The hours crawled by like years.

I spent the whole day in the hospital, yet not once did anyone come. No Paulo. No Leah. Not even my brothers. Only the nurses shuffled in and out, adjusting my IV, checking my vitals, telling me to rest as though rest could silence the storm inside me.

By the time the nurse handed me the discharge papers, my chest ached—not from my injuries, but from the hollowness of it all. They hadn’t even pretended to care.

I clutched the papers and pushed through the hospital doors, the evening air cool against my skin. I had taken only three steps outside when a hand grabbed mine.

“Olivia.”

I froze. Paulo.

He looked ragged, shadows under his eyes, but his grip was still as firm as a chain. “Leah needs you,” he said without preamble. “The doctors think she has a kidney problem. She needs a donor. You might be a match.”

For a moment, I just stared at him, the words circling my brain like vultures. Then I yanked my hand free. “No. I will not do it. I don’t care about her kidney. I don’t care about any of you.”

His jaw hardened. “You don’t have a choice.”

I laughed, sharp and bitter. “Don’t I? This is my body. My life. I decide.”

Paulo leaned close, his breath hot and foul. “Then choose. Donate to your sister, or I’ll end your mother’s treatment. You know she’s hanging by a thread. You know she needs that medicine. And if you refuse…” His eyes gleamed with cruelty. “She dies.”

My stomach churned. “How evil can you get?” My voice cracked. “You would use my mother’s life to force me?”

“Yes,” he said coldly. “So do it.”

Before I could scream, before I could protest, my brothers appeared, flanking me like guards. They each gripped an arm, steering me back into the hospital. My words fell on deaf ears, drowned out by their muttered orders. The world blurred until I found myself in a sterile room, my blood drawn, tubes strapped to my arm.

“Just a test,” one brother muttered.

Leah was there too, pale and fragile, her eyes brimming with tears. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean for it to be like this. I—I hid because I was sick, Olivia. I didn’t want anyone to know.”

“Sorry?” My throat burned. “You disappear for years, destroy our family, and now—now you come back, and I’m the one who has to pay for it?”

She opened her mouth, but Paulo’s glare silenced her. My brothers tightened their grip, one of them growling, “Shut up, Olivia. Don’t make this harder.”

Something cold pressed into my skin. My world spun. Darkness swallowed me whole.

When I woke up, I was in hospital clothes, thin and scratchy. A nurse stood by my bed, smiling kindly. “Good news. You’re a match. The surgery is scheduled in three days.”

“No…” My voice cracked. “I don’t want this.”

“You’ll save your sister’s life,” she said softly, as if that justified everything.

Tears burned behind my eyes. “No, no, this isn’t right. There must be another option. Another donor—”

Before I could finish, the door burst open. Paulo, my brothers, Leah.

“You don’t have a choice,” Paulo said, voice like ice. “Stop being selfish. Stop making this about you.”

Selfish. The word carved itself into my chest.

I turned my face away, refusing to let them see me break. My only escape was silence.

When they left, I pulled out my phone with trembling hands and typed a single desperate message to Cameron: Save me. They’re forcing me into surgery. Please.

I hit send, my tears falling onto the screen.

Later that evening, I wandered down the hall, searching for one thing—one person who reminded me I wasn’t completely alone.

Mother. Her room was quiet, the steady beeping of the monitors like a fragile heartbeat. She lay still, her face pale, as though carved from porcelain. I sank into the chair beside her bed and took her hand, my tears spilling freely.

“Mother…” My voice trembled. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I thought I could handle this. I thought I could save us. But they’re destroying me piece by piece.”

Her hand didn’t move, but I clung tighter, pressing my forehead against it. “I promise you, I’ll fight now. I won’t let them win. Not anymore.”

I stayed there for what felt like hours, whispering prayers, apologies, promises—until faint voices drifted in from the hall.

I froze.

Paulo’s voice. Low, assured. “Don’t worry, Leah. You’ll be saved. The operation will fix everything.”

Leah’s weak voice wavered. “But Olivia—”

Paulo cut her off. “Forget her. Once the surgery’s done, once we have what we need, we can dispose of her. Say something went wrong with the kidney. An accident. No one will question it.”

My blood turned to ice.

They weren’t just going to use me. They were going to kill me.

I stumbled back into Mother’s room, clutching her hand as though it could keep me tethered to life. “Did you hear that, Mama?” I whispered. “They want me gone. Just like Father. Just like everything else they’ve taken.”

Tears blurred my vision. “I won’t let it happen. I’ll fight. For you. For me.”

The next morning, a nurse slipped quietly into my room, her eyes darting nervously toward the door. “Miss Olivia,” she whispered, “I’ve arranged for your mother to be moved tomorrow. Someone important asked me to keep it quiet.”

My heart stopped. “Who?”

“Cameron Evans,” she murmured. “He said he’ll see you tomorrow.”

Relief crashed over me like a wave. Cameron. My last chance.

