Second Chance to my Beloved

Chapter 3: The Incredible Sacrifice

Ethan got out of bed around 8 am, feeling the weight of the stress from the previous day. As he reached for his phone, he saw an incoming call from Mr. Lucas. Curious and a bit anxious, he answered the call, knowing he needed to address the incident at the party.

"Hello, Mr. Lucas," Ethan greeted nervously as he picked up the call.

"Good morning, Ethan. I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time," Mr. Lucas replied calmly.

"No, not at all. Actually, I was just thinking about calling you. I want to apologize for the incident last night. I am so sorry for embarrassing your guest," Ethan admitted, his voice tinged with remorse.

"Ethan, what I want to tell you is more serious than that. Selene was just involved in a terrible accident," Mr. Lucas' voice was urgent.

"What? Is she okay? Where is she?" Ethan's voice was filled with panic.

"She was admitted at St. Mary's hospital. She asked for you. Please, come quickly if you want to see her alive," Mr. Lucas' words sent a shiver down Ethan's spine.

"I-I'm on my way," Ethan managed to say before hanging up. His mind raced as he quickky dressed up and picked the key to his car.

Ethan's hands trembled as he gripped the steering wheel, his mind racing with worry. Without another thought, he turned the car around and sped towards the hospital.

Upon his arrival, he rushed to the front desk, breathless. "I'm here to see Selene," he said urgently.

The receptionist nodded sympathetically. "I guess you are Ethan? Mr. Lucas is waiting for you in the ICU. Follow me, please."

As they walked through the sterile, antiseptic-smelling corridors, Ethan's mind was consumed with fear. What had happened to Selene? Was she okay?

Finally, they reached the room where Selene lay, hooked up to various machines. Mr. Lucas stood by her side, his face drawn with worry.

"Ethan, thank you for coming," Mr. Lucas said gravely. "Selene has been asking for you."

Ethan approached Selene's bedside, his heart breaking at the sight of her pale, fragile form. "Selene, it's me," he whispered, taking her hand in his.

Selene's eyes fluttered open, and she managed a weak smile. "Ethan," she rasped. "I... I need to tell you something."

Ethan leaned in closer, his heart breaking at the vulnerability in her eyes. "What is it, Selene? What do you need to tell me?"

Selene took a deep, shuddering breath. "I... I love you, Ethan. I've always loved you. But you rejected me and couldn't stand for me when I needed you most"

Selene paused, looked into Ethan's eyes, and continued "I may not come out of this bed alive. I want to make peace with you before I go. I have forgiven you for your mistakes. If I had another chance to live, I would have given you a second chance in my life. But I'm sorry I can't live longer, so I beg you to go home and take care of your wife".

Tears welled up in Ethan's eyes as he squeezed Selene's hand gently. “Thank you for forgiving me. You’re going to be fine, Selene. You’re strong, and you’re going to pull through this”

Selene’s eyes searched his, filled with a mix of love and sadness. “I’m not sure if I will, Ethan. The accident…it was so terrible. I don’t think I will survive this”

Ethan's heart sank as Selene suddenly slumped on the bed, her hand slipping out of his grip. Panic surged through him as he called out her name, but she remained unresponsive. With a trembling voice, he shouted for Mr. Lucas to call the doctor as he desperately tried to revive Selene.

Within moments, the doctor and a team of nurses rushed into the room. The doctor quickly assessed Selene's condition, checking her pulse and responsiveness. As he shook his head in solemnity, Ethan felt a lump form in his throat, fearing the worst.

The doctor's voice cut through the tense silence, "Selene has just slipped into a coma. She had been into excessive consumption of alcohol, maybe as a coping mechanism to deal with a past trauma"

The doctor paused, and stole a quick glance at Ethan, then continued. "The bad news is that this unhealthy lifestyle, now further complicated by the accident, have damaged her kidneys"

Ethan looked at Mr. Lucas before turning back to the doctor. "What can we do to save her?"

The doctor replied, "We need to find a matching kidney donor as soon as possible. She needs a transplant"

In that moment, Ethan made a decision. Without hesitation, he looked at Mr. Lucas before turning back to the doctor. "Check me to see if I'm a match. I'm willing to donate my kidney to save Selene," he declared, his voice unwavering with determination to do whatever it took to keep her alive.

The doctor quickly checked Ethan and confirmed that he was indeed a matching donor.

"Ethan, it's confirmed you are a matching donor. But you need to go home and get prepared for this. Get a few things you may need as you will be admitted for a few days".

