Wife, Donor, Victim: A Twisted Marriage
was donating bone marrow to save my son, Leo. But I pushed through the pain
's live-in nurse, Geneva. My blood ran c
infertile? They planned it. My entire seven-year marriage was an elaborate lie,
ool to exploit me. I wasn't a wife o
after each donation weren't from love.
floor, and the mask of the lovi
than said, his voice flat. "The
wn. I watched in horror as he took a syringe and drew
pte
ords hung in t
e marrow isn't regenerating fast enough. Another donatio
weariness settling deep into my bones. This was the fifth time I'd heard a var
g in my sweaty palm. My head swam with a
to g
bably worried. He said he
glass of the car window, watching the sun-drenched hills of California roll by. My body ached, a d
them. The house was quiet. Too quiet. I walked softly down
, smooth and confident, and another, a woman's voice,
otted palm, my heart start
eneva' s voice was laced with disbelief and
r our son," Ethan replied. His
on? He had to mean Leo.
a said, her voice dropping. "He needs the ne
his voice. "But she' s resilient. It' s why I chose her. K
we were married. The doctors telling me my injuries were so severe I could never have children.
eneva purred. "Making her infertile ensured
e wall to stay upright, the world tilting on
his voice cold and practical. "Otherwise, her devotion wouldn
mother. Not a
ued, each word a hammer blow a
" Geneva laughed. "Living under her roof, watching her
f monstrous cruelty. My marriage was a sham. My infertility was
en-year marri
king the ocean, the sunset painting the sky. He had gotten
on. "I will love you and cherish you for the re
All
on of a distant relative who had passed away. He said we could give him a home, a
e, I' d
life-threatening condition. The only cure was a bone marrow tra
I would have done a
od, my marrow, my energy, my love. I po
meticulously cr
ll, landing on the cold marble floor with a soft t
e with an inscription from Ethan-"My one, my only, my forever"-glinted
er clothes, exotic vacations. He' d hold me and whisper how grateful he wa
subtly undermine me in front of the staff. The way Leo, as he grew older, would parr
he had learned his p
h something, to scream, to tear this gilded cage apart. My eyes landed on a vase
living room do
me face twisting into a frown
u doing down there?
ced with its usu
aying on her lips. "Oh dear, Mrs. Mcclure,
ll face a mirror of their disdain.
sed in expensive, tailored clothes, radiating health and wealth. And me? I was a mess of tangled h
bubbled up from my throat.
down my face, h
d, the words tearing from my raw
of the loving husband fell away, r
he said, his voice flat. "The
rd was quiet, but it
an' s voice dropped to a dangerou
h mock sympathy. "Elaine, think of poor Leo. H
my shin. It was a weak kick, but in my fragi
rieked, his voice shrill. "Y
was a thousand times worse. This child, the
t away from them. "I'm not your mo
eet, to run, but my le
who had appeared silently in the hallway. "Take
through my anger. They grabbed
. He reached out and stroked my cheek, his touch making my skin crawl.
Elaine," he said, his voice a low m
olent, uncontrollable shak
ises, a constellation of old needle marks. His eyes flickered over them for a se
ening sting. I watched, horrified, as my blood, my li
skin felt clammy and cold, tur
d tossed me aside like a used-up doll. My hea
im hand the bag of my blood to Geneva. She took it
ainst his mouth. "She' s j
is fingers cold agains
aid. "Now we can
om I had so carefully decorated. Their laughter echoed do
old floor, unable to
had taken everything from me. My health, my ability to have a fami
e night toget
g I lay there before
e, musky scent of sex in the air. It clung to the c
I slowly, painfully, pushed myself up. My head
to g
n my desk. Divorce papers. And a transfer of assets agreement. I had a lawyer draw them up months ago
aving breakfast. Laughter and cheerful chatter filled the air
n bother to look at me. She was feeding Leo a pi
ess laugh esc
lways had an excuse for why Geneva needed to stay. The way Leo treated m
e of complete indifference. He had my blood running through hi
look a little guilty. "Elaine, about last nigh
surprisingly steady. I cut him of
d placed the papers in f
confusion. Then his eyes widened slightly as h
his thumb. He probably assumed this was just a despera
h a flourish, a condescending smile on his f
ven read th
er, a massive weight lifted from my sho
had to escap