I nodded, clutching the nurse’s hand. “Thank you. Thank you.”

She gave me a small smile. “Just hold on, Miss Olivia. Just two more days.”

Two more days.

I looked at the ceiling, at the sterile white lights above me, and whispered a vow through my tears. “Two more days, and I’ll be free. They’ll regret everything they’ve done.”

When I opened my eyes the next morning, the first thing I saw was a silver tray perched on the side table—breakfast in bed. Toast, eggs, a steaming cup of coffee.

And Paulo.

He stood at the foot of the bed, a smile painted across his lips. “Good morning,” he said softly, as though last night’s cruelty had been nothing but a bad dream. “I… I’m sorry about yesterday. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

I sat up slowly, my body heavy with the ache of yesterday’s tears. My gaze lingered on the tray, then on him.

He walked closer, setting the tray on my lap. “You have to understand, Olivia. Your sister needed help. Leah apologized already. All I wanted was peace—for everyone. For this family.”

Peace. That word stabbed at me, sharp and hollow.

But I didn’t argue. Not today. What was the use? I simply nodded, lifting the fork and eating in silence. If this was the last time Paulo wanted to play the role of a caring husband, I’d let him. Let him pretend. Let them all pretend.

For the last time.

As I ate, I couldn’t help but remember the days when I used to be sick, years ago. The scent of broth, the creak of my bedroom door, and Paulo’s voice, low and gentle, came back to me as though the years had folded in on themselves.

“Olivia,” he had whispered, sitting on the edge of my bed. His hand was cool against my fevered forehead. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you. Always.”

I had been so young, so desperate for comfort, that I clung to his words like they were gospel. “You promise?” My voice had been hoarse, trembling.

He had smiled, tucking the blanket tighter around me. “I promise. Forever. No matter what happens.”

My brothers had come in then, one carrying a tray of soup, the other waving a storybook like it was some great prize.

“You’re not alone, Olivia,” one of them had said, patting my hand. “We’ll always be here. That’s what family does.”

“Yes,” the other had chimed in. “Even if Leah caused trouble again, don’t worry. We’ll protect you. You’re the good one, the strong one.”

And I had believed them. Every word.

I remembered smiling weakly through my fever, whispering, “Thank you… I’m so lucky.”

Now, sitting at the table years later, the memory curdled inside me. What a fool I had been. Their promises were nothing but lies dressed as love, comfort that rotted into betrayal.

Now I knew better.

“You’ll need strength for tomorrow,” one of my brothers said as he walked in, his eyes scanning the breakfast tray. “The transplant is set. You can’t risk being weak.”

“Yes,” the other added, handing me a folder. “And you also need to sign these.”

My heart stilled. “Sign… what?”

“Documents. Company papers. It won’t take long.”

“Can it not wait?” I asked quietly, my fingers tightening around the fork.

“No,” Paulo said firmly. His tone left no room for negotiation. “What if something happens during surgery? We can’t risk it. Sign them now.”

I hesitated, staring at the stack of papers. Then, slowly, I nodded. My hand shook only slightly as I scrawled my name across line after line.

They smiled—relieved, triumphant. And just like that, they left me alone.

They had what they wanted. But it didn’t matter. I wasn’t giving them my kidney and company. Not tomorrow. Not ever.

The hours stretched endlessly, silence wrapping around me like a shroud. I sat by the window, staring out at the fading sun, when my phone buzzed. My heart leapt at the name flashing on the screen.

Cameron.

I answered with shaking hands. “Hello?”

His voice was steady, calm, like an anchor thrown into a storm. “Olivia. Listen carefully. I’ll pick you up in the middle of the night. Meet me on the rooftop. Do you understand?”

Tears blurred my eyes. “Yes.”

“I won’t let them harm you again,” he continued. “And your mother—she’s safe. I’ve already arranged for her transfer.”

Relief crashed over me, so sharp it nearly knocked the breath out of me. “Thank you,” I whispered. My voice cracked. “Cameron, thank you. In return… tell me to do something. Anything. And I’ll do it.”

There was a pause. Then, his voice, low and sure. “Just marry me and give me an heir.”

My breath caught. My heart thundered in my chest.

I closed my eyes. “I’ll see you tonight,” I whispered. Then I hung up, holding the phone to my chest as though it were my last lifeline.

But when I lifted my gaze, I froze.

Leah stood in the doorway, her hand clutching a bouquet of flowers, a sweet smile painted across her pale face. “Olivia,” she said softly. “I just wanted to thank you. For agreeing to be my donor.”

I clenched my fists. “Stop faking it. What is it you really want, Leah?”

Her smile twisted, turning cruel. A laugh slipped from her lips, delicate and venomous all at once. “What else, sister? I want you gone from our lives. Completely. So how about you just die?”

Her words sliced through me like a blade. But I didn’t flinch. Not anymore.

“Don’t worry,” I said quietly, standing to face her. “You’ll never see me again. So be happy.”

