Before I could leave the pharmacy, the infection from my wound caused me to faint, collapsing right there on the ground.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself lying in a hospital ward. A nurse was quietly changing my dressing, seemingly unaware that I had woken up. She chatted openly with her colleague, their conversation floating through the room without restraint.

"Did you hear about the boy staying downstairs? He’s apparently the grandson of the Kramer family! He’s in critical condition, and Mr. Kramer is beside himself with worry. He even called in a team of international experts overnight to consult on the case!"

"How could such a young child get injured so badly? Could it be some sort of malicious revenge tied to business competition?"

"Who knows? Mr. Kramer’s wife passed away years ago, and this boy is his only child. He treats him like everything he does. Whoever dared to harm him must have a death wish! The boy’s condition is still precarious."

"The bodyguards stationed outside his ward don’t look like your typical security detail..."

"Shh, stop talking. We don’t want to get into trouble. Those bodyguards are probably mercenaries, not amateurs."

Once they finished changing the dressing, the nurses left the room, but their words sent a chill through me.

The Kramer family was far more complex and dangerous than I had imagined.

Julia’s fate was sealed.

Without wasting another moment, I hurriedly made arrangements to discharge myself from the hospital. But as I stepped into the hallway, I ran into Mr. Kramer’s assistant. His face was etched with worry as he hurriedly questioned passersby about their blood types.

"The boy’s wound is badly infected, and he’s losing blood fast," he explained. "The hospital’s blood bank doesn’t have enough in stock."

For a moment, I hesitated, then gritted my teeth and stepped forward.

“I can help,” I said.

This was my attempt to atone for Julia’s sins.

The situation was urgent, so the hospital fast-tracked my paperwork. There was no time for formalities or even a receipt for the blood transfusion. They whisked me into the procedure room immediately.

After the transfusion, I overheard that the boy’s condition had stabilized. Relieved, I quietly removed the IV needle and slipped out of the hospital without leaving any personal information.

Once I was discharged, I rented a small, inexpensive apartment on the outskirts of the city. My meager salary only allowed for a run-down unit, conveniently located near the very construction site where the accident had occurred.

From my window, I could see that the site had been shut down. Warning fences surrounded the area, and workers were being interrogated. Standing in the center of it all was Albert Kramer himself.

Terrified of being spotted, I stayed holed up in my apartment, refusing to set foot outside.

Julia, however, was the complete opposite.

Every day, she loitered around the hospital, hoping to cross paths with Albert and convince him that she had been the selfless donor who saved his son.

For three days, no one paid her any attention. Growing desperate, she took matters into her own hands and visited the ward under the pretense of checking on the boy’s condition.

Her actions immediately caught the attention of Albert’s team. The assistant recognized her, and when the boy mentioned an “older sister” who had been kind to him during the ordeal, they assumed it was Julia.

Grateful, the assistant promised that Albert would personally visit Julia once his son was discharged.

Julia had anticipated this moment. She had someone secretly record the encounter and post the footage online.

By the next day, news of “Julia’s heroic act to save Mr. Kramer’s only son” had spread like wildfire.

She transformed overnight from nobody into an internet sensation.

People desperate to connect with the Kramer family swarmed our house, showering her with praise and gratitude. They claimed that she hadn’t just saved a boy’s life—she had saved an entire family.

Julia was hailed as the “most beautiful soul in the nation,” and silk banners honoring her supposed bravery flooded into our home.

Amid the frenzy, Julia released a video statement, full of righteous declarations.

"I didn’t save him expecting anything in return," she said. "Even if it were a child from an ordinary family, I would have done the same. How could anyone stand by in a moment like that?"

Her words solidified her image as a kind-hearted heroine, and the internet erupted with praise.

Meanwhile, I was in a state of panic.

Fearing the storm Julia’s lies would bring, I moved my name out of the family household registry that very night.

When I returned to pack my belongings, I found my parents basking in their newfound glory. Their pride was so palpable that they practically floated with every step.

