He's with His Lover While Our Daughter Fought Cancer

"Mom, please don't cry." "Lora doesn't feel any pain, not at all." My daughter's face was pale, yet she reached out her tiny hand to wipe away the tears hanging from the corner of my eye. At the entrance of the surgery room, filled with the sharp scent of disinfectant, my daughter was connected to several IV drips, leaning against me. "Be good, Lora. Daddy will be here soon." "Our Lora will be able to have the surgery soon." With a ding, my phone buzzed with a withdrawal notification. My daughter's condition had suddenly worsened, and the doctor said time was of the essence; the surgery had to be done tonight. The surgery was expensive, and we didn't have enough money at the moment. So I took my daughter to the hospital to register, while Billy went to the bank with my card to withdraw all our savings. It wasn't until Lora's clothes were soaked with cold sweat that Billy's figure appeared on the hospital lobby's surveillance screen. My heart soared with relief. Despite the bank being far and it being rush hour, Billy arrived surprisingly fast, making my eyes sting with emotion. Considering he usually seemed indifferent to us. In the face of life and death, the sooner the surgery, the better chance our daughter had. Billy quickly finished the payment, and on the screen, he looked tense, clutching the surgery form as he rushed to the surgery room entrance. "Daddy." At the end of the corridor, Lora's eyes seemed to suddenly light up with a bit of life, her small hand trembling as she reached out. "Who's the surgery for?" I held my daughter, ready to take the form from his hand. Her little hand hadn't even touched his clothes. In a swift motion, Billy went straight to support someone beside him. "Doctor, it's her, Kate." He panted heavily, bypassing us to rush to Kate. "Bil, it hurts so much..." The woman in his arms bit her lip, tears seemingly welling up in her eyes, like a delicate, innocent flower. Billy held her, constantly comforting her, his heart aching. I knew her too; she was Billy's old flame. "Doctor, there must be a mistake. The surgery should be for Lora." My heart sank, but I tried to keep my voice calm. The doctor repeatedly checked the name on the form. "No mistake, it's Kate." Out of Billy's sight, Kate glared at me fiercely, her cheeks flushed, looking nothing like someone tormented by illness. The surgery was ready, and the doctor began to clear the area: "Alright, only the patient and family members can come in." "Everyone else, please leave quickly." * I looked at Billy in disbelief, but he remained anxious, avoiding my gaze. I placed my daughter on a chair and grabbed Billy's arm. "Where's the money? Where's the money! That was Lora's surgery money!!!" "Have you lost your mind???" Billy just looked at me coldly, shaking off my hand. "I'm not crazy. Kate has cancer, and the doctor said she needs surgery tonight!" "What about our daughter?? Do you know if she doesn't have surgery tonight, she will die!!!" I lunged at him again, shaking his hand violently. Billy frowned, hesitating for a moment: "Mandy!!! Stop it!!" "Even if you hate her, you shouldn't curse your daughter like this." "We can earn more money, but Kate's life, she only has one!!!" Billy used more force, throwing me to the ground. "Billy, you'll regret this decision!!!" All I was left with was his cold, unfeeling back. A wave of bitterness surged through my heart. Tears streamed down uncontrollably, splashing onto Lora's little face. The illness had drained the color from her cheeks, leaving them dry and ghostly pale. "Lora, sweetheart... it looks like we can't have the surgery today..." I choked out. "Daddy's not coming for us..." "Mommy... Mommy..." I was so choked up with heartache that I couldn't utter another word. "Mommy, please don't cry," Lora whispered softly. "Then we won't have the surgery... Let's just go home... Lora's not in pain." Her red-rimmed eyes were puzzled, yet she managed a small, brave smile on her pale face. That smile was more heart-wrenching than any tears. At just five, she might not grasp much, yet in that moment, it seemed she understood everything. I cradled her close, her tiny body frail and bony. That night would be etched in my memory forever. "I won't leave Mommy," she promised. "Lora wants Mommy to always be happy." I couldn't forgive Billy, but even more, I couldn't forgive myself. * Lora was gone. The funeral hall echoed with the sound of sobbing. The child I carried for ten months and loved for five years was now just a small, square box. "Isn't it strange," some relatives murmured. "The child's gone, but where's the father?" My heart ached bitterly as I kept dialing that familiar