I slid the ring off my finger—the one Paulo had given me, the one that marked me as his wife. I pressed it into her palm, closing her fingers around it.

“Here. Take it. After all, I was never the wife. You are. Be happy as his wife, then.”

Leah’s smile was razor-sharp, cutting through the false sweetness of her words. “So, you weren’t that stupid after all.” She crossed her arms, tilting her head, her eyes gleaming with triumph. “Yes, Olivia. I am the wife. Paulo is mine. He always was. You? You were just the stand-in. Nothing more. So just… be gone, got it? I will never want to see you again.”

Her words sank into me like shards of glass. My chest tightened, my breath trembling out of me. “Why would you do this to me?” My voice cracked. “Are you that jealous of me, Leah?”

Her lips curled, venom dripping from her tone. “Yes. Always. Don’t you get it? You were always the favorite. Father’s perfect daughter. Mother’s pride. The one who could do no wrong. And me? I was the mistake. The scandal. The one they hid behind their smiles.”

Once, we had been inseparable—the four of us. Leah and I shared secrets under the covers, whispered dreams of the future when the world still felt kind. We were a family then, bound by love and hope. But somewhere along the way, envy seeped into Leah’s veins, poisoning everything we had.

What once was sisterhood had turned into a battlefield, and the people I thought I could lean on had become the very hands pushing me down.

Something inside me snapped, the years of pain boiling to the surface. And I laughed. A bitter, broken sound that echoed in the sterile hospital room. “Maybe they favored me,” I spat, “because they saw the truth. That I was pure. And you? You’ve always been rotten. Evil.”

Her eyes widened, her face twisting with rage. With a cry, Leah lunged, her fingers tangling in my hair. She yanked hard, dragging me forward until pain flared across my scalp. I fought back, shoving her shoulders, clawing at her grip. Years of betrayal poured out in that struggle.

“You’ll never take what’s mine!” she hissed.

“You already did! But I don’t care now.” I shouted, shoving her back with all the strength I had. “Take everything because I am done.”

But then, in a flash of cunning, Leah pushed herself backward, crashing into the bedside table. She let out a piercing scream, clutching her arm. “Help! She’s killing me! Paulo!”

The door burst open. Paulo and my two brothers rushed in, faces twisted in fury. Before I could explain, Paulo’s hand struck across my face, the slap ringing through the room. My head snapped to the side, my cheek burning.

“You fucking bitch!” he roared, shoving me against the wall. His eyes blazed with hatred, not love, not even pity. Only disgust.

Leah whimpered, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I told you… she hates me. She hates that she will be donating to me. Maybe I shouldn’t even take her kidney. Maybe it’s better if she just dies hating me.”

I stared in disbelief, the room spinning around me. My two brothers didn’t even glance at me. They didn’t question. They didn’t care.

“Lock her up,” one of them said coldly. “We can’t risk her running away before the operation tomorrow.”

“Yes,” the other agreed. “Let her rot. She’s useless anyway.”

And just like that, they dragged me back into the small hospital room, bolted the door shut, and left me alone with nothing but the shadows.

I sank to the floor, hugging my knees to my chest. My body shook with silent sobs, the sting of Paulo’s slap throbbing against my skin.

All I could do was curl into myself, rocking, whispering broken prayers into the darkness. I was nothing to them. Nothing but a body to carve up, a pawn in their games.

But somewhere deep in me, a spark of defiance still burned. I wasn’t going to let them take everything. Not this time.

Hours passed. The moonlight stretched across the floor, silver and sharp. I must have dozed, because the sound of keys fumbling at the lock startled me awake. My head jerked up.

The door creaked open, and a nurse slipped inside. Her eyes darted nervously to the hallway before meeting mine. “Let’s go. Now.”

“What?” I whispered, my heart leaping.

“There’s no time.” She helped me to my feet. “They’ll kill you after tomorrow. Mr. Cameron can’t let that happen. We have to run.”

Tears blurred my vision. My legs wobbled beneath me as we slipped through the corridor, every step echoing like thunder in my ears. I half-expected Paulo or my brothers to appear, but the halls were silent. Empty.

We climbed the stairwell, two floors, three floors, until we burst onto the rooftop.

The night air hit my face, cool and sharp. And there—waiting in the shadows—was Cameron Evans.

He stood beside a sleek helicopter, the blades whirling, whipping my hair into a frenzy. His tall frame was steady, his gaze locked onto me. For the first time in days, maybe years, I saw something I had lost—safety.

“Olivia,” he called over the roar, his voice cutting through the night. “You’re safe now. Come.”

My throat tightened. My legs moved before I could think, before fear could chain me. I ran to him, the nurse helping me climb aboard.

As the helicopter lifted into the sky, I pulled the SIM card from my phone with trembling fingers. I stared at it one last time, the symbol of years wasted, of betrayal, of chains I no longer wanted. Then I hurled it out into the darkness.

Gone.

I sank back into the seat, the city lights shrinking below us, tears streaming down my cheeks… for the better.