"I know you're upset, but Celeste is waiting for me at the hospital. What's the point of this drama?"

Only then did I realize what had happened.

The witch's life potion I'd injected would make me appear completely healthy for 72 hours.

It seemed the potion was indeed effective.

I used the sofa to help myself stand. "Probably just low blood sugar. I'm fine. I'll go to the hospital with you."

"There are some things that need Celeste's personal signature."

Marcus nodded, without a trace of guilt on his face.

At the hospital, Celeste was propped up in bed, looking at the latest tablet computer.

"Sister, are you really willing to give me the entire studio?" Her tone was mocking, full of showing off.

Celeste's complexion was still somewhat pale, but she looked energetic.

"Sister, thank you for giving me the studio. I'll manage it well and won't disappoint you."

"That's right, Aria. You can just stay home and enjoy yourself, waiting for the dividends. How wonderful."

Mom chimed in with a smile.

I pulled another document from my bag. "Since that's the case, I'll transfer my ancestral estate to Celeste as well."

"From now on, let her handle all these matters."

"Aria, have you lost your mind? Do you know what that ancestral estate means?"

Marcus was the first to grab my arm, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Now it was my turn to feel confused.

In the past, hadn't they always sided with Celeste?

Whatever Celeste wanted, they would find ways to take from me.

If I refused, I'd face endless accusations and harsh words.

So why, now that I was voluntarily giving everything away, did they think I was being unreasonable?

Dad snapped back to reality and looked quite pleased. He patted my shoulder firmly. "That's right. This is how family should be."

On the hospital bed, a flash of panic crossed Celeste's eyes, quickly replaced by triumph.

She struggled to get out of bed, but Mom quickly pressed her back down.

"Don't move. Rest properly."

Celeste leaned into Mom's embrace, looking at me with feigned weakness.

"Sister, thank you."

She paused, lowering her voice so only we could hear.

"Marcus will be mine too, from now on."

I looked at that innocent, harmless face and suddenly found it amusing.

"Are you comfortable using my things?"

Celeste's face instantly turned deathly pale.

She clutched her chest, gasping for air. Tears came instantly.

"Sister... I didn't mean it that way... why would you say such things..."

Mom immediately shielded Celeste behind her, glaring at me furiously.

"Aria! What's gotten into you now! What did Celeste say wrong?"

Dad joined in the accusations. "We thought you'd finally grown up, but you're still this selfish. Stop upsetting Celeste!"

Marcus strode forward and yanked me away.

"What exactly do you want? Won't you be satisfied until you drive Celeste to her death?"

The disappointment and disgust in his eyes pierced through me like a needle, numbing my heart.

I watched as the three of them surrounded Celeste, gently comforting her.

And I stood there like an outsider.

No, I was a dead person about to exit the stage.

Dad, Mom, you've been deceived by Celeste's innocent face for so many years.

Do you really believe she's really dying?

My throat felt terrible. I suddenly turned around and started coughing violently. The tissue in my hand was instantly stained with specks of blood.

"Aria, what's wrong? Do you have a cold?" Mom asked with a frown.

I gripped the bloody tissue tightly. In the end, I couldn't help but look at them.

"Dad, Mom, if I died from illness one day, would you be sad for me?"

But Mom's expression didn't change at all. She just looked at me impatiently.

"Child, you're perfectly healthy. Why are you saying such unlucky things?"

Dad nodded, looking at Celeste with worry. "It's Celeste who needs proper care before and after surgery. We can't be careless about anything!"

"Exactly!" Mom immediately chimed in. "Aria is just under too much stress lately. Celeste is the one who's sick and needs our concern!"

The last ember of hope in my heart was completely extinguished.

When we were children, the whole family went to the lake. Despite our warnings, Celeste insisted on swimming in the deep water.

She quickly got a cramp and struggled in the water, calling for help.

I jumped in and used all my strength to drag her to shore.

When Mom and Dad arrived, they only saw Celeste's pale face after choking on water.

Mom held Celeste and scolded me harshly for the first time in her life.

"Aria, you're the older sister. Why didn't you watch your little sister properly!"

Dad also said I was jealous of Celeste and had deliberately harmed her.

From that day on, they decided Celeste was physically weak, and it was all my fault.

They felt they hadn't protected Celeste well enough, so they had to compensate her doubly.

I became their way to avoid responsibility.

So now, when Celeste wanted my kidney, they thought it was perfectly justified.

It was what I owed her.

There was nothing left in this world worth staying for.

I seemed to see Rusty running happily to my feet.

I unfastened the collar around his neck and said, "Don't you love freedom? Let's go."

I stood up and headed toward the hospital room door.

I turned back for one last look.

They were all gathered around Celeste, caring for her. Not one person looked back at me.

I quietly closed the door and left that suffocating place.

