Chapter 1

My mother-in-law suffered a massive heart attack on her birthday right after answering a phone call.

My husband, the chief of cardiology, was the only surgeon skilled enough to save her life.

But he was nowhere to be found.

Staring at the operating room doors where she clung to life, I frantically dialed his number. When the line connected, it was his first love who answered.

“Hello? Declan is in the shower right now. Can I take a message?”

Rage surged through my veins. “Put him on the phone right now! Mom is having a heart attack and needs emergency surgery!”

Then, Declan’s impatient, venomous voice drifted through the receiver.

“That’s your mom, not mine! If she wants to die, tell her to die faster! Stop faking this bullshit!”

In the end, my mother-in-law died in agony because the surgery never happened in time.

And when my husband finally learned the truth, he completely broke down.

01

The glaring red light above the operating room stayed on, casting a terrifying glow that made my stomach churn.

Today was supposed to be Evelyn’s birthday, and we had gathered everyone to celebrate at a country club banquet.

But out of nowhere, she took an unknown phone call and collapsed on the spot with sudden cardiac arrest.

The banquet hall instantly erupted into pure chaos. Screams, gasps, and panicked murmurs filled the air as people scrambled around her.

I did not care about the spectacle. I immediately dialed 911 and rode with the ambulance straight to the emergency room.

When the operating room doors cracked open, I rushed forward, desperate for any update.

The lead doctor looked grim and shook his head. “Mrs. Hayes, the patient’s condition is critical!”

“Only Chief Hayes can perform this specific cardiac bypass, and he has been managing her history all along.”

“If Chief Hayes gets here immediately, we might still save her life. We’ll do everything we can to buy him time!”

His words hit me like a sledgehammer, making my knees buckle beneath me.

But I could not afford to faint. I had to track down Declan right this second.

Everything had happened so fast, and Declan had been MIA the entire day.

My hands shook violently as I unlocked my phone, nearly dropping it on the polished floor.

Ring... ring...

After what felt like an eternity, the line finally clicked open. Before relief could even register, a voice froze the blood in my veins.

“Hello? My man is in the shower right now. If it’s anything trivial, call back tomorrow.”

It was a silky, lazy female voice.

Saving Evelyn’s life was the only thing that mattered.

“I am Declan’s wife,” I shouted into the mic, my voice shaking with panic. “There’s a life-or-death emergency. I don’t give a damn who you are―put him on the phone this instant!”

The woman paused for a brief second before letting out a mocking giggle. “Oh, Mrs. Hayes. Declan really isn’t available while we’re taking a bath together.”

That smug, familiar tone clicked instantly in my head. It was Brielle Thorne.

She was Declan’s untouchable first love. Whenever she snapped her fingers, Declan would drop everything and run to her side like a loyal dog.

Anyone who did not know better would have assumed they were the real married couple.

Swallowing my fury, I forced my voice to sound as steady as possible. “Brielle, hand him the phone right now. Someone is dying on the operating table waiting for him.”

Suddenly, Declan’s irritated bark cut through the receiver.

“Danielle, are you ever going to quit? It’s bad enough you stalk me every single day, but now you’re spying on Brielle and me?”

“I’m warning you, don’t you dare lay a finger on her!”

I refused to waste precious seconds arguing with him. “Declan, get your ass to the hospital right now! Mom had a massive heart attack, and you’re the only one who can do the surgery!”

But Declan’s temper only flared hotter. “Danielle, you’ve reached a new low using family to lie to me! She doesn’t even have a heart condition!”

“Besides, that’s your mom, not mine! If she wants to die, tell her to die faster and stop bothering me!”

Before I could scream the truth, Brielle’s sweet, coy whimper echoed over the speaker. “Declan, babe, don’t be mad at her...”

Wet, sloppy kissing sounds followed, clearly meant for my ears.

Without another word, Declan hung up on me.

My heart plummeted into an icy abyss.