Ethan quickly rushed home. He packed his bag, making sure to grab essentials like toiletries and a change of clothes. As he left the house again, he told his wife, Alexia, that he had a last-minute business trip and would be gone for a few weeks. Alexia nodded absentmindedly, not suspecting anything was amiss.

As Ethan signed the consent forms, Mr. Lucas approached him with a grateful look in his eyes. "Ethan, I can't thank you enough for doing this for Selene. You're truly a selfless person."

Ethan smiled sadly. "I just want her to live, Mr. Lucas. She deserves a second chance."

The surgery was a success, and Selene was placed on a long road to recovery. Ethan never left her side, providing her with constant support and care.

As Selene finally regained consciousness, she looked up at Ethan with tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Ethan. You saved my life."

Alexia's friend, Jennifer, had a routine check-up at St. Mary's hospital. As she walked through the parking lot, she spotted a familiar silver sedan. Recognizing it as Ethan's car, she furrowed her brow in confusion.

Curiosity piqued, Jennifer quickly dialed Alexia's number to check if everything was alright. The phone rang several times before Alexia's worried voice answered, a hint of urgency in her tone. Jennifer hesitated for a moment before diving in, "Hey, Alexia. I'm at St. Mary's for my check-up and I noticed Ethan's car here. Is everything okay? Should I be worried?"

Alexia's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Ethan's car at the hospital. A wave of concern washed over her as she reassured Jennifer that she wasn't aware of anything unusual but would look into it. Once Jennifer hung up, Alexia's mind raced with worry. She immediately dialed Ethan's number, hoping for a reassuring explanation.

Ethan finally answered after a few rings, his voice oddly composed as he mentioned being in the middle of a meeting. Despite his calm demeanor, something didn't sit right with Alexia. Her suspicions heightened, she knew she had to investigate the situation herself.

Deciding to trust her instincts, Alexia hailed a cab to St. Mary's hospital. As she arrived and made her way through the bustling corridors, her eyes landed on Ethan descending the stairs. There was no time for pleasantries as Alexia confronted him, her expression a mix of concern and determination.

"Why are you here, Ethan? What are you hiding from me?" Alexia's voice was filled with a mix of emotions, ranging from confusion to betrayal.

Ethan hesitated, unsure of how to explain his actions. "Alexia, I can explain. It's not what you think..."

But before he could continue, Alexia cut him off, her voice rising in pitch. "I saw your car parked outside the hospital, Ethan. What are you doing here? I learnt that you are here with Selene. Who is actually this Selene?"

Ethan's heart sank as he realized that his secret had been uncovered. Taking a deep breath, he decided to come clean and tell Alexia the truth, no matter the consequences.

"Alexia, Selene is an old friend of mine who had an accident. She needed a kidney transplant to survive, and I was a match. I donated my kidney to her to save her life." Ethan's words hung in the air, waiting for Alexia's reaction.

Alexia's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her husband had kept such a huge secret from her, risking their marriage in the process.

"You...you did what?" Alexia's voice wavered as tears began to pool in her eyes. "How could you do this, Ethan? Without even telling me? Without even considering how I would feel about it?"

Ethan reached out to touch her arm, but she recoiled, pulling away from him. "Alexia, I'm sorry. I know I should have told you, but I couldn't stand by and let Selene die. Please try to understand."

But Alexia was beyond reasoning. The betrayal felt too deep, the hurt too raw. "I can't believe you would keep something like this from me, Ethan. I thought I knew you, but now...I don't know what to think. I need time to process all of this."

With that, Alexia turned on her heel and stormed out of the hospital. Ethan watched her, feeling a mixture of guilt, sadness, and regret. He knew he had made a mistake in not telling her the truth about the kidney donation. But at the same time, he couldn't bring himself to regret saving Selene's life.

As he walked back to Selene's room, he found her sitting up in bed, looking weak but grateful. "Ethan, what's wrong? Why do you look so troubled?" Selene asked, concern evident in her voice.

Ethan hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. "Selene, my wife was here. She found out about us. She knows that I donated my kidney to you." He paused, waiting for her reaction.

Selene's eyes widened in shock. "Oh no, Ethan. I never wanted to cause any trouble between you and your wife. I appreciate what you did for me, but I can't bear the thought of ruining your marriage."

Ethan shook his head. "It's not your fault, Selene. I should have been honest with her. But I didn't want to ruin the chances of saving your life. I just couldn't bear to see you suffer and not do anything to help you anymore."

Selene reached out and grabbed Ethan's hand. "Thank you, Ethan. You saved my life, and I'll forever be grateful for that. But I don't want to come between you and your wife. Maybe it's best if we continue to keep our distance once again."