Chapter 11
After the incident was exposed, the once–pristine reputation of the Rogen family plummeted to rock bottom.
Even the children in the military compound had begun chanting a mocking rhyme about Seth’s disgrace. His shame was no longer private. It was laid bare before his superiors.
The commanding officer’s expression was grim. “Seth, I always thought you were the sharpest among them. But now, it turns out you’re the most foolish. You’ve tarnished the image of a soldier beyond repair over something as trivial as romance. You were on the list for promotion this year. Not anymore.”
Numb, Seth walked out of the military compound. Before he could catch his breath, his
parents summoned him.
The moment he stepped through the door, his father’s palm crashed across his face. The blow left him reeling, ears ringing.
Before he could even ask why, his father’s voice rang out like thunder.
“You cut ties with Bella?”
Seth opened his mouth, but his father didn’t wait for an answer.
“Seth, have you no conscience? Did you forget how her father saved you on the battlefield back then? How could you do something so shamelessly ungrateful?”
Seth’s face turned pale. His voice trembled. “At the time… Faye needed a kidney. Only Bella
was a match. But her condition was that we cut ties. So I…”
Before he could finish, his father clutched his collar, interrupting him with a gasp.
“You’re saying… that kidney came from Bella?”
Seth nodded.
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His father stared at him in disbelief. “Seth, remember this–Bella owes us nothing. It’s we who owe her. And now, just because she has no parents, you think you can hurt and bully her however you want? When I die, how will I face her parents?”
His mother had been trying to calm his father, but hearing this, even she could no longer
stay quiet. Her eyes filled with disappointment.
“Seth, you hurt Bella all for that woman?” she said. “I can’t even imagine how much pain
Bella had to endure, just to agree to give up one of her kidneys.”
Those words struck Seth like a thunderclap. Guilt surged through him, crashing over his thoughts. His voice was hoarse. “I didn’t mean for it to turn out like this. I never wanted to
hurt her.”
He had only wanted to sever Bella’s attachment to him. But he hadn’t realized just how
deep he’d wounded her in the process.
When Seth walked out of the house, he staggered as if all strength had drained from him.
In the hospital, Faye finally regained consciousness. Seth stood nearby, watching her with
cold detachment. His gaze was void of warmth.
The moment her eyes landed on him, she shivered.
She never imagined he could be this cruel. Yes, she had lied to him. But after all those years
together, after all they had shared… surely some feelings remained.
Yet he hadn’t hesitated. He’d had her kidney removed–without anesthetic.
“Besides those things, what else are you hiding from me?”
Faye trembled. She knew full well–if she lied, he would find out. So she confessed,
terrified.
“That time she fell down the stairs… I… I pushed her.”
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A vein bulged at Seth’s temple. Rage overtook him, and he lunged—his hand clamped tightly around her throat.
He had never imagined Faye could be this vicious.
If he had once loved her deeply, then now he hated her just as fiercely.
In that moment, Faye saw death.
She sobbed, clawing at his hand, pleading for air, for mercy. But Seth didn’t budge.
Just as she felt her consciousness slipping, he let go.
“Letting you die… would be too easy.”
He picked up his phone and dialed.
“Hey. Do they still need people in the desert? I’ve got someone for
you.”
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Chapter 12
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