On the day of my birthday, my adopted sister, Juliette Griffin, and I get into a car accident.

The flames are already licking me hungrily, and yet my fiance, Leon Sinclair, points at the front passenger seat.

"Save Juliette first! She has a heart disease!"

When I wake up, I'm completely disfigured. At most, I only have one month left to live.

Later on, my family decides that Juliette will marry Leon on my behalf for the sake of our families' interests.

Leon caresses my bandaged face with heartbreak in his eyes. He then vows to me, "Once you get better, the position of Mrs. Sinclair is still yours."

I just smile and say okay. I even give all of my shares, properties, and my unpublished artwork to Juliette as her pre-wedding gifts.

Just like that, Juliette becomes a famous artist by publishing my artwork.

When the reporters interview Mom, she's so happy that she bursts into tears.

"I'm so glad that Juliette isn't the one who got badly hurt in the accident! Otherwise, we'd have lost a genius!"

Leon also announces in a high-profile manner that Juliette will be his one and only wife.

But what they don't know is that the actual genius is gazing at them coldly from a corner.

The things that I've voluntarily given away from the start are actually offerings meant for my vengeance.

When I regained consciousness, several doctors were gathered around my bed. They looked at me with grim expressions.

"Ms. Griffin, your lungs are severely burned. You have at most one month left to live," one of the doctors said.

I glanced around the empty hospital room and asked quietly, "Does my family know?"

The doctor was silent for a moment. "They're in another patient's room."

The room fell quiet. I nodded and didn't ask anything further.

After a while, I said, "Keep this a secret for me."

After the doctors left, I called to arrange a death care service for a month later. The moment I hung up, Leon Sinclair pushed the door open and entered.

"Are you awake? How are you feeling?" he asked.

I hummed in response.

"Madison, the wedding date is coming up soon," Leon said. "As you know, the Sinclair family is about to choose an heir, and the condition is that the heir must be married.

"But in your current condition… you're not fit to be my wife. For the sake of both families, we've decided to let Juliette marry me in your place."

"We?" I asked.

"Yeah, your parents and Marcus all agreed," Leon answered.

I turned my head. Only then did I notice that my parents and my older brother, Marcus Griffin, were standing in the doorway, peering in.

I turned back and said coldly, "But the reason I ended up like this was because of you—"

Before I could finish, Leon gripped my hand. "Madison, don't blame me. Juliette has a heart condition. I remember the last time she rode just a roller coaster and ended up in the emergency room.

"This time, it was a car accident. If I hadn't saved her, she would have certainly died. You may have been burned, but at least you survived."

He was right—I had survived. But I only had at most one month left.

I turned away. "Fine. I understand. Just do what you guys say."

Leon sighed in relief and motioned for my family, who were waiting outside, to come in.

Mom looked at Dad with a smug expression. "You said Madison would never agree, but she's changed. She's not as cold-hearted as she used to be."

Marcus laughed. "Don't worry. Juliette is easygoing. She won't mind even if you become Leo's mistress."

Leon growled in a low voice, "Stop talking nonsense! Once Madison gets better, everything will go back to the way it was."

The voices around me blurred together as I buried myself under the covers, exhausted.

For someone with only a month left to live, many things no longer mattered, including my family and my fiance. If Juliette Griffin liked them, I could give them all to her. I couldn't take them with me anyway.

I organized all my assets and named Juliette as the recipient, planning to hand them over someday.

After some time, I was discharged from the hospital. Leon came to pick me up.

Juliette was sitting in the passenger seat, so I took the chance to hand her the transfer documents. The moment she read through them, her eyes went wide. "What? Ten million dollars? Where did you get this much money? A-And you're giving it all to me!"

The money had come from secretly selling my paintings, but now, it was nothing more than worthless paper to me.

I didn't explain, only letting out a small laugh. "Consider it a wedding gift for you."

When Leon heard my words, he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "That's only—"

Juliette cut him off, "That's wonderful! Madison, thank you!"

Juliette clutched the documents happily throughout the drive, while Leon remained silent.

After the car stopped, I realized we weren't home but at a bridal shop. Today was the day they came to pick out Juliette's custom wedding dress.

Juliette said cheerfully, "Don't worry, Madison. We won't be long."

"Don't worry about me. Take all the time you need," I replied.

After I finished speaking, I wheeled myself into the store. Leon frowned and gave me a complicated look.

Inside the shop, while Juliette was in the fitting room, Leon couldn't help but ask, "Madison, are you doing this to spite me? I told you many times that the title of Mrs. Sinclair will still be yours once you recover. You—"

I interrupted him, "You're overthinking. I'm just a little tired."

