He Wanted Our Baby’s Bone Marrow

Yvonne Carter went to the hospital to open a prenatal record. The staff member took one look at her marriage certificate and tossed it back across the counter. "Ma'am, did you seriously bring in a fake certificate just to waste our time?" Yvonne froze for a few seconds before irritation flared. "It has an embossed seal. How could it possibly be fake?" The staff member looked at her with open disdain. "The seal is so blurry it looks pixelated. And you said your husband is Cole Foster, but he already has a wife and a child." Yvonne stood rooted to the spot, her mind buzzing. The people waiting behind her began complaining impatiently. Seeing the commotion, a security guard immediately came over and pulled her away from the counter. She shook him off, furious, and pulled out her phone to call Cole. She tried more than a dozen times, but he didn't answer once. Then a dull, dragging ache suddenly tightened low in her abdomen. With no time to think about anything else, she hurried to the ER to get checked out. The doctor told her it was only a reaction to the emotional stress. Reassured, Yvonne finally left. But the moment she stepped out, she spotted Cole standing not far away. She was just about to call his name when she heard a nurse speaking up ahead. "The child's fine. Once this IV finishes, you can take him home." Yvonne froze in place, stunned. Chapter 1 Before Yvonne could process what she'd seen and heard, a familiar figure walked out of the doctor's office. The woman slipped her arm affectionately through Cole's, tears shimmering in her eyes. "Thank God Yuri's okay. I was scared to death." Only then did Yvonne realize the woman was her direct supervisor, Renee Abbott. Renee had joined the company after returning from overseas a year ago. She and Yvonne had clicked immediately and soon became close friends who told each other everything. Yuri Foster was Renee's five-year-old son. When Renee first arrived, she'd said that she and Yuri's father had separated because of a misunderstanding. But not long afterward, she'd happily treated Yvonne to dinner and announced that they'd remarried. After that, Renee often shared funny stories and sweet moments from their family life. So when Yvonne found out she was pregnant, she'd imagined that she and Cole would only be happier once they had a child of their own. She had even teased Renee about never bringing her husband around to meet everyone. Renee had laughed and said, "You'll definitely meet him eventually." Yvonne never could have imagined that she really would meet him today and that he would turn out to be her own husband. Shortly after, she saw her brother, Yale Carter, arriving with several of their friends. "How's Yuri?" "He's okay." Renee paused, her voice choking up. "But the doctor said his condition is progressing very quickly." One of their friends, Evan Brooks, said, "Once Yvonne has the amniocentesis, there'll still be hope. The doctor said a half-sibling with the same father has a pretty good chance of being a match too." Another friend, Miles Turner, clicked his tongue. "That's only because Yvonne doesn't know. If she did, knowing her, she'd never agree." Tears immediately streamed down Renee's face. "Then is she going to just stand there and watch Yuri die? He's only a child!" Standing nearby, Yale frowned and said in a low voice, "Yvonne isn't unreasonable. And she really likes Yuri. She'll understand." Something seemed to explode inside Yvonne's head. A chill swept down her spine as she covered her stomach and backed away. They wanted the baby inside her to donate bone marrow. Just then, a nurse stepped out and called, "Ms. Abbott, your son is awake and asking for you." After Renee went into the room, Evan clapped Cole on the shoulder. "When are you going to tell Yvonne?" Evan asked. "You proposed to her without ever telling her you'd been married before. "And right before the wedding, when Renee told you Yuri needed a bone marrow transplant and asked you to have another child with her, you remarried her out of guilt and gave Yvonne a fake marriage certificate. "That child wasn't a match. Now the doctor says a paternal half-sibling might be, so you've arranged Yvonne's amniocentesis too." "Yvonne never needs to know." Cole cut him off sharply, his expression darkening. "Once Yvonne gives birth and the baby saves Yuri, I'll divorce Renee. After that, there'll be nothing between us. "After that, I'll legally marry Yvonne and spend the rest of my life making it up to her." Yvonne stumbled backward. Her heart felt as if countless knives had pierced it, leaving her barely able to breathe. Five years ago, she'd attended a party with Yale and met Cole, who had just returned from overseas. That was when she'd learned he was one of her brother's close friends. Cole had fallen for her at first sight and pursued her relentlessly. Once they got