The two of them held up their phones, scrolling through the messages online, laughing endlessly. It was as if they could already see themselves being hailed as the benefactors of the Kramer family.

I stayed quiet, ignoring their smugness, and focused on heading back to my room to pack my luggage.

My mother sneered at me and said with disdain, "You really don’t know how to enjoy life, do you? You’re just destined for a life of hard work. A money-loser through and through!"

My father sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "If only you were half as capable as your sister, I wouldn’t still be breaking my back hauling bricks at the construction site!"

Julia strutted over with her phone, waving the screen in front of me like a trophy. "You’re so clueless, aren’t you? Mr. Kramer has already reached out to me. He wants to meet."

Her voice dripped with smugness as she continued, "He knows all about what I did for his son. He even sent me a ton of expensive supplements. You couldn’t afford these even if you worked every day of your miserable life!"

She leaned in closer, her tone oozing mockery. "There’s still time to get on my good side. You are my sister, after all. If I get the money, maybe I’ll toss you 20,000 dollars out of pity."

Her words made my stomach churn, and I couldn’t hold back. "Have you lost your mind?" I said sharply. "Mr. Kramer’s son has been injured for days, and you’ve been spreading that story yourself. Do you think they’ll just hand over money? You’re practically signing your own death warrant!"

No sooner had I said this than my mother gasped loudly. She had just spotted a new post online—a clarification statement issued by the Kramer Group.

The statement declared that Mr. Kramer’s son had been on vacation abroad all along and was never injured. It branded the online rumors as false and vowed to hold those responsible legally accountable.

Within moments, the once-busy comment sections were silenced, and every post about Julia vanished from the platform.

Julia’s face drained of color, and she froze. My parents, too, began pacing frantically around the room.

Then, just as panic took hold, Julia’s phone pinged. Albert Kramer had sent her a message:

"I’ll send someone to pick you up. Be downstairs in five minutes."

At once, her nervous expression melted away, replaced by a triumphant smirk. She waved her phone in my face. "See? The Kramer family isn’t going to make a big show out of this—it’s natural for a wealthy family to keep a low profile. But they still contacted me right away. They’re probably sending money as we speak!"

Her voice turned cutting. "You’re so spineless, you’ll never amount to anything. You’re not even fit to carry my shoes. Get lost!"

She shoved me aside and strutted into her bedroom to change.

Meanwhile, my parents turned their frustration on me.

"You’re useless!" my father barked. "You don’t have your sister’s talent, but you’re quick to tear her down. Why did we even bother raising you?"

"If you want to leave, then leave!" My mother snapped, her voice rising with anger. "All you do is get in the way!" Her eyes glistened with excitement as she added, "This is our chance! We made the right gamble! Who knows—maybe we’ll be moving into a villa by tonight!"

My father, already caught up in his fantasies, pulled out his phone and began browsing for luxury cars. He called a dealership to reserve a Maybach on the spot. My mother, not to be outdone, dug out a dress she had stashed away for years, applied flawless makeup, and started planning a shopping spree.

Seeing their unbridled excitement, I quietly returned to my room to finish packing.

As I stepped outside with my belongings, I was met by a crowd of neighbors who had gathered after hearing the commotion.

Envious voices filled the air.

"Your daughter is a real blessing! I saw the news online—it’s the Kramer family! You’ll never have to worry about money again!"

"Don’t forget about us when you’re living in luxury!"

"If I’d known this could happen, I’d have sent my husband to work on the Kramer family’s construction site. This is like winning the jackpot! I heard the steps in the Kramer family manor are made of actual gold!"

My parents basked in the attention, grinning from ear to ear. They eagerly reassured everyone that once Julia opened her company, they’d be more than happy to help their neighbors.

Amid their laughter and chatter, the Kramer family’s car pulled up outside.

Five imposing bodyguards stepped out, their expressions cold and menacing.

"Which one of you is Julia?" One of them asked sharply. "Come with us to the construction site. Mr. Kramer wants to see you."