Carlton's hand on the steering wheel paused. “What did you say?”

Flora turned to look at him and realized that his gaze had been fixed on Calista's car ahead.

He hadn't been listening to her at all.

She was sitting right next to him, but it was as if she were invisible.

She opened her mouth to repeat herself, but Carlton's expression suddenly changed. “Calista!”

Calista's car ahead suddenly lost control, swaying left and right on the highway.

Carlton abruptly lowered the window: “Calista! Slow down!”

“The brakes are failing!” Calista leaned out the window, her voice trembling with tears, “Carlton! What should I do!”

As Calista’s red sports car was about to plunge off the riverbank, Carlton suddenly stepped on the gas pedal and jerked the steering wheel sharply to the right—

“Bang!”

The black sedan blocked the red sports car’s path, and the screeching sound of metal colliding echoed along the riverbank.

The immense impact caused both cars to deform, and the airbags deployed instantly, slamming into Flora’s face.

The impact of the airbag caused her to briefly lose consciousness. When she opened her eyes again, the windshield had shattered into a spiderweb pattern, the smell of gasoline filled the cabin, and black smoke began to billow from the front of the car.

“Carlton!” She forced herself to push the man in the driver's seat awake despite her dizziness, “Wake up! The car is going to explode!”

Carlton had blood trickling down his temple, but he immediately looked toward the twisted, deformed red sports car ahead.

“Calista… Calista…”

His voice trembled as he violently kicked open the door and rushed out.

Flora limped after him, each step feeling like walking on a knife’s edge, but she couldn’t stop. Calista’s door was deformed, and Carlton couldn’t open it alone.

“Get out of the way!”

She picked up a stone from the roadside and smashed it against the window. As the glass shattered, Carlton had already leaned inside and unbuckled Calista's seatbelt.

Blood kept flowing from Calista's forehead, staining Carlton's white shirt red.

He carried her toward the ambulance as if she were the most precious treasure in the world.

In the hospital corridor, Carlton's white shirt was splattered with blood.

He stood at the operating room door, his fingers trembling uncontrollably, unable to steady the water the nurse handed him.

Half an hour later, the operating room door burst open.

“The patient has a ruptured kidney and needs an immediate transplant,” the doctor hurried out, “but she’s RH-negative, so finding a kidney donor is difficult…”

“I got the same blood type.” Carlton stood up abruptly, “Use mine.”

Flora stood outside the operating room, watching Carlton sign the donation consent form without hesitation.

“Carlton...” She opened her mouth, but realized she had no right to object.

In his heart, Calista's life was far more important than her concerns.

The doctor continued to persuade: “Mr. Davis, your injuries are also severe; forcing a kidney donation carries significant risks...”

“I'll take full responsibility if anything goes wrong.” Carlton signed the form, his voice calm to the point of being unsettling. “There's one condition: she must be saved.”

He turned to look at Flora, his expression serene as if making final arrangements: “If I die, do three things for me.”

“First, keep it from Calista.”

“Second, tell my parents it was my own decision and has nothing to do with Calista.”

“Third...” He paused, his voice finally showing a hint of emotion, “Tell my brother to treat her well... I wish them happiness.”

With that, he walked into the operating room without looking back.

Flora stood there, tears silently falling to the ground.

Three final words,

They were about Calista,

yet not a single one about her.

The operating room light stayed on for five hours.

Flora stood motionless in the corridor until the doctor opened the door—

“The surgery was successful. Both of them are out of danger.”

The weight on her heart finally lifted, and just as she was about to step forward, everything suddenly went black, and she collapsed heavily.

Before losing consciousness, she heard the nurse exclaim, “Goodness! She has three broken ribs and a bleeding spleen. How did she manage to hold on this long?!”

…

Flora opened her eyes, the blinding white light causing her to squint slightly.

“You’re finally awake!” Calista sat by the bedside, her face still pale but her spirits high. “Flora, why are you so foolish? You’re so badly injured but you didn’t say anything…”

Flora took a moment to compose herself before recalling what had happened before she fainted.

She opened her mouth, her voice hoarse: “Where’s Carlton?”

Calista sighed helplessly: “He went to make soup for me.”