Just as Leon was about to say more, Juliette complained to him, "Leo, I've tried on so many, but I still haven't found anything I like."

When I heard her words, I waved the manager over and asked him to bring out the wedding gown I had customized.

As soon as Juliette saw it, her eyes lit up. "I love this one."

"It's yours," I said softly.

Leon scowled. "No. You spent a month designing that."

He was right. I had handpicked every bead and every inch of fabric on that gown myself. Unfortunately, I would never get to wear it.

Juliette seized the moment and put on a wounded expression. "I'm only marrying Leon in your place. How could I wear your custom dress?"

I patted her hand. "It suits you better than me now. Finding something you like isn't easy. You should cherish it."

Even after everything I said, Juliette kept up the act. "I'll make sure to clean it and return it to you after I wear it next Friday."

I glanced at the calendar. Next Friday happened to be the last day of my life.

What a coincidence. I hoped I could hold on until then and witness everything before I closed my eyes.

I no longer exposed Juliette's acts like I used to. No one would believe me anyway. They would only accuse me of being too jealous and of lying.

But soon enough, everyone would see who she truly was. They would begin to think back on my existence and my suffering. In the quiet of the night, they would regret everything they had done to me. By then, I would already be gone.

That was my plan for revenge.

Back home, Juliette could no longer hide her true colors. She barged into my room and kicked over my wheelchair. "What tricks are you up to now?"

I dropped to my knees from the impact, enduring the sharp pain as I pushed myself up against the wall. "In my condition, any trick would be pointless."

Juliette sized me up from head to toe and let out a cold snort. She stepped toward me. "So, you've admitted defeat?"

I gave a bitter smile. "Yeah, I lost—completely lost."

Silence filled the air.

Juliette frowned at me as if I were a stranger. "I don't believe you—not unless you give me those paintings."

Growing up, Juliette had always envied the attention my paintings brought me, so she kept imitating my work. Yet, she had no talent, so even when she imitated me, she only managed to copy the surface.

Still, she didn't give up. She began stealing my paintings outright and putting her own name on them. Because of her relentless behavior, I had spent years without picking up a brush. My family had long assumed I had given up on art.

Juliette asked, "What's the matter? Can't bear to part with them? I knew it—"

I interrupted her, "Fine. I'll give them to you."

Juliette stared at me in disbelief. It wasn't until the paintings were actually laid out before her that she believed it. She laughed so hard that her face was nearly twisted.

Juliette grabbed my hair and spoke slowly, "You idiot. Without these paintings, it wouldn't matter even if you recovered!"

She sneered. "Are you still thinking that everything will go back to the way it was? I've worked so hard to become the CEO's wife. I'm not giving that up so easily!

"Don't worry. I'll sleep with your man on the wedding day and get pregnant with his child, making you lose every last bit of hope."

Just then, Mom called us to dinner from downstairs. Juliette immediately let go of my hair and resumed her gentle demeanor.

At the dining table, she took out one of the paintings that I had just given her. Mom and Dad were so shocked that they dropped their utensils. "Juliette, when did you become so talented?"

Marcus became excited as well. "I bet this piece will sell for a high price."

That night, Marcus listed the painting on an auction site. Soon, a well-known collector bought it for a large sum.

The next morning, Juliette's name appeared all over major forums.

I watched them reveling, feeling nothing at all. I only had a few days left before my heart stopped beating. I wondered if their smiles would vanish along with it.

…

Juliette's sudden rise caused a huge stir. Over the next few days, reporters constantly surrounded our front door. They all wanted to interview the "genius artist" who had appeared out of nowhere.

Mom wept with joy in front of the cameras. "Thank goodness it wasn't Juliette who got hurt! Otherwise, our family would have lost a true genius!"

In front of everyone, she gave Juliette the precious necklace that Grandma had left behind. That necklace was originally meant for me.

My eyes dimmed. Suddenly, the reporters began asking about the inspiration behind the painting.

Juliette thought for a moment, then blushed and said, "The inspiration came from my fiance."

The reporters instantly lit up. "May we ask who your fiance is? Is he also in the art world?"

Juliette hesitated, but Dad grabbed the microphone and announced proudly, "Her fiance is the successor to Sinclair Group—Leon Sinclair!"

This interview sparked heated discussions. Labels like "high-society wife" and "genius artist" quickly captured everyone's attention. Leon's father, Joseph Sinclair, even appeared in person to confirm Juliette's status as the Sinclair family's future daughter-in-law.

