Part 3The Marrow Theft

A wave of shock went through the crowd. The judgmental glares turned to expressions of sympathy.

"So it's not her donating, it's the little girl."

"What kind of family is this? Making a ten-year-old donate bone marrow? That's a death sentence!"

"Is that man the girl's father? How could he do this to his own child?"

Michael's face darkened under the weight of their accusations. He looked at me with pure venom in his eyes.

“What’s happening? The supporting character didn't donate?”

“What about my Bella? Her illness is so serious!”

I read the text, my heart turning to ice. So only the female lead's life matters? My daughter's life is worthless?

After leaving the police station, I couldn't hold back any longer. I walked up to Michael and slapped him across the face.

"Divorce," I said, the word hanging in the cold air. Then I took Daisy's hand and walked away.

In the car, Daisy’s small, sad voice piped up. "Mommy, why doesn't Daddy love me?"

My heart ached for her. When she was five or six, she'd asked me the same thing, wondering why her father always seemed to prefer Bella. She had asked if she wasn't his real daughter. Back then, I had held her tight and made a thousand excuses for Michael.

Not this time.

At a red light, I turned to look at my daughter in the back seat.

"Daisy, sweetie, Bella is sick, so Daddy is giving her more attention."

"But this time, we're going to leave him, okay?"

Daisy nodded. "Daddy doesn't love Daisy, so Daisy doesn't love Daddy anymore."

When we got home, my parents were heartbroken to see the tear stains on Daisy's face.

"Mom, Dad. I'm divorcing Michael."

To my surprise, my father immediately objected. "No!"

"Your life is so good right now. You haven't been fighting. Why the sudden divorce?"

"Michael just got a promotion last year. Things are only going to get better for you two."

I cut him off before he could continue and told them everything Michael had done.

Their faces changed instantly.

"That monster! How could he hurt our Daisy like that?"

"Divorce him! Immediately! A man like that doesn't deserve to be our Daisy's father!"

But then, the familiar text floated before my eyes again.

“The supporting character’s dad won't agree to a divorce. He needs all their money to treat the female lead.”

“I wish I had an uncle who loved me that much.”

“Yeah, even the female lead's own father gave up on her, but her uncle is still trying so hard to save her. It's so touching!”

I felt nothing reading those words. Michael could use his money to save whomever he wanted after the divorce. But I found it strange. Why had Bella's own father given up on treating her? I realized I hadn't seen him at all recently, not even at the New Year's Eve dinner. Normally, he and Clara would have eaten at my mother-in-law's before going home. What had changed this year?

Despite my confusion, I contacted a lawyer and had the divorce papers sent to Michael.

It wasn't long before he called.

"Amelia, I never knew you could be so vicious!" he roared. "Bella is critically ill, and not only do you refuse to let Daisy help, but you want to divorce me?!"

I feigned ignorance. "I'm divorcing you because I don't want Daisy to have a father who doesn't care if she lives or dies."

I heard him take a deep breath on the other end.

"No matter what, I will not agree to a divorce!" he shouted.

I calmly tried to reason with him. "Michael, your career is taking off. Divorcing me is actually a good thing for you."

There had always been a huge income disparity between us, a fact he frequently resented me for. If the text was wrong, then divorcing me now would be a blessing for him.

But Michael refused to sign the papers.

And then I got a call from a real estate agent. She said my husband had listed our house for sale and a buyer wanted to see it. Was I available?