Flora’s heart skipped a beat.

He went to make soup?

The young master of the Davis Family, who had never done any manual labor, had just donated a kidney and then went to make soup?

She could almost picture the scene: Carlton, struggling to stay upright despite his weakness, awkwardly tending to the pot, all to prevent Calista from feeling guilty once she learned the truth.

He didn't want to tell Calista that the kidney was his, so he pretended to be fine, weaving a perfect lie to let her accept the gift without guilt.

How much does he... love her?

Just then, the nurse pushed open the door and said, “Miss Flora, it's time for your checkup.”

“Let me help you,” Calista said, quickly getting up.

“No need,” Flora said, slowly getting up with the help of the bed rail. “Your wound hasn't healed yet...”

“I’m fine!” Calista grabbed her arm without waiting for an answer. “But you? You broke three ribs and you’re still trying to pretend strong?”

Flora couldn’t argue with her and nodded.

The two slowly walked out of the ward. The corridor was bustling with people.

Suddenly, a cart loaded with medical equipment came rushing around the corner, and the surgical instruments on it were about to fall off—

“Watch out!” Flora instinctively pushed Calista out of the way.

“Bang!”

The heavy equipment hit her shoulder, and excruciating pain swept through her body.

She went black in the eyes and fainted again.

…

When she woke up again, there were two more people in the ward.

“Flora!” Calista rushed to the bedside, her red eyes still tearful. “You scared me to death! Do you want some water? Are you hungry? Does the wound hurt?”

Flora shook her head and tried to move her shoulder, but the pain made her gasp.

“I’m fine… as long as you’re okay.”

“You silly girl…” Calista’s tears fell, “We’ve only met a few times, how could you shield me… Do you know you broke another bone…”

“Anyway, two are already broken,” Flora forced a grim smile, “Might as well heal them together.”

Calista cried even harder.

“Stop crying.” Carlton suddenly handed her a handkerchief, gently wiping Calista’s tear-stained cheeks with his fingertips, “If you keep crying, your eyes will swell tomorrow.”

He turned to Flora: “I’ll make it up to you with a gift.”

“A gift isn’t enough!” Calista wiped her tears, “From now on, Flora is my sister. I’ll agree to anything she asks!”

Flora smiled but didn't say anything.

In the days that followed, Calista and Carlton took turns caring for her.

But Flora knew that while Carlton was there to accompany her, his attention was entirely on Calista.

When Calista's hand was scalded by hot water, he rushed over to hold her hand and blew on it carefully;

When Calista said she wanted fruit, he went out to buy it without hesitation, even peeling it for her;

When Calista coughed lightly, he hurriedly poured water and fetched medicine, fearing she might feel the slightest discomfort.

Flora lay quietly in the hospital bed, watching all this unfold.

In the middle of the night, Flora was awakened by pain in her ribs.

She opened her eyes slightly and saw Calista carefully covering Carlton, who was sleeping on the sofa with a blanket.

Moonlight filtered through the curtains, falling on Calista’s gentle profile.

She stared at Carlton for a long time, then slowly leaned down and gently kissed his lips.

Flora’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly closed her eyes.

She hadn’t been wrong after all.

Calista really did like Carlton!

Her heart raced wildly in her chest, finally calming down after a long time.

With her eyes closed, Flora finally made up her mind.

The next morning, sunlight streamed into the hospital room. When Flora woke up, Carlton was by the window making a phone call.

“You said the jewelry Calista has her eye on is being auctioned at Paris?” His voice was low. “Alright, arrange a private jet. I’ll go there today.”

After hanging up, he turned and saw that Flora had woken up, clearly startled.

After a moment, he belatedly explained, “Calista’s birthday is coming up, and I need to go abroad to buy her a gift. I’ll have the nurse take care of you for the next few days. You…”

“I understand,” Flora interrupted him calmly. “Go ahead.”

Carlton picked up his coat and was about to leave when Flora suddenly called out to him, “Carlton.”

He paused and turned to look at her.

“No matter what, I hope you can be happy,” she said softly, her voice hoarse. “Just like that afternoon, because of your presence, I was happy for a moment.”

Carlton furrowed his brow: “Which afternoon?”

Flora froze.