together, he'd treated her like a princess, as if he would have plucked the stars and moon from the sky for her if he could. After becoming friends with Renee, Yvonne even introduced them and brought Renee into her social circle. But Cole had never shown the slightest sign that anything was wrong. Neither had anyone else. As it turned out, they had all known. Even her own brother. And they had all kept it from her. Her phone suddenly vibrated, breaking into her thoughts. A message had come in. [Have you decided? Are you really giving up the chance to study abroad?] Yvonne wiped away her tears and typed a short reply. [I'm not giving it up. I'll go.] Then she turned and made an appointment with the doctor nearby for an abortion. The doctor looked confused. Just minutes ago, Yvonne had been so worried about the baby. Now she wanted to end the pregnancy. "Are you sure you don't want to keep the baby?" Yvonne nodded. "I'm sure. I don't want it." The words had barely left her mouth when Cole's voice came from behind her. "Don't want what?" Chapter 2 Yvonne turned around and said calmly, "The baby." Cole's expression changed at once. He stepped forward, caught her hand, and asked urgently, "What about the baby?" A dull ache spread through Yvonne's chest. She let out a cold laugh. "Why would I keep it? So you can have my baby tested as a match for your precious son?" Everyone's eyes widened. A flicker of panic crossed Cole's face. "You heard everything?" "Yes." "Yvonne, it's not what you think." Cole hurried to explain. "I'm only doing this to save Yuri. I owe him that much. "Right now, our baby is the only one who might be able to save him. If they're a match, once the bone marrow transplant is over, I'll cut all ties with them." Yvonne scoffed and cut him off. "Why should my child have to make up for what you owe him?" Cole fell silent, his Adam's apple bobbing. "But Yuri's life is at stake!" His child with Renee was a life. Wasn't their child one too? If the baby was a match, how could a newborn possibly withstand a bone marrow donation? Yvonne shook off Cole's hand and tried to leave, but she lost her footing and stumbled backward. Yale immediately stepped forward to steady her, his voice tinged with helplessness. "Yvonne, can you really bear to let Yuri die?" Their friends began chiming in. "Come on, Yvonne. Everyone knows you're the only one Cole loves. If you asked for his heart, he'd give it to you." "He only remarried Renee to save Yuri." Their words cut into Yvonne like a blade, leaving her almost unable to breathe. Cole did love her. She liked fresh roses, so he bought an entire rose farm. If she wanted fruit that was out of season, he had it flown in for her the very next day. Whatever she wanted, whatever she liked, Cole always placed it in her hands. She could accept Cole's past. She couldn't accept his deception, and she couldn't accept sharing a man with another woman. So she would step away. She would stay out of their lives. Yvonne trembled all over, biting hard into the inside of her cheek to keep herself calm. "We're over. From now on, this baby has nothing to do with you!" She turned to leave, but Cole pulled her into his arms, his voice hoarse. "Yvonne, don't be angry, please?" Yale looked at her coldly, disappointment written across his face. "It's only an amniocentesis. We'll all be there with you." A sharp pain stabbed through Yvonne's chest, and tears fell from her eyes. "I'm your own sister, but you're asking me and my baby to take this risk for someone else?" Just then, Renee came over with Yuri by the hand. The moment she heard Yvonne's words, her eyes reddened. She quickly tugged Yuri forward and reached for Yvonne. "Yuri, hurry. Beg Aunt Yvonne!" Yvonne instinctively tried to move away. But before she even touched Renee, Renee screamed and fell to the floor, clutching her stomach in pain. Everyone immediately panicked. "She just miscarried and hasn't even recovered yet! Yvonne, why were you so reckless?" Cole's expression changed. He rushed forward and scooped Renee into his arms. "Are you okay?" When Yuri saw his mother fall, he ran straight at Yvonne and shoved her hard in the stomach. Yvonne was already weak. Caught completely off guard, she fell straight backward. "You're a bad woman! You stole my dad, and you pushed my mom! I hate you!" Pain made Yvonne's vision go dark. She stared blankly at Yuri. Just a few days ago, he'd clung to her and begged her to tell him stories, sweetly calling her Aunt Yvonne. Now he was looking at her with hatred in his eyes. She forced herself upright and looked ahead. Everyone was gathered around Renee, concerned about her. By then, the pain in Yvonne's heart had already turned numb. Cole caught sight of Yvonne on the floor from the corner of his eye. He immediately let go of Renee and hurried over. He crouched down and pulled Yvonne into his arms, asking in a panic, "Yvonne, are you