Chapter 1
Seven years after I vanished, my brother found me. Not through some private investigator, but on the organ donor registry.
“Where is this person?”
He asked the nurse.
“On the 12th floor, in the palliative care ward. She’s scheduled for surgery tomorrow.”
His face a thundercloud, he stormed upstairs and burst into my room.
“Aurora!”
I looked up at him and smiled calmly.
“You must have the wrong person, Adrian. My name is Serena, not Aurora.”
He walked closer to the bed, his voice stiff.
“Come home with me. Apologize to Willow, and I’ll get you the best doctors money can buy…”
“No need. I haven’t done anything wrong, and I don’t need to apologize to anyone.”
I didn’t even lift my head, signing the last letter on the donation agreement.
After a long, chilling silence, he sneered, “Quite the act. Seven years, and you’re still playing the innocent victim.”
“You’re sick? What’s wrong? Why are you having surgery?”
I chuckled.
“Late-stage glioblastoma. Not long now.”
“Might as well give my organs away. Better use for them than just decaying underground, right? At least I can save a few people.”
Adrian’s face flickered, but quickly reverted to cold indifference.
“Cut the crap. You think I’m going to fall for your pathetic act?”
He swept his gaze across the sparsely furnished room, his tone mocking.
“Things not going so well for you out here all these years? If you hadn’t pulled those stunts back then, you wouldn’t be in this mess.”
I looked down at my emaciated hands, saying nothing.
“Aurora…”
He suddenly called my name, a flicker of struggle in his voice.
“Are you really… that sick?”
I looked up at him, my eyes terrifyingly calm.
“Does it concern you, Adrian?”
“I’m your brother!”
“Your sister… she died seven years ago.”
His face turned ashen, staring intently at me.
“You hate me that much? What happened back then, Aurora, wasn’t it your own fault—”
“Enough,” I cut him off. “Adrian, you’re not here just to taunt me, are you? If there’s something you need, just say it.”
He opened his mouth, but found himself speechless.
“Let me guess,” I said slowly.
“Does she… need *another* liver?”
Adrian didn’t answer.
But his evasive gaze said it all.
I leaned against the headboard and let out a light laugh.
“So that’s it.”
“Seven years, and she finally remembers she has a sister.”
“So you’re here today, on her behalf, to demand my liver?”
“Not ‘demand,’” he corrected. “It’s your duty. You volunteered your liver back then. Now Willow needs another, and you’re still her sister. It’s your responsibility.”
I leaned against the headboard, finding it all utterly absurd.
“Adrian, seven years ago, when you threw me out of the house, why didn’t you mention I was her sister then?”
“You deserved it!” His voice suddenly rose.
“If you hadn’t done all those malicious things back then, if you hadn’t framed Willow, why would I have kicked you out? You’re still lying. Still playing the innocent victim.”
I closed my eyes, my heart turned to ash.
He never doubted her, it seemed.
He always believed I was in the wrong.
“Just leave,” I said wearily. “I need to rest.”
“Aurora!” He roughly grabbed my shoulder.
“You listen to me! Willow needs your liver!”
I opened my eyes and looked at him calmly.
“Then let her wait for a donor,” I said, my voice flat. “Because my organs? They’re already pledged to strangers.”
“You—” He was trembling with rage. “You’re truly that heartless?! Willow saved my life back then! Without her, the Sutton name wouldn’t be where it is today! And you, you ungrateful wretch!”
I said nothing, simply turning my head to look out the window.
“Aurora, I’m making myself clear today,” he released me, his voice icy.
“If you don’t save Willow, I swear I won’t let you die so easily.”
“I will use every resource the Sutton family has to treat you, to keep you alive. Living a life worse than death itself.”
I listened to his threats, my heart utterly calm.
“Whatever.”
He gave me a deep look, then turned and left.
The door slammed shut behind him.
I lay on the hospital bed, tears silently streaming down my face.