A Sacrifice Hidden For Three Years

Three years ago, I watched Donovan Gordon lie on his deathbed, clinging to his last breath, and then I walked away.

Now, he's back, striding into the luxury hotel where I work-richer and more powerful than I could have ever imagined.

He didn't just ignore me; he spent the entire night making my life a living hell, forcing me to change the sheets on the bed he now shared with his new girlfriend.

He called me a traitor, a gold-digger who abandoned him for his rival.

Little did he know, the only reason he was standing there, alive and breathing, was because my kidney was inside his body.

But that sacrifice cost me everything.

My remaining kidney is failing, and I didn't come back seeking forgiveness.

I came back for one last look at the man I saved-because my doctors aren't sure I'll survive my next surgery.

Chapter 1

Hazel Sparks' POV:

It's been three years since I last saw Donovan Gordon. Three years ago, I willingly gave him a piece of my heart, thinking he'd never learn the truth about what I'd done.

Now, he's back, crashing into my life like a wrecking ball in a suit, shattering the fragile peace I'd worked so hard to build.

The Sterling, a luxury hotel in the heart of New York.

I stood behind the front desk.

It was just another ordinary Tuesday night-until he appeared.

Donovan.

He still carried the arrogant grace I remembered, but now he exuded an overwhelming aura of power and a chilling indifference I'd never seen before.

He was no longer the man I loved.

By his side, a woman with cascading blonde hair and an overly bright smile clung tightly to his arm.

Jessica Cabrera.

They looked perfectly happy together.

That night, the penthouse suite seemed to have me in its crosshairs.

The front desk phone rang relentlessly, an annoying buzz that wouldn't stop.

It was always him.

First, he needed extra bath towels. Then, a specific brand of sparkling water.

An hour later, he called again, complaining the minibar wasn't fully stocked.

Every request was a subtle torture-a constant reminder of his presence, his power, and my miserable circumstances.

I handled each call with practiced calm, my voice steady and professional.

I was just a front desk agent, meant to fade into the background.

But he wouldn't let me disappear.

Late into the night, the phone rang again.

It felt deliberate, like a game he was playing.

"Front desk, this is Hazel. How may I assist you?" My voice sounded foreign, too composed for how I felt.

"The bedsheets in the master suite," Donovan's deep voice came through the line, laced with a weariness that hinted at more than just a long day. "They need to be changed. Immediately."

It was a ridiculous request.

Housekeeping was off duty.

Special requests like this usually went through a manager.

I took a deep breath. "Mr. Gordon, I apologize, but housekeeping hours are over. I can leave a