One day left until my death. I was homeless now.

My whole life, I'd lived for others, never truly stopping to live for myself.

Before my body completely gave out, I dialed a number.

Then the world plunged into darkness.

When I regained consciousness, I was in the healing center's emergency room.

I moved my eyes to look at the clock on the wall.

Only 6 hours remained until the end of my life.

Sitting beside me was Ethan Blackthorne, his eyes red from crying.

He was the Alpha of the powerful Central pack.

Years ago, he had been my business partner who supported me in setting up my own healing studio, and the only one who strongly opposed my relationship with Marcus.

He said Marcus and my family didn't treasure me—they were all just using me.

I had a huge fight with him over this and cut off contact.

I knew I shouldn't be bothering him now.

But looking at the entire world, besides him, I couldn't think of anyone else to entrust my final affairs to.

"What the hell happened to you? Didn't you say your studio was expanding, that your future was bright?"

"Didn't you say your family was perfect, that you were about to get married? How did you end up like this! Why are the doctors saying you're dying?"

Ethan's voice was hoarse as he fought back tears. I wore an oxygen mask, looking at him weakly.

We had once made a pact—if I ever couldn't hold on anymore, he would help me clean up all my business messes.

I couldn't speak, so I struggled to lift my hand and pointed to my purse.

Ethan immediately pulled out the transfer agreements from my bag.

He quickly scanned them, his eyes turning bloodshot, but he calmly put the documents away.

Good. The understanding between us was still there.

Only 3 hours left until my death.

I refused all life-saving measures.

After another brief bout of unconsciousness, I woke to see Ethan holding his phone in front of me.

It was Celeste's social media post—her latest update was nine photos.

The center one was a family portrait of her, Mom, Dad, and Marcus.

The caption read: "Thank you, sister, for making this possible. From now on, I'm the family's true princess."

Looking at the photos, Ethan—this Alpha who was known as decisive and ruthless—trembled with rage.

In my heart, only bitter mockery remained.

In my entire life, I had never made a decision I regretted, except for the day Mom and Dad brought me back from the countryside, when I chose to believe in their version of "family love."

I was found in a remote small town.

That day, Mom and Dad came to pick me up in a luxury car, telling me I was the real daughter of the Blackwood pack.

Celeste was the child who had been switched at birth in the hospital.

I followed them home to that magnificent house with pure joy.

The moment the door opened, I saw them instinctively shield Celeste behind them.

The embarrassment, guilt, and protectiveness toward Celeste in their eyes—I still remember it all.

I blame myself for being so desperate for family love back then.

I never realized that from the moment I stepped through that door, I was destined to be an outsider.

Celeste's greatest skill was slowly eating away at everything that should have been mine under our parents' favoritism.

I closed my eyes, and flashes of the first time Celeste took something from me played in my mind.

It was the only keepsake my grandmother had left me—a star and moon necklace.

When Celeste saw it, she cried to Mom and Dad that she wanted it too.

They made me take it off and personally put it around her neck.

From that day on, everything I owned became something Celeste could take whenever she wanted.

Everything our parents had prepared for me became hers instead.

My room became hers.

My parents became hers.

Everything of mine became something she felt entitled to take.

I once confronted Celeste, asking why she did this.

She just smiled and answered:

"Sister, do you think I should be grateful to you? I won't let you steal my life."

"I'm going to take over everything that belongs to you, including Mom and Dad's love, and your fiancé too."

"I love seeing you have everything yet have nothing at all!"

...

I once thought I could prove my worth through my talent and hard work.

I once thought Marcus's love could be my salvation.

I was too naive.

I underestimated twenty years of raising bonds, and overestimated the fragile ties of blood relation.

I lost completely.

But I prepared one final gift for them all.

Before injecting the life potion, I had carefully organized everything—all my medical records, the diagnosis proving my silver poisoning, the timeline of Celeste's deception, and evidence of her stolen credit.

I sealed it all in envelopes and sent them to my parents and Marcus.

Soon, they would know the complete truth, even though it was a truth I had to purchase with my life.

Only 9 minutes left until my death.

My consciousness began to fade, and my vision gradually blurred.

But I could still make out the message Mom had just sent to Ethan's phone:

"Aria, Celeste has some new ideas for the ancestral estate's renovation plans. When you have time, talk to the designer about it."

"Also, Celeste is moving in next week. Remember to clear out your personal belongings quickly. Don't take up space."

Until the last moment of my life, all Mom could think about was Celeste.

So in her heart, I really was just an object that could be discarded at any time.

Fine then...

Ethan seemed to be crying and shouting something in my ear, but I couldn't hear anything anymore.

After fighting for so many years, I was truly exhausted.

Finally, I could get a good night's sleep...

May 20th, Aria Blackwood died at Central City Hospital, age 27.