okay? Did you hurt your stomach?" Yvonne pulled herself out of his embrace, disgust in her eyes. "Don't touch me!" Anger flashed across Cole's face. He turned to Yuri and snapped, "Yuri, how could you push Aunt Yvonne?" Yuri froze for a second, then burst into tears. "She pushed Mommy first! And she doesn't even want to save me!" Everyone froze. Renee hurried over and gathered Yuri into her arms to comfort him. Then, while no one was looking, she pinched him hard in the chest. The next second, Yuri let out a muffled groan and collapsed to the floor. Renee immediately dropped to her knees, choking back sobs in panic. "Yuri, what's wrong? Don't scare Mommy!" Everyone instantly grew tense. Cole picked Yuri up and rushed him into the exam room. Renee stumbled over to Yvonne and dropped to her knees, tears pouring down her face. "Yvonne, please. Just have the amniocentesis. If you can save him, I'll do anything you ask." For a moment, Yvonne wavered. Then Cole came out of the exam room, his face grim. "Bring Yvonne in for the amniocentesis." Chapter 3 The moment the words left his mouth, two bodyguards grabbed Yvonne and forced her onto a hospital bed. They held her down. No matter how much she cried or struggled, neither Cole nor Yale relented. A nurse lifted her shirt and swabbed her stomach with cold antiseptic. Then a long needle pierced her abdomen and entered her uterus. A deep ache spread through her body, making her suck in a sharp breath. Eventually, Yvonne stopped fighting. She lay there silently, tears slipping down her face. She had no idea how much time passed before everything went black and she lost consciousness. When she opened her eyes again, she was lying in a hospital bed. A nurse was going over the aftercare instructions with Cole. "Mr. Foster, the match was successful. But your wife is very weak right now, so make sure she gets plenty of rest and proper care." Yvonne pushed herself upright. "I'm not his wife." Cole sighed and stepped forward, pulling her into his arms before kissing her forehead. "Yvonne, just wait a little longer. Once Yuri's bone marrow transplant is successful and all of this is over, I'll end things with Renee completely. Then we'll get legally married and have a huge wedding." Yvonne listened quietly, without a trace of anticipation in her eyes. "So you're going to risk our child's life to save your son's. Is that it?" Cole was silent for a moment before answering firmly, "No. I've hired the best medical team I could find. Our baby won't be in any danger." Yvonne gave a bitter smile and said nothing more. The next day, Cole took her home. He intended to keep her where he could watch her at all times. He knew her well enough to realize she really would leave. The moment Yvonne walked through the door, she stopped short. Renee was sitting in the living room playing with Yuri, looking every bit like the woman of the house. "Who told them they could come here?" At the sound of Yvonne's voice, Renee immediately stood. "Yvonne, I didn't mean to intrude. "Once Yuri has his surgery, we'll leave for good. I just want him to know what it feels like to have a complete family and be loved while he still can." Yvonne glanced at Cole beside her. Displeasure showed on his face, as though he thought she was being unreasonable. "It's just fulfilling the child's last wish." Yvonne held his gaze for a moment before saying calmly, "Fine." She no longer cared. She turned to go upstairs, but Cole stopped her. After a brief pause, he said, "Stay in the guest room for a few days, Yvonne. Renee and Yuri can take the master bedroom. Yuri's still young." Yvonne's head snapped up. No one knew better than Cole how severe her sleep problems were. A different bed or an unfamiliar room was enough to keep her awake all night. When they'd renovated the bedroom, Cole had hired people to design everything specifically for her, from the mattress and wall colors to the lighting, all so she could sleep properly. And she was already weak. The doctor had specifically told her before discharge that she needed plenty of rest. Pain tightened around Yvonne's heart. She opened her mouth to refuse, then swallowed the words. Cole wasn't asking her. She knew that by the time Cole informed her, Renee and Yuri's things had already been moved into the master bedroom. She gave a faint laugh. "Fine." Then she walked past Cole and went into the guest room. Sure enough, her things had already been moved inside. She had just showered and sat down on the bed when the door suddenly opened. Cole strode in and wrapped his arms around her, his voice hoarse. "Baby, don't be mad anymore. It hurts me to see you like this." Nausea rolled through Yvonne. She pressed a hand against his chest, her voice cold. "Your wife and son are right next door. Aren't you afraid they'll hear us?" Cole froze. Then he sighed helplessly and pulled her back into his arms. "Yvonne, don't