Vengeance Is a DIY Affair

1
My mother-in-law was having a heart attack. My husband, a top cardiac surgeon, was the only one who could save her.
I didnt call him for help. I just stood there and watched, my eyes cold, as she took her last agonizing breath in front of me.
In my last life, when she had this heart attack, I called my husband immediately. He accused me of being a jealous, manipulative wife, faking an emergency just to drag him home. He refused to come.
She died in the hospital.
And when my father-in-law demanded to know why, my husband swore I had never called him, pinning the entire blame for his mother's death on me.
My father-in-law, consumed by hatred, stabbed me to death.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back on that very day.

Eva, Dr. Chen is the only one who can perform this surgery. You have to get him here now. If hes not here within the hour, shes not going to make it.
When I came to, my mother-in-law, Helen, was already on the hospital bed, her breaths shallow and ragged. The situation was critical. On instinct, I pulled out my phone and started to walk away.
But after two steps, the image of my father-in-law butchering me flashed through my mind. I hadnt died after the last stab wound. I remember looking down, my stomach a bloody, mangled mess.
A shiver ran down my spine.
My husband, Liam, loves to dodge responsibility, doesn't he? Well, not this time.
The phone rang for what felt like an eternity before he finally picked up. What is it? Liams voice was sharp with annoyance.
My own voice trembled, thick with unshed tears. Liam, its your mom. Shes had a heart attack. Were at your hospital, and the head nurse said youre the only one who can do the surgery. You have to come, please.
There was a pause, then his tone turned cold with fury. Eva, are you serious right now? I take Winona to the mall for a few hours, and you pull a stunt like this? Youre using my mothers life to score jealousy points? Have you lost your mind?
No, Im not, I whimpered. Shes really
Liam, honey I dont feel so good.
A sweet, delicate voice cut me off.
Winona? Are you okay? Liams voice instantly shifted to panicked concern. He didnt forget to hiss a final threat into the phone. Eva, I hope youre happy now. And you better stop cursing my mother with these fake illnesses, or I swear to God, youll regret it.
He hung up.
I looked up. The faces of the emergency room staff around me were a mixture of awkwardness and pity.
I offered them a helpless smile.
Last time, Id rushed out of the room to make the call, trying not to upset Helen further. But when everything went to hell, Liam, terrified of the hospitals reprimand and his father's wrath, denied I had ever contacted him.
This time, I made sure to make the call in front of everyone. I needed witnesses.
But that wasn't enough.
I hit redial.
Once. Twice. Three times.
On the fourth try, the call wouldn't go through. He'd blocked me.
I leaned over Helens bed. Mom, just hang on. Liam wouldnt just leave you.
She was still conscious. As I said those words, her monitor shrieked, the lines going haywire. The doctors and nurses jolted into action, a chaotic ballet of desperation.
The head nurse pulled me out of the room, her face grim. Eva, her situation is deteriorating rapidly. I dont care how you do it, but you need to get Dr. Chen here. Now.
But he wont answer my calls, I cried, my voice thick with panic.
Then try someone elses phone.
She disappeared back into the room, leaving me alone in the hallway.
Someone elses phone?
I borrowed phones from two different nurses. Both times, as soon as Liam heard my voice, he hung up. The head nurse had given me a direct order. I had to find another way.
Wiping my tears, I opened the app for the citys biggest livestreamer, a guy who ran a channel called "HelpForce Live." I sent the biggest virtual gift they had.
A moment later, I was live with him.
Hello, HelpForce, I began, my voice choked with sobs. Im just a regular person, but Im in a terrible situation. My mother-in-law has had a sudden heart attack, and Dr. Liam Chen is the only surgeon who can save her. But he won't take my calls. Hes at the city center mall right now. If anyone sees him, please, tell him to get to St. Jude's Hospital immediately. His mother only has about forty minutes left.
I finished, my whole body shaking, and sent the streamer a photo of Liam.
The streamer hesitated. Maam, I understand youre upset, but doctors have private lives too. We cant just ambush him because you say it's an emergency. This could be a serious invasion of his privacy, so

