A Journey from Bitterness to Truth (Matilda and Yvan) novel Chapter 723

When Yvan's kidney ruptured, it seemed like he was on his last thread. I had a friend who suggested something experimental, a real shot in the dark, with survival odds teetering at a stark fifty-fifty. The thought of using Yvan as a guinea pig was terrifying, but I couldn't just stand by and watch him slip away. So, I concocted a lie, letting everyone believe Yvan had passed, while secretly arranging for him to undergo an organ transplant. Given the slim chances of survival, I kept it under wraps, dreading the thought of inflicting more pain if it all went south...

Keaton's voice faltered, "After the transplant, Yvan's body kept rejecting the new kidney, nearly giving up multiple times. I was... ready for the worst. Had it not worked, I'd have personally walked up to the Boyd family's doorstep, on my knees, to apologize. The fact that he made it, it feels nothing short of a miracle. And then, he woke up with no memory of us. The fall had damaged his brain, too. I've been flying out to hospitals in Australia, helping with his rehabilitation. Yvan's started to improve only recently, but there’s always the fear of another rejection episode because... it’s not his own kidney."

Keaton was scared of giving the Boyd family a sliver of hope, only to have Yvan ripped away from them again. It would be a more profound sorrow than if he had just died during that initial rescue attempt. He wanted to ensure Yvan was completely out of the woods before making anything public, to minimize the hurt.

Because nothing cuts deeper than clinging to a glimmer of hope, only for it to be snuffed out into despair.

Noel, tears streaming down his face, asked, "Where is he now? Is he... doing alright? Does he... remember me and his mom?"

Keaton, eyes also brimming with tears, shook his head, "Uncle, Yvan's physically quite strong these days, but his memory loss is quite severe. He might not recognize you at first glance..."

"It's okay, as long as he's alive," Noel sighed in relief.

Declan murmured, "That's all that matters. He's alive. I can help, too. Together, we can help him recover. There's strength in numbers, right?"

Matilda sat there, looking on as if detached from the drama unfolding.