be like this, okay? Hit me, yell at me, whatever you want. Just don't treat me like a stranger. "I'll give you the marriage certificate and the wedding. I promise." Yvonne gave a mocking laugh. He still thought she was upset because he hadn't married her. He still thought she was only throwing a fit. When she remained silent, Cole grew even more uneasy and held her tighter. Yvonne didn't sleep at all that night. Early the next morning, she went downstairs to find something to eat. She had just taken a slice of cake from the refrigerator when a small figure came running over. Yuri tugged on the hem of her dress and blinked up at her. "Aunt Yvonne, I want some too." Looking into the child's innocent eyes, Yvonne softened despite herself. She reached down and patted his head. "Just a little. Too much sugar will give you cavities." "Thank you, Aunt Yvonne!" Yuri took the cake and ran back into the living room. Yvonne poured herself a glass of water and had just stepped out of the kitchen when she saw Yuri clutch his throat and collapse to the floor. The next second, Renee's scream rang through the house. Her eyes red, she stared at Yvonne and shouted, "What did you give Yuri?" Chapter 4 Cole came out at the sound of the commotion. The moment he saw Yuri struggling to breathe, panic flashed across his face. Renee snatched Yuri up from the floor and held him tightly, screaming at Yvonne like she'd lost her mind. "Yvonne Carter, you knew Yuri was allergic to chestnuts, and you still gave him chestnut cake! "Now that the match was successful, you want him dead, is that it?" Cole's face turned livid. He looked at Yvonne, fury filling his eyes. "No matter how angry you are, you can't take it out on a five-year-old child!" Yvonne went rigid and shook her head desperately. "I didn't! I'm allergic to chestnuts too. Why would there even be chestnut cake in this house? And I would never use it to hurt him." She could be stubborn, but she would never hurt a child. As she spoke, she hurried to the medicine cabinet and searched for her emergency allergy medication. The moment she found the pills, she rushed back to Yuri and reached out to give him one. But as soon as she touched him, Renee screamed. "Don't touch my son! Are you trying to hurt him again?" She shoved Yvonne away. Yvonne lost her balance and fell backward. Cole picked Yuri up and headed for the door, shouting, "Get the car! We're going to the hospital!" Yvonne's waist and abdomen slammed into the coffee table. A bone-deep pain tore through her, and she cried out. Cole had just reached the doorway when he stopped. He looked back and saw Yvonne lying on the floor, her face deathly pale. Panic flickered in his eyes, and he instinctively started toward her. But the next second, Renee grabbed his sleeve with tears in her eyes. "Cole, hurry! Take Yuri to the hospital. He can barely breathe!" Cole came back to himself and quickly left the house. Then he ordered one of the bodyguards beside him, "Bring Yvonne to the hospital too." The bodyguards took Yvonne with them. After an examination, the doctor found nothing seriously wrong. Yuri also regained consciousness after emergency treatment. His face was pale, and the moment Cole walked into the room, he burst into tears. "Dad, Aunt Yvonne made me eat it! "She said I should've died sooner. She said I shouldn't have taken her room. "But Dad, aren't I your precious boy?" Cole's face darkened instantly. He whipped around and glared at Yvonne behind him. "How can you be so cruel?" Yvonne had only come to see whether Yuri was all right. She'd thought one of the household staff must have accidentally bought the wrong cake. She never expected to hear him twist the truth like this. She stared at Yuri in disbelief. "Yuri, you came over and asked me for the cake yourself. I never said any of those things." "Enough!" Cole cut her off sharply. "He's just a child. Why would he lie?" He tugged irritably at his tie, disappointment filling his eyes. Renee stood beside the hospital bed, trembling as she cried, looking deeply wronged. "I never wanted to interfere with your life with Yvonne. I only wanted Yuri to have some happy memories. "I don't know why she hates us so much that she won't even spare a child. "She can hit me or yell at me if she wants. Why would she try to kill our son?" A vein throbbed at Cole's temple as he looked heavily at Yvonne. "Apologize to Yuri." Yvonne met his gaze and said stubbornly, "I didn't do anything wrong. Why should I apologize? I never tried to hurt him." Seeing that she still refused to admit fault and continued opposing him, Cole looked at her with disappointment. "Yvonne, why do you always have to be so difficult?" He paused. The patience in his eyes was gone, along with the affection that had been there before. "The doctor said Yuri's allergy is severe, so there can't be anything in the house that could trigger it. Teddy