Juliette had finally gotten what she wanted. She looked at me arrogantly. "Madison, you've gone too far this time, haven't you? Now, there really is no way back for you."

I chuckled softly. "I never thought about going back. I genuinely wish you happiness."

Juliette shouted, "You—"

She raised her hand as if to hit me, but then she saw Leon appear at the doorway.

"Leo, why are you here?" she asked.

She stepped forward to take Leon's arm, but he gently avoided her. He ruffled her hair and said softly, "Give us a moment. I need to talk to Madison."

Juliette left reluctantly. On her way out, she secretly glared at me. I gave her a smile in return.

Leon gripped my hand. "Madison, don't misunderstand. It's not what you think. I was going to stay quiet, but Dad wouldn't have it. He believes that Juliette can bring a lot of attention to the company, so—"

I pulled my hand back and took a step away. "You don't need to explain. It's a fact that Juliette is marrying you. You did nothing wrong. Besides, I already know."

He frowned. "Know what?"

I replied, "The jasmine perfume that never seems to fade from your clothes, the lipstick left in your car from time to time, and the way you instinctively size her up whenever you're with me—I know all of it."

"Enough!" Leon yelled.

His face burned with anger and embarrassment, and I had no desire to continue the conversation. In the end, he left with a dark expression.

My expression remained unchanged as I turned around and started painting. Ever since Juliette became famous with that painting, she had been threatening me, demanding a new piece every three days. If I refused, she would take away my medication and make sure I never recovered.

What she didn't know was that I didn't need the medicine at all. Still, I agreed. After all, I only needed to paint two more pieces before I died.

Those two paintings wouldn't last her a lifetime. I looked forward to seeing what would happen to her after I passed away.

…

One day, Marcus opened the door and caught me painting.

He scoffed. "You really love to imitate others. You painted for over ten years, then abandoned it without a second thought. Now that Juliette is famous, you've picked up the brush again. It's absolutely ridiculous.

"You'd better give up. You'll never catch up to Juliette in this lifetime."

I paused mid-stroke, and the light in my eyes gradually faded.

I thought back to when our family first took Juliette in. At that time, Marcus stood in front of me and warned her, "If you dare to bully my sister, I'll send you straight back to the orphanage."

But as Juliette grew up, everything changed. Although I outperformed her in every way, nothing could overcome her heart condition.

Even when she came in last place in a competition, she would clutch her chest and cry to Mom and Dad, claiming it was an attack at a critical moment that caused her failure.

She often fainted. Each time she woke, she would look at everyone with red-rimmed eyes and say, "Dad, Mom, Marcus, I don't want to die. I don't want to leave you guys."

The whole family was heartbroken over this. They slowly began to ignore me, focusing all their attention on protecting her. She then seized the opportunity to frame me, effortlessly tarnishing my image in their eyes.

After Marcus left, I sat in the studio in a daze for a long time. Then, I made a call. "Are there results from the car accident investigation?"

The detective remained silent for a moment, his voice heavy when he finally spoke, "Ms. Griffin, the crash wasn't an accident.

"Our analysis showed that the rear door had been tampered with and was completely jammed. According to the surveillance footage, the vehicle that hit you deliberately adjusted its angle so the impact struck your door.

"Once the car flipped, the driver could escape easily. Although the passenger seat was pinned, it was under much less pressure than yours, and the passenger there was easier to rescue. Ms. Griffin, this was a planned murder. Do you have a suspect in mind?"

I clenched my fists so tightly that my knuckles went white. I recalled that after the birthday party ended, Juliette had claimed she was carsick and wanted the passenger seat.

So that was why she said that.

I didn't answer the detective's question. I simply told him to organize the documents and send them to my email.

Later on, my family started getting busy, juggling the wedding and Juliette's award ceremony.

Their smiles grew more frequent, while my body gradually weakened. By the night before the wedding, I couldn't even eat.

On that evening, Mom casually said, "Madison, you should skip Juliette's wedding banquet. You have difficulty moving, and we won't be able to take care of you once things get busy."

Dad chimed in, "I happened to find a famous doctor from overseas for you. Go see him tomorrow."

Just as I was about to speak, Juliette slammed the table. "Dad, Mom, stop talking nonsense! Madison is my sister. How could she miss my wedding—"

I smiled at her. "Of course I'm going. My little sister is getting married. There's no way I'd miss that."