number. But all that answered was a cold, mechanical voice. It wasn't until the tenth call that someone finally picked up. An impatient voice snapped through the line. "Mandy! What do you want?" Even without seeing him, I could sense Billy's cautious whisper. "Billy, please, come see Lora one last time..." My voice was hoarse and filled with desperation. Billy seemed surprised, but then he returned to his usual tone. All Lora ever wanted was to feel her father's love. I wanted to grant her that wish on her final day, so I begged Billy with all my heart. I begged him to come to her funeral. Begged him to see her one last time. "What are you talking about?" he snapped. "Cut it out, Mandy." "Kate just had surgery, and she has no one else. She needs me." "Be reasonable. I'll come back once she's out, alright?" Billy's voice echoed through the room, drawing sighs of disbelief from those around. "Billy, Billy... Bil... I'm begging you..." I pleaded, casting aside all my dignity. "Please, come see Lora. She's being laid to rest today..." But he remained utterly unmoved. "Mandy! You shouldn't say such things about your daughter." I collapsed to the ground, sobbing until I was on the verge of fainting. After a pause, a delicate voice chimed in, "Bil... it hurts..." "Kate's awake. I'll call you back." And then the line went dead with a click. Suddenly, my eyelids grew heavy, and the world spun around me. I vaguely heard frantic shouts: "Someone, help!!!" "Mandy!! Mandy!!! Mandy's fainted!!!" * When I awoke, the sharp, sterile scent of disinfectant filled my nostrils. I struggled to push myself upright. A woman with short curly hair and earrings gently helped me sit up.My voice was frail, but my eyes couldn't stop brimming with tears. "Jasmine, it's really you..." It was Jasmine, my once dearest friend. But when Billy said he didn't like her, I ended our friendship without hesitation. Seven long years had passed since we last spoke. Jasmine gave me a wry smile. "What, not thrilled to see me? Or just bummed I'm not Billy?" She got up, looking like she was about to walk out on me. I grabbed her, and as she stumbled, I caught her in a fierce hug. "No... it's not that... it's not that..." The instant I hugged her, the dam broke, and tears cascaded down my cheeks. "Thank goodness... it's you... I've lost everything, Jasmine. You're my last anchor..." She tensed in my arms for a moment, then slowly, her warm hand began to gently pat my back. I had spent half my life loving Billy, following his every word. His family was poor, while mine had modest savings from business. His mother had cancer, and my parents forced him to marry me by offering to cover the surgery costs. When he proposed, I was blissfully naive, happy for what felt like forever. But soon, my parents were swindled out of everything. They said Billy was behind it, but I didn't believe them and cut ties with them too. I weathered his family's scorn and severed ties with my only close friend. I bet everything on his love, only to lose it all. My daughter was gone, and with her, my only source of strength. I knew it was time to break free from this relationship. Once I was discharged, I returned to an empty home. I called out for Billy, but there was no sign of him. The house was cold and lifeless, yet spotless, a silent testament to her fleeting presence. I sat on the couch, my gaze falling on a half-empty box of formula on the table, its lid covered in a thin layer of dust. My daughter had been so well-behaved, never causing trouble. All she wanted was her mom and dad, a complete family. A series of knocks shattered my thoughts. I opened the door, and a towering shadow engulfed me. Billy was there, drunk and unconscious, with Kate supporting him. The air between them crackled with unspoken intimacy. "Sis, Billy's a bit drunk," Kate said, her voice strong and steady, not at all like someone who had been ill. "I hope you'll take good care of him." My voice, laced with anger, betrayed my emotions. "Kate, aren't you afraid? That's a human life!" She casually toyed with her nails. "So what? Karma's a real thing, you know." "You'll get yours!" I spat, as she pushed Billy into my arms and ignored me. At the top of the stairs, she turned, her lips curling into a sly smirk as she mouthed, "I'll be waiting." "What are you doing?" I asked, looking at the divorce papers on the table. Billy sat, hands clasped under his chin, peering at me with bewilderment. There wasn't a hint of panic in his eyes because he was sure I couldn't leave him. From high school to college, I had chased after him. We never even argued; if he was cold to me, I'd just wag my tail and make up. My heart ached, caught between the guilt of losing our