can't stay at home anymore. "If you apologize now, I'll have him boarded at the animal hospital. If you refuse, you'll never see him again." Chapter 5 Yvonne froze, staring at him in disbelief. Teddy was her cat, but to her and Cole, he was also their baby. Three years ago, Yvonne had witnessed her mother's death in a car accident and developed PTSD. Hoping to help her recover, Cole gave her a kitten. Teddy stayed by her side as she slowly made her way through that devastating period and became her greatest source of comfort. Yvonne had never imagined Cole would use Teddy to force her to admit she was wrong. Her whole body shook uncontrollably. Her heart felt as though it were being torn apart, the pain making it almost impossible to breathe. Seeing her reaction, Renee hugged Yuri and sobbed. "Cole, forget it. If Yvonne doesn't want to apologize, then don't make her. Yuri's life doesn't mean anything to her anyway." At that, anger flared in Cole's eyes. He turned toward the bodyguards by the door and ordered coldly, "Take the cat away. Get rid of it." "No!" Yvonne panicked. She rushed forward and grabbed Cole's arm. "I'll apologize. "Cole, I'm begging you. Don't take Teddy away." She looked at Renee and Yuri, biting down so hard on her lip that she tasted blood. Her voice trembled. "I'm sorry. It was my fault. I shouldn't have tried to hurt Yuri." Now that she had finally given in, Cole's expression softened. He turned to the bodyguards. "Take Teddy to the animal hospital and have him boarded there." "I apologized. Why are you still taking him away?" Cole tried to reassure her. "Don't worry. Someone will take good care of him. Once Yuri's surgery is over, we'll bring him home." Yvonne sagged against the wall as if all the strength had drained from her. The last trace of light disappeared from her eyes. Without another word, she turned and walked out. Her phone screen lit up with a message from a friend. [Your paperwork is all set. I'll pick you up in two days.] Yvonne wiped the tears from her face and told herself that she only had to wait two more days. Then she could take Teddy and leave them for good. The next day, Yvonne went straight to the office. She planned to hand in her resignation and pack up her things. But the moment she walked in, she found all her belongings scattered across the floor. Her coworkers' mocking voices reached her. "Working in the same office as a homewrecker is disgusting. No wonder she was always sucking up to Ms. Abbott. Turns out she was just looking for a chance to hurt her and her son!" "Ms. Abbott already remarried her husband, and she still wouldn't leave him alone. She even got pregnant, hoping she could take her place. How shameless." Yvonne clenched her fists and shouted at the crowd, "I'm not a homewrecker! I never broke up anyone's family!" But no one wanted to listen. They kept mocking her, and some even recorded videos and posted them on social media. A group of coworkers shoved and crowded her toward the door. Yvonne picked up her things, packed them into a box, and left as quickly as she could. By the time she got home, it was already evening. Renee stood by the staircase in a silk nightgown, blocking Yvonne's path with mockery in her eyes. "Yvonne, you're pathetic. All this time with Cole, and you don't even have a name or a place beside him. Now the only thing your baby is good for is saving my son." Yvonne looked at Renee, who had finally dropped the pretense. "You knew about Cole and me from the very beginning." Renee smiled smugly. "Of course I did. I'm the one who was always meant to be Mrs. Foster. "You were just something for him to play with while we were apart. The moment my son and I need him, he'll drop everything and come back to us." Yvonne's heart trembled. She drew a deep breath and said evenly, "Fine. Then I hope the two of you stay together forever." Seeing that Yvonne was still composed, Renee gave a cold laugh. Her red lips curved as she said, "To thank you for taking care of Cole for free all these years. I'll be sure to prepare a gift for you." Chapter 6 Yvonne didn't respond. She went straight upstairs. The next morning, someone yanked her awake. She opened her eyes to find Cole gripping her arm, his face dark. "Where's Yuri?" Before she could even process the question, he shoved a video in front of her. Renee was kneeling on the floor in the video, crying. "Yvonne, I wasn't the one who told everyone at work. I never called you a homewrecker, and I never told anyone to film you and post it online. "If you hate me, take it out on me. Please don't hurt Yuri. "I posted the private video like you wanted. Please, just tell me where Yuri is." Cole's eyes were full of anger. "Yvonne Carter, what do you want? "Your coworkers said a few things, and you made Renee post that video and hid Yuri because of it? How could you do that to a child?" His grip on her arm hurt. Yvonne struggled