it cool. "I—I don't know."

But Evan—still sniffling—suddenly giggled. "Daddy's lying! I know! He told me the kidney was supposed to go to Kylie's daughter.

"But Kylie took it and gave it to me! She said no way she'd let that girl have it! Kylie's the best!"

I looked at Kylie and Caleb.

They'd gone ghost-pale.

My chest felt like it was tearing in two.

Tears slid down, hot and sharp.

"You knew. Both of you. Kylie—do you even realize Stella's dead? Your own daughter. And you killed her."

Kylie didn't say a word. Just stood there, drained of every ounce of color.

Caleb stepped in, voice all gentle and fake. "Aaron, come on. Even if you're jealous, using your daughter's illness like this is low. I've never seen a more irresponsible father. Don't make things harder for Kylie because of us. It hurts to watch."

That was his thing—soft voice, clean mask. And Kylie always bought it.

Sure enough, she steadied, eyes going cold. "Enough, Aaron. I'm done with this. Get out. If you leave now, I MIGHT go check on your daughter later."

I laughed.

She clearly didn't expect that.

Tears kept spilling, but I laughed anyway. "See my daughter? Fine. Then come with me. Right now. Go see Stella."

She barely had time to blink.

I grabbed her hair and yanked.

"Ahhh!"

Kylie screamed—shocked, unready.

She fought, but it didn't matter. I dragged her along, helpless in my grip.

Caleb lunged at me, but I kicked him square in the chest. He hit the ground with a grunt and stayed there.

The whole hospital watched as I dragged their precious director by the hair, straight down to the lower ward.

Kylie screamed the entire way. "You're insane! Aaron, you're a lunatic! Let go! Somebody call security!"

But before anyone could stop me, I'd already yanked her into Stella's room and threw her inside.

"You bastard! How dare you treat me like— I'm divorcing you! I swear I'm—"

She stopped.

The second her eyes landed on Stella's body, it was like the air got sucked out of the room.

All the color drained from her face.

Her knees gave out, and she dropped.