daughter and the bitter truth that my years of devotion had been in vain. "It's exactly what it looks like. I've already signed."For the first time, I saw a c***k in his stoic facade, his shock palpable: "We... need to get a divorce." The once-tamed beast was unleashed, like a wild dog snapping its leash, desperate for freedom. Billy clicked his tongue in irritation, his expression softening just a fraction: "Mandy, what kind of crazy stunt is this?" he asked, exasperation coloring his tone. "Do you really have to do this? Do you have to push me like this? Can't you wait until she's better before causing a scene???" After a long pause, he added, thinking he had me cornered, "You wouldn't want Lora to grow up without a real family, would you?" The old me might have felt a pang of emotion at those words, thinking he finally considered us a family. But in just a few short days, everything had changed, and now I only felt his words were overbearing. "Lora... is already gone." My voice was eerily calm, like the eye of a storm, but his words made my eyes well up with tears. My head throbbed. My eyes ached. My heart hurt. Billy's face turned a furious shade of red, veins standing out starkly: "Enough! Mandy, what kind of nonsense are you spewing? Did that troublemaker fill your head with lies again?" "I saw her at the hospital when Kate was having surgery." "I told you to stop associating with her, and now you're not even listening to me... I'm not divorcing you, so stop causing drama. Just behave." In a flash, Billy crumpled the divorce papers into a ball, tossing them into the trash. We parted ways on a sour note. * I drifted through the house like a ghost, teetering on the edge of madness, sorting through Lora's belongings, planning my departure. Billy hadn't come home for a long time. In moments of confusion, I would suddenly shatter a glass in my hand, then walk over the shards barefoot until I came to my senses, blood pooling around me. I sat by the potted plants, plucking the petals off blooming flowers or drowning the pots with water. I pressed my hand into a cactus, letting the spines turn my skin into a bloody mess. Jasmine remained silent, a steadfast presence by my side. She quietly cleaned up the glass shards, moved the plants out of my reach, and tended to my wounds with a gentle touch, her eyes full of unspoken sorrow. One day, returning from grocery shopping, I saw a crowd gathered. A suited man clutched a stack of papers as burly men lugged my belongings in and out of the house. The onlookers whispered among themselves, hesitant to approach, speculating about what was happening. "Hurry up, hurry up!" someone urged. I shoved my way through the crowd: "What do you think you're doing? This is trespassing!" They handed me a stack of papers, the bold letters glaring at me: Property Transfer Agreement. Inside, one of the men casually picked up a pendant, holding it up for inspection. It was the only thing left of my daughter. I lunged, snatched it back, and crumpled to the floor, my voice a raw, harsh scream: "Get out!! Get out!!" "This is my house, I'm not selling it!!!" The men backed away, unsure of what to do in the face of my outburst. The leader, sensing trouble, pulled out a phone and made a call. Before long, I saw a familiar figure. For a brief, foolish moment, hope flared in my chest at the sight of Billy. I thought he was there to help me. But I was wrong; he shoved me deeper into despair. "I sold it." His voice was icy, a demon's whisper in the dark. "Billy, have you lost your mind? I paid off the mortgage on this house, how could you sell it!!"Billy glared down at me with icy disdain, his presence looming like a dark shadow. "But the deed is in my name, Mandy." Then, like a man possessed, he dropped to a crouch, his fingers digging into my arms with a desperate grip. For the first time, I saw him so unhinged, his voice tinged with a desperate plea, "Mandy, Mandy! Listen, Kate just needs the money for her cancer treatment to make a full recovery. We can always buy another house, but her life... she only has one chance." I stared at the madman before me, feeling utterly exposed and helpless. "You... you get it, don't you? I couldn't save my mother back then, and this time, I can't lose her too..." Billy's eyes blazed red with fury as he barked at me. My eyes flared with anger as I wrenched my arms free. "Billy! Do you even realize what you're doing?" Billy dismissed me with a wave, and the men behind him resumed their ruthless task. No matter how I shielded it, how I pleaded with him in a hushed, broken voice, this tragic charade marched on. One day, Billy might never grasp the depth of his betrayal. This was the final straw that shattered me.