The sharp smell of disinfectant pulled me back to consciousness.

I opened my eyes to a stark white ceiling, machines beeping steadily beside me.

Sable’s voice was the first thing I heard. “You’ve got some nerve. Can’t believe those fishermen actually managed to pull you out alive.”

Turning my head, I saw her standing by the bed, her usual sweet act long gone. Instead, she reached out and gripped my throat, squeezing hard.

“Why won’t you just die, Andrea?! If you were dead, I could finally be Mrs. Blackthorne.”

“Can’t you see it? Vincent doesn’t love you. You’re like a stray dog clinging to a marriage you stole. Pathetic.”

“It only took one word from me for him to abandon you on that island, knowing you’re terrified of water. Do you still not get who he truly cares about?”

Her grip tightened. She wasn’t bluffing—she fully intended to choke me to death.

I couldn’t breathe. My instincts kicked in and I struggled to fight her off.

The next moment, she suddenly let go, her body stumbling backward. She knocked into a medical tray, sending instruments clattering. A sharp pair of scissors sliced across her hand, leaving a bloody gash.

Sable let out a high-pitched scream. “Andrea, why did you push me?!”

Before I could even react, Vincent walked in.

Tears welled up in Sable’s eyes immediately. “Vincent… I was just checking on Andrea and she—”

She didn’t even need to finish. The implication hung in the air like poison.

Vincent didn’t even bother asking for my side of the story. His mouth opened, ready to lash into me.

But when he noticed how pale I looked, for once, he held his tongue. Instead, he scooped up the bleeding Sable and rushed her out of the room.

Ten minutes later, he stormed back in, face like thunder. Without a word, he yanked me off the bed.

I stumbled. “Let go! What do you want?!”

“Sable’s condition worsened because of you. She’s bleeding heavily. You share a blood type. You’re giving her a transfusion.” His voice was low, cold.

I froze. I had never once heard of any chronic illness she had. And after barely surviving that nightmare on Emerald Island, my body could hardly handle anything more.

I struggled desperately. “I’m not doing it! Let me go!”

Vincent gripped my wrist even tighter. “You don’t get a say.”

He shoved me toward the doctors.

One of them hesitated. “But she is severely weak after everything she’s been through. Forcing a transfusion now could cause irreversible harm.”

Vincent’s face was ice. “Sable’s life comes first. Do it.”

The needle pierced my skin. My blood drained quickly, leaving my entire body aching, especially my lower abdomen.

Something warm trickled beneath me. Sticky. Hot.

It wasn’t my period.

A cold sweat broke out on my forehead. I clutched my stomach as pain overtook me and then everything went black.

When I woke up again, the doctor was sitting beside me with a solemn expression.

“Miss Leighton… I’m sorry. After the trauma your body’s been through… you lost the baby.”

I froze. “The baby?”

He nodded. “You were only about a month along. With your anemia and the great number blood loss… it couldn’t survive.”

I placed my hand over my stomach, unable to say a word.