Mom shot me a displeased look, but I ignored her. I continued, "Don't worry. I'll stay in a corner the whole time. I won't cause any trouble for you."

Marcus let out a cold snort. "You'd better be. If you try any more tricks, I won't let you off easily."

…

The next day, I waited downstairs very early.

Juliette smiled mockingly. "You're so eager. Anyone who didn't know better would think you're the one getting married."

I chuckled. "Since I have to wrap so many layers of bandages on my wounds, I have no choice but to start getting ready early."

When she heard my words, the smugness in her eyes deepened. She came down the stairs and clipped a name tag onto my chest to mark my identity.

When the housekeeper wheeled me into the banquet hall, everyone's eyes turned to me.

"So, Juliette has an older sister. Why haven't I ever heard her mother mention this?"

"Isn't it obvious? It's definitely because the gap between them is too wide."

Some guests who knew about my relationship with Leon sighed repeatedly and looked at me with immense pity. I avoided it all and stayed in the corner as promised.

Suddenly, Leon walked toward me, swirling his wine glass. "You were the one who insisted on coming, so why can't you handle people gossiping about you now?"

I let out an irritated laugh and didn't bother explaining to him. I picked up my champagne and clinked it against his glass. "Happy wedding, Leon."

Leon grew angry and knocked over my drink. "How long are you going to keep being so sarcastic? I've told you so many times that I'll marry you. Why won't you believe me?"

His chest heaved as if he were the one who had been wronged. "If you keep this up, I might just turn this fake marriage into something real!"

At that moment, Juliette stepped forward and held his arm tightly. "Darling, the ceremony is about to start."

Hearing that endearment, I felt nothing. I sat in the corner of the banquet hall and watched as the man who had once made me countless promises now pledged himself to the woman who had taken everything from me.

"Juliette, I'll love you forever," Leon said.

Juliette kissed him back and said, "Me, too."

Mom was sobbing uncontrollably below the stage. "If only Juliette were my own flesh and blood."

Marcus wiped her tears, his own eyes turning red. "Mom, what are you talking about? Juliette is your daughter and my sister. She's the pride of all of us."

Pride?

I let out a soft laugh and turned to leave without a word.

Just then, Juliette called out to me in front of the crowd, "Madison, aren't you going to say something?"

I pressed the brakes on my wheelchair and slowly turned to face the nearly perfect couple before me. I spoke each word deliberately, "I hope you two can stay happy forever."

A strange silence fell over the room, perhaps because my blessing was too stiff or because my appearance was too "unique".

In any case, Mom and Dad were very unhappy. After the crowd left, they turned on me. "Can't you even say a proper blessing? What else can you do besides embarrass us?"

Marcus snorted and shoved me. "Juliette is too kind to even let a buzzkill like you attend the wedding."

I stumbled and fell to the ground.

Marcus froze for a moment and reached out instinctively, but he couldn't bring himself to help me up and only straightened my wheelchair. I used all my strength to slowly crawl back into the wheelchair, bit by bit.

What was there to say? In their eyes, I was inferior to Juliette in every way. Even my well-wishes were wrong.

I left in silence, pushing the damaged wheelchair with what little strength I had left. When I looked up, Leon was standing not far away. We met each other's gaze for a second, then he turned and walked away with his wine glass as if he had never witnessed the scene.

In that moment, the last of my inner strength vanished. I moved slowly through the streets like a ghost. When I looked up, countless drones slowly formed Juliette's name in the sky.

It was ironic. That idea had originally come from me. I never expected it to be used for Juliette in the end.

At that moment, my phone rang.

Juliette's mocking voice came through the phone, "Couldn't take it anymore and ran off already? I wasn't even done with my performance yet.

"But there's no rush. After the wedding, there's still an award ceremony. Another show is waiting. Madison Griffin, you'll never be able to appear in the same place as Leon for the rest of your life."

My phone dropped to the ground with a thud, but I didn't have the strength to pick it up.

Juliette's voice on the other end grew impatient. "Are you there? Why aren't you saying anything? Damn it! If you don't respond, I won't even find you a doctor anymore! Everyone in the family listens to me now!"

After a moment of silence, she hung up in frustration.

Just then, the door was gently pushed open. A man in a black suit helped me up. "Ms. Griffin, are you the one who scheduled the death care service?"

I nodded and pointed weakly at a cardboard box nearby. "After I pass away, please play everything in this box at my funeral."

After I finished speaking, my hand dropped to my side.

I heard the man sigh beside me. "Ms. Griffin, you've been through a lot in this life. Leave the rest to me."