Chapter 245 The Diagnosis That Shattered Lauren
Marilyn’s face lit up with surprise.
“That’s great news,” she said, genuinely glad.
But then she caught the shift in Lauren’s expression–somber, thoughtful, heavy.
Finished
Lauren spoke quietly, “Marilyn, I know what’s going on with my body. And if something’s really wrong. I don’t want to worry Madam Kate or Mr. Brooker. They’ve already done so much for me.
She lowered her gaze, her voice turning even softer, “If I hadn’t crossed paths with Mr. Brooker, I probably wouldn’t have even had the chance to fight back. And Madam Kate–she’s trying so hard to bring us together. But someone like me… this body… I’m not good enough for him.”
“I was thinking last night,” she went on, “If I can get better, amazing. But if I can’t, I won’t be the reason he gets held back.”
Marilyn felt a lump rise in her throat.
After everything Ms. Bennett had been through, she was still choosing gratitude over bitterness.
Marilyn stepped closer and gave a reassuring nod, “Then let’s go. I’ll be right there with you.”
At the hospital.
Lauren spent the morning undergoing a full medical workup, with Marilyn close by through every test and
scan.
When they finally received the results, she handed them over to a gray–haired doctor who looked like he’d seen it all—and yet the way his expression tightened, the way his brows furrowed deeper with every page, said otherwise.
When Lauren finally walked out of the exam room, her eyes were vacant, lifeless. She looked like someone whose soul had been quietly drained away.
The doctor’s words echoed in her ears, each one landing like a punch to the chest.
“You’re far too young to be in this condition. Years of malnutrition, severe anemia, compounded by untreated internal injuries. Your body’s been under chronic stress for so long, it’s starting to shut down. And with one kidney missing, your system’s already fragile–your organs are starting to feel the effects.”
Marilyn had asked the obvious question, “Doctor, if we find a donor–if she gets the transplant and starts recovering properly–can she still get better?”
But the doctor didn’t sugarcoat it.
“This isn’t just about replacing a missing organ. Her body’s been pushed too far for too long. The damage has spread to multiple systems. Her hearing loss isn’t just in the eardrum–the nerves are affected. A cochlear implant won’t help. And if she can’t hear, her ability to speak clearly might fade over time.”
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Chapter 245 The Diagnosis That Shattered Lauren
He kept talking. But Lauren had stopped listening.
Every sentence felt like a door closing.
Every word sounded like an ending.
That was it. The truth landed hard.
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Lauren finally saw it for what it was–there was no reversing the damage. A body like hers couldn’t just be patched up and made new again. What was broken was broken.
And the reality hit even harder.
She’d never be able to live like other women. No family of her own. No children. Not even the possibility of true physical closeness. It was all out of reach.
So she asked the question she dreaded most.
“How long do I have?” she said quietly.
It was a heavy question. But one she had to ask.
The doctor didn’t flinch, “If you take care of yourself… maybe four or five years.”
Four or five years.
That meant she probably wouldn’t even live to see thirty.
Lauren left the room in a trance, each step heavier than the last. Her chest felt like it was being crushed. Her breath came short, tight, and painful.
Behind her, Marilyn followed closely, trying not to cry.
“Ms. Bennett,” she said gently, “don’t give up. We still have options. If this hospital can’t help, we’ll find another one. There are breakthroughs every day.”
Lauren didn’t answer. She just kept walking, limping quietly down the hall.
That’s when Marilyn realized–Lauren hadn’t heard her at all.
The truth hit like a gut punch.
Tears sprang to her eyes.
When did she lose her hearing?
If they hadn’t come to the hospital today, she would’ve never known.
She watched Lauren’s frail back disappear down the corridor.
One hand flew to her mouth as the sobs threatened to escape. She tried to hold it together–but the tears kept coming.
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Chapter 245 The Diagnosis That Shattered Lauren
Finished
Because no matter how many people paid the price, nothing could bring back what Lauren had already lost.
No cure would undo the years of pain. No justice would return her body to what it once was.
Marilyn stood frozen, furious at the world, crushed by the weight of it all–utterly helpless.
“Lauren!”
The voice came out of nowhere–low, raw, and unmistakably male.
Marilyn quickly blinked away her tears and turned her head.
Kenneth stood there in a hospital gown, pale and exhausted, blocking Lauren’s path.
He’d landed in the hospital after hitting rock bottom.
The moment he learned the truth last night, everything shattered. He drank himself into a blackout, ended up with alcohol poisoning, and Brendan and Brielle had to rush him to the ER in the middle of the night.
Running into Lauren here wasn’t something he planned–but the second he saw her, everything else fell
away.
He reached out, gently grabbing her shoulder like she might disappear if he didn’t hold on.
“Laurie… were you here for me?” he asked softly, his voice hoarse and eyes rimmed with red.
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