2
Before he could finish, the head nurse burst out of the ER again. Have you reached him? Shes worse than we thought.
I shook my head, my heart sinking.
That man is completely unreliable, she muttered. Just then, another nurse poked her head out. Charge nurse! Patient is in cardiac arrest! Get the crash cart!
Cardiac arrest.
The words hit me like a physical blow. I stood frozen for a long moment. Then, as if waking from a trance, I bolted for the elevators.
I stabbed the button for the top floor.
The hospitals CEO and all the department heads were in the middle of a board meeting. When I threw the door open, the room fell silent. Every eye turned to me.
I spotted Liams boss, Dr. Peterson, the head of cardiology. I ran to him and dropped to my knees.
Dr. Peterson, please, you have to save my mother-in-law! Shes dying in the ER!
His face darkened. Isnt there a doctor in the emergency room? Why have you come all the way up here?
Dr. Peterson, Im Liam Chens wife, I sobbed. The doctors down there said only Liam can perform her surgery, but he he cant make it. Your skills are legendary. Please, youre the only one who can save her now.
Hearing my story, the CEO gave Dr. Peterson a nod. He agreed to go down and assess the situation.
When he heard the full story of my unanswered calls, Dr. Peterson let out a string of curses. Has Liam lost his mind? Hes always been a bit of a flake, but to abandon his own mother? Dont you worry, Ill call him myself.
He pulled out his phone, trying to reassure me as he dialed.
The call connected almost instantly. Dr. Petersons voice was granite. Liam, I dont care where you are or what youre doing. Get back to the hospital now. Your mother has had a massive heart attack, and youre the only one who can operate.
Liams voice on the other end was incredulous. Dr. Peterson? Youve got to be kidding me. She even dragged you into her little drama? Sir, I really cant come back right now. Please dont fall for her act. You have no idea what this woman will say when shes jealous. I know my mothers health. I listened to her heart this morning myself; it was perfect. She used to pull this stunt all the time to get me home. Im not falling for it again, and with all due respect, neither should you. I have to go.
He hung up before Dr. Peterson could get another word in.
Dr. Petersons face was a thundercloud. He tried calling back, but the phone went straight to voicemail. Liam had turned it off.
Son of a bitch, the normally mild-mannered director snarled, his knuckles white around his phone. Is that man even human?
Just then, the streamers voice came from my phone. You heard it here, folks. Its real. This is not a drill. If youre in the city, keep an eye out for Dr. Liam Chen. We need to get him to St. Judes!
Id completely forgotten the livestream was still running.
EverythingDr. Petersons call, Liams callous dismissalhad been broadcast to the world.
When I looked at my screen, the viewer count had jumped to thirty thousand. The chat was flying.
[OMG, I was about to roast this chick for being a drama queen, but holy crap, what a plot twist.]
[This guy has serious issues. His MOM is dying and hes out with his side piece? I wanna punch him through the screen.]
Seeing that comment, I quickly cried out, Please, dont hurt him!
Then, I handed my phone to Dr. Peterson and knelt on the floor, facing the camera.
Everyone watching, please, Im begging you, help me find my husband. My mother-in-law has always been so good to me. I cant just watch her die. Liam, if youre seeing this, please come back. If you save your mother, Ill do anything you ask.
I slammed my forehead on the cold, tiled floor, over and over again.
The raw desperation of the act brought tears to the eyes of the nurses around me.
What kind of scumbag makes his wife beg like this just to save his own mother? someone muttered.
But the performance was for nothing. Half an hour later, Helen was gone.
As they wheeled her body to the morgue, the head nurse patted my back. Dont blame yourself, she said gently.
I collapsed into her arms, my voice raw with grief. Shes gone! I dont have a mother-in-law anymore!
Her own voice was thick with emotion. You did everything you possibly could, Eva.
Eva.
A familiar voice cut through my haze of sorrow.
I looked up and saw my father-in-law, Arthur.

3
Arthur had just driven in from their country home, still covered in dust and dirt from the fields.
As he walked toward me, I saw the ghost of the man from my last life, the man with the knife. I instinctively took a step back.
But this time, he just reached out and gently stroked my hair. I heard the broadcast on the way here. After everything Liam put you through, you still fought so hard for her. Thank you, Eva.
I nodded, my expression a mask of grief.
Inside, a wave of relief washed over me. Id gotten away with it.
Arthur went to the morgue to see his wife. The moment the white sheet was pulled back, his legs gave out, and he crumpled to the floor.
Helen, my love, why couldnt you wait for me? Why didnt you let me see you one last time? he wailed. And that ungrateful son of ours hes the one who killed you!
Arthur and Helen had a deep, twisted kind of love. Theyd married for passion, not arrangement. But neither of them was a saint. When they were young, Arthur had been so obsessed with her that hed jumped into a river to force her to marry him. And Helen, who had been in love with someone else, was never faithful after they wed.
One was dangerously obsessive, the other perpetually restless. Their life was a cycle of explosive fights. After each one, Helen would storm off to the city to stay with Liam, where she would spend her time criticizing me. She thought a simple accountant like me was lucky to have landed a brilliant surgeon, and she was the one who had introduced Liam to the beautiful and accomplished Winona.
She never imagined she was digging her own grave.
Arthur said he wanted some time alone with his wife, so I stepped out of the morgue. I was about to sit down and catch my breath when a voice barked my name.
Eva Chen!
A shiver of pure terror shot down my spine.
In my past life, Arthurs attack hadnt killed me immediately. Liam had found me, bleeding out. I begged him to take me to a hospital. But he was afraid Id tell the police what his father had done. Instead, he pressed a towel over my face and smothered me.
Ill never forget the look in his eyes as he killed me. Vicious. Final.
L-Liam. My legs turned to jelly.
What the hell is wrong with you? He shoved his phone in my face. The video of me begging and banging my head on the floor was playing. Are you addicted to making a scene? Humiliating our family in front of the entire city wasnt enough for you?
I shook my head. Thats not what happened.
Bullshit! Do you have any idea what Ive been through today? People are calling Winona a homewrecker, screaming at us in the street, forcing me to come here. Are you happy now? He backed me into a corner. You said my mother was dying. So where is she? I didnt see her in the ER.
I pointed a trembling finger toward the morgue behind me.
He still didnt believe me. Oh, perfect. First, you lie about a heart attack, and now youre pretending shes dead? Fine. Youre coming in with me. And if I dont find a body, I swear to God, you and I are finished.
He grabbed me by the collar and dragged me inside.
The moment we were through the doors, he started shouting. Mom? Where are you? The jokes over! Honestly, why would you go along with this crazy womans scheme? Do you know how embarrassing this is?
His tirade stopped cold when he saw his father.
Liam frowned. Dad? What are you doing here? Dont tell me Eva tricked you into coming, too.
Arthur strode forward and slapped his son across the face, the sound echoing in the silent room. You ungrateful bastard, he seethed. Its come to this, and you still dont believe it? You let your own mother die for some tramp, and you have the audacity to come in here shouting?
Liams eyes widened. What? It was real? Her heart attack it was real? Then where is she?
Arthur kicked the back of his knee, hard.
Liam buckled, landing on the cold floor. He looked up, and his eyes finally met the pale, lifeless face of his mother on the gurney.

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