against him, shaking her head. "I didn't. I don't know what you're talking about." The door opened, and Yale hurried in. "Did you find him?" Cole shook his head. Yale turned to Yvonne, anger and disappointment written across his face. "Yvonne, what happened to you? How could you be this cruel? "He's just a child, and you're putting his life at risk." Then Renee came in and dropped to her knees at Yvonne's feet, crying so hard she could barely speak. "Yvonne, I posted the video just like you asked. Please tell me where Yuri is. He can't take something like this." Cole pulled her into his arms. "Don't be scared. I'm here. Yuri will be fine." Then he looked back at Yvonne. "Where is he?" "I don't know," Yvonne said hoarsely. "You still won't tell me?" Cole finally lost patience and called for the bodyguards outside. A moment later, one of them came in holding a phone. On the screen, Teddy was trembling inside a cage while another bodyguard approached with a syringe. Cole looked at her coldly. "I'm asking you one last time. Where is Yuri?" The moment Yvonne saw Teddy trembling in the cage, she broke down and rushed forward. "No! Stop! I really don't know. Please!" Cole didn't react. Yvonne turned to Yale. "Yale, believe me. I didn't do anything." Yale frowned. "You've really disappointed me." Yvonne sank to the floor. The two people closest to her, the two people she loved most, didn't believe her. "I didn't do it. I really didn't." Just as the needle was about to pierce Teddy's neck, the door opened, and an assistant rushed in. "We found Yuri. He's unconscious and already at the hospital being treated." Chapter 7 Everyone immediately rushed to the hospital. Yvonne was left weak and breathless. She forced herself to her feet, stumbled out of the house, and ran toward the animal hospital without stopping to think. At the hospital, the doctor sighed and shook his head. "His condition is deteriorating fast. At this point, the only option is to collect fetal cells early and use them to temporarily slow the progression." A trace of hesitation crossed Cole's eyes. "There's no other way?" Renee's eyes instantly reddened. She grabbed his hand. "Are you really going to stand by and watch our son die?" Cole looked at Yuri lying in the hospital bed. He closed his eyes for a moment, then finally nodded. "All right." Yvonne had just reached the hospital entrance when several bodyguards suddenly appeared. Before she could get inside, they forced her into a car and took her to another hospital. She was taken straight into the operating room. Just before the doors closed, she heard Yale and Cole talking outside. "Cole, are you sure this won't hurt Yvonne or the baby?" "I'm sure. I love her and our child more than anyone. I won't let anything happen to either of them." Yvonne was strapped to the operating table. Pain tore through her entire body. Her abdomen felt as though it were being crushed, and before long, she couldn't take it anymore and passed out. She had no idea how much time had passed when she woke again. Her abdomen felt strangely empty. Then she heard two nurses talking nearby. "They collected so many fetal cells at once. There was no way to avoid losing the pregnancy." Yvonne stared blankly ahead. She got out of bed and dragged herself toward the door, one step at a time. Teddy was all she had left now. She had to take him and leave for good. Yvonne took a cab to the animal hospital. From across the street, she spotted Teddy curled up inside a cage. The moment he heard her voice, he sprang to his feet and ran toward her. "Teddy, don't run!" Yvonne's pupils contracted as she screamed. The next second, there was a violent impact. A speeding car struck Teddy and sent him flying. His body twitched a few times, then went still. Blood spread across the pavement. A loud ringing filled Yvonne's ears. The image of her mother's fatal car accident flooded back into her mind. Her whole body began to shake. She ran over in a panic, dropped to her knees, and lifted Teddy into her trembling arms before carrying him inside. "Teddy... don't scare me." The veterinarian took one look and shook his head. "His heart has stopped. I'm sorry." Yvonne collapsed to her knees, holding Teddy as his body slowly grew cold, her eyes blank. She stayed there for a long time, from daylight until nightfall. Only then did she have Teddy cremated. Holding the urn against her chest, she walked out of the hospital one slow step at a time. Her phone rang as soon as she stepped outside. [We're leaving in ten minutes.] Yvonne kept walking. A black car pulled up in front of her, and she got in. Then she took out her phone, removed the SIM card, and tossed it out the window along with the ring on her hand. The wind rushed past outside. Yvonne wiped the tears from the corner of her eye. Family. Love. Friendship. She wanted none of it anymore. From now on, she would never see them again.