The Floating Comments Saved My Life

To save my daughter from late-stage kidney failure, I gave her my kidney without a second thought.

But just before she was fully recovered, my wife did the unthinkable. She jumped from the hospital rooftop without a single word of explanation.

The medical bills for both of them were astronomical. I had no choice but to work multiple grueling jobs while my own body was still reeling from the surgery.

As they slowly got better, I was the one fading away from post-op complications.

Right before I drew my last breath, strange translucent comments started floating in front of my eyes.

This side character is way too pathetic. The female lead only faked that jump to squeeze more money out of him. She even took out a massive life insurance policy on him when she saw he was dying.

Oh my god, he's dying without knowing the truth. His daughter isn't even his. She's the love child of the female lead and her secret high school sweetheart.

Sigh, he loved her so much, but she spent her whole life playing him. She even made him give up a prestigious fellowship abroad. He wasted his entire life on a lie.

I reached out, trembling, wanting to scream at the woman and child standing by my bed. But my strength failed, and I choked on my final breath.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the past. It was the exact day I received the notification for my fellowship in California.

I looked at my wife standing in the distance, pretending to comfort our daughter. I spoke into the phone to my professor.

"No problem, Professor. I'll be there by Friday to start my fellowship."

01

The moment I finished the call, the floating comments went into a frenzy.

Wait, did the side character actually grow a brain this time? He agreed to go abroad? That means he won't see the female lead for years!

No way. Just wait. Once she brings the kid over, he'll fold. Everyone knows he'd rip his own heart out for her.

I watched the comments, my heart turning to ice.

In my past life, I didn't just ruin my career for her. I took the dirtiest, most dangerous jobs just to give her a life of luxury.

And what did I get? She complained I was a loser who couldn't make real money. She looked with disgust at my handsDhands that should have been used for researchDbecause they were covered in scars and callouses.

If it weren't for these floating texts, I would have never known that to Brianna White, I was nothing but a human ATM.

Even the daughter I cherished with all my soul was the spawn of her and her 'White Moonlight,' Lucas.

Brianna walked toward me, gently tugging at my sleeve. Her eyes were swimming with tears.

"Zach, please don't leave us"

Her voice broke into a sob. She turned her head away, wiping a tear as if she didn't want me to see her pain.

"No I shouldn't be so selfish. Staying here will ruin your future."

She looked so fragile, so heartbreakingly beautiful.

Here it is! The peak manipulative performance. Two sentences and a little pout, and he's back on the hook. She gets rid of his competition and secures a free babysitter in one go.

I dug my nails into my palms. The mental pain was like a hammer hitting the back of my skull.

I used to believe she truly loved me and was just trying to be noble.

That's why I stayed, even knowing I was throwing my future away.

But now I saw it clearly. Our 'love' was just a plot to clear the path for Lucas to succeed while I stayed behind to pay the bills.

I looked at her coldly, ready to shut her down. Suddenly, a little girl rushed out and bit my thigh hard.

"You're a bad man! I won't let you hurt Mommy!"

Even though Brianna quickly pulled the child away and covered her mouth, my leg was already bleeding through my jeans.

"I'm so sorry, Zach Nellie was just trying to protect me"

Brianna held Nellie, whispering comforts, while giving me a tired, pale smile.

Four years ago, Brianna handed me a positive pregnancy test. She told me it happened during a drunken night at our graduation party.

I had been so wasted that night I couldn't remember a thing. But I trusted her because I thought she was a good woman.

I raised Nellie as my own flesh and blood. Even when Nellie told me she wished I would die every single birthday, I loved her.

I was stupid enough to think it was my fault for not being a better father. I felt guilty for over a decade.

To give her the best life, I sold my late parents' house to put her in an elite private school.

When she supposedly had kidney failure, I didn't hesitate to cut myself open for her.

But right before I died, I learned her illness was a total sham. It was just an excuse to keep me from leaving the country. To Nellie, who knew the truth all along, I was just a villain blocking her real family's reunion.

I reached down and pulled the fabric of my jeans away from the wound.

Brianna finally noticed the blood soaking through my pants and the grim look on my face.

She hid Nellie behind her back, pretending to be concerned. She reached out to touch the wound but pulled back, unable to hide the disgust in her eyes.

"Zach, let's go to the clinic. We need to get that bandaged."

The next second, a sharp ringtone broke her performance. It was a call from Lucas. He said only one thing.

"I'm in a bad mood. Get over here."

Brianna's face changed instantly.

She looked at me urgently. "Zach, Nellie is so vulnerable. If you leave, we'll have nobody. You're a good man. You won't abandon us, right?"

I peeled her fingers off my arm one by one and stepped back. I gave her a mocking smile.

"Sure. Don't you have somewhere to be?"

Brianna bit her lip. She looked at the caller ID on her phone, hesitated for two seconds, and then dumped Nellie on me before rushing off.