It turned out he didn't remember at all.

Her deeply etched redemption was nothing more than a casual gesture to him, forgotten the moment he turned away.

She smiled, but tears fell uncontrollably: “Never mind, go ahead, be careful.”

Carlton looked at her in confusion, but eventually turned and left.

As the hospital room door closed, Flora picked up her phone: “Aunt Jane, please bring my luggage to the hospital, and... the black safe in Carlton's study, bring that too.”

Half an hour later, Calista pushed open the door and saw Flora making the bed. She froze in her tracks.

“Flora?” She hurried over. “Why did you get out of bed? The doctor said your ribs haven't healed yet and you shouldn't move around!”

Flora looked up and smiled at her. “It's okay, I'm feeling much better.”

Calista tried to persuade her further, but her expression changed when she noticed the open suitcase by the bed.

Her gaze shifted between the suitcase and Flora, her voice trembling: “What are you doing…”

“I’m going back home,” Flora said calmly. “I have a flight today.”

“Going back home?” Calista’s eyes widened, and she instinctively grabbed her wrist. “What about Carlton?” You two..."

“We broke up.”

“Why?” Calista's voice suddenly rose, then she realized something and lowered it again. “Is it because... because of yesterday...”

“Yes, yesterday I saw you kiss him.” Flora looked up at her. “Calista, you've always liked him, haven't you?”

Calista's face turned pale instantly.

“No, Flora, you're misunderstanding. I just...”

“I want to break up with him not just because of that.” Flora interrupted her, turning to retrieve a brown paper bag from the bedside table. “I've kept this decision in mind for a long time. Calista, I think you should take a look at this.”

Calista took it with confusion, opening it to find a thick stack of photos, which was full all of her.

There was a side view of her watering flowers in the garden, a moment of her smiling at a banquet, and even just her back as she stood by the window daydreaming. Each photo was perfectly preserved with neat edges and not a single crease.

Below the photos was a stack of love letters.

Calista flipped open the top one, and the familiar handwriting caught her eye.

They were all written by Carlton?!

The words on the letterhead were written with such passion, filled with the love a young man dared not speak aloud!

Calista’s hand trembled violently, and tears fell onto the letterhead.

She looked up in disbelief: “This…”

“Yes, he liked you,” Flora said softly. “From the very beginning, he’s always like you.”

“I… I didn’t know…” Calista's tears fell heavily onto the letter paper, “All these years, I also...”

Flora saw shock and realization flash in her eyes, followed by uncontrollable joy. Her heart felt as though it had been tightly gripped by an invisible hand. She squeezed her palm hard to keep her voice steady.

"You don't know he likes you, and he doesn't know you like him. Now that we've talked it out, it's fine."

She paused, looking at Calista's red eyes: "Calista, you said you treat me as a sister and can agree to anything I ask."

"Then I hope you and Carlton have a good talk."

"Be with him or not, it's your own choice."

"But at least..." She smiled slightly, "Let each other know your feelings."

Calista's tears finally burst, she clutched the letters tightly, her voice choked: "Thank you..."

Flora came forward and hugged her gently, whispering in her ear: "Okay, my plane is about to take off, I have to go first."

She let go and picked up the suitcase.

When she reached the door, Calista suddenly called her: "Flora!"

Flora turned around.

"You..." Calista's voice trembled, "Will you come back after you go back to your hometown? Can we... meet again?"

Flora stood at the door, the sun shone in from behind her, casting a long shadow on the floor.

"Never." She smiled gently, "Calista, a qualified ex should disappear completely."

The sunlight in the corridor was dazzling. Flora raised her hand to cover her eyes. She felt tears all over her face, but she laughed.

When she arrived at the airport, the airport broadcast just happened to sound.

Flora handed her boarding pass to the staff. She took a last look at her phone. The screen saver was still the side face of Carlton that she secretly photographed on his birthday last year.

She gently swiped across the screen, and her fingertips stayed on the "delete" key for a second.

There was a light "ding" sound.

The photo that she had treasured for a long time, along with the number stored in the address book for seven years, and all the preferences recorded in the memo, disappeared in an instant.

Just like her seven years of love, at this moment, the ‘end’ key was completely pressed...