She's going to her secret lover again. This guy is such a pushover. One touch and he's already regretting his choice.

I did regret it.

I just regretted that I didn't wake up sooner in my last life.

02

The next morning, Nellie ran to my bedside and kicked my headboard repeatedly to wake me up.

In the living room, Brianna was slumped on the sofa, smelling like a brewery. Her neck was covered in red marks.

"Hey, Zach. I brought you breakfast. Eat it, take Nellie to school, and then take the day off to deep clean the house."

She tossed a half-eaten, cold breakfast burrito into my lap like she was feeding a dog.

I looked at the bite taken out of the burrito and dropped it into the trash without a word.

"What were you doing last night?"

I hit a nerve. Brianna's face went cold.

"Working overtime, obviously! What's with the attitude? If you weren't so useless, would I have to work this hard?"

I didn't bother calling her out. Instead, I looked at her hand where her wedding ring should be.

Years ago, after she claimed Nellie was mine, I gave her my mother's heirloom diamond as an engagement ring.

I needed that ring back.

But it was gone from her finger.

In its place was a cheap, tarnished bracelet.

That was the only gift Lucas had ever given her.

She didn't know that Lucas had only given it to her because he failed to impress his boss's daughter with it.

I laughed at myself and pulled Brianna up from her daze.

"The ring. Give it back to me."

Brianna instinctively looked away, but then she started acting tough.

"What ring? What, you want to take back a wedding ring now? I can't believe I married someone like you!"

Poor guy. He doesn't know she used the ring to pay for Lucas's bar tab last night.

To change the subject, she started barking orders again.

"Take the kid to school first. I'll look for it later."

I stared deep into her eyes. "Fine."

To help her secret lover succeed, Brianna wouldn't hesitate to destroy my reputation.

Before I left, I had to get a DNA test with Nellie to clear my name.

I grabbed Nellie's backpack and headed straight for the hospital.

But before the results even came out, Brianna got wind of it and came charging in.

She was out of breath when she snatched Nellie away from me.

"What are you doing bringing her here? I told you to take her to school!"

The DNA samples were already submitted. I had no interest in arguing.

"I'm her father. She felt sick, so I brought her in. Is there a problem with that?"

Realizing she had overreacted, Brianna's expression shifted. She dropped to the floor and started squeezing out tears.

"It's all my fault. Nellie was born weak. I tried to hide her kidney issues from you, but you found out anyway. She needs a transplant. I'm not a match. You're her only hope. Please, Zach, don't leave. Save our daughter."

03

The same drama from my past life was starting all over again.

I watched her coldly. When I didn't react, Brianna's voice turned shrill.

"Zach! Nellie is your daughter! Saving her is your job!"

My fingers trembled with rage. I clenched my fists tight.

'My daughter.' The phrase made me want to vomit.

A crowd was starting to gather. People were even pulling out phones to record us. I knew fighting her here wouldn't help me, so I pretended to give in.

Satisfied, Brianna got up and dragged Nellie home.

As soon as she left, I picked up the DNA report that proved I had zero biological connection to Nellie. I emailed a copy to my department head and explained the situation.

With his help, I fast-tracked my paperwork. I hired a lawyer to handle my assets and put the house up for sale.

In my past life, Brianna refused to officially sign the marriage papers for years just to stay 'pure' for Lucas.

Legally, we weren't even married. That made disposing of the property much easier.

By the time I finished everything, it was late at night. Brianna finally called, screaming.

"What's wrong with you? Why aren't you home? Don't you know Nellie is sick and needs care?"

I listened to her rant while I sat in an Uber headed for the airport. I wasn't going to reveal my hand just yet.

"So? You're there to take care of her, aren't you?"

Brianna went quiet for a moment, stunned by my tone.

Then, Lucas's smug, deep voice came onto the line.

"Zach, are you a total loser? Your daughter is sick and you're running away? Tomorrow, I'm going to your office to report you for being an unfit father! Let's see if they still want you."

They were in it together, just like I thought.

I frowned and pulled the phone away from my ear, acting like I didn't care.

Seeing that her threats weren't working, Brianna tried the victim act again.

"Zach I'm begging you. Nellie needs you. I I need you."

She sounded like she was gagging on her own words. It took her a while to keep going.

"I'm on the roof of the hospital. It's so cold. I can't do this without you. If you don't show up I'm jumping with Nellie!"

"No, don't! He's just a deadbeat, he's not worth it! Zach! What are you doing? Get over here right now!"

Listening to this theater, I felt nothing but coldness. But I played along.

"Fine. I'm coming. I already signed the donation papers. You'll get them soon."

I hung up and walked toward the boarding gate. I stepped onto the plane that would take me across the ocean.

Meanwhile, my lawyer was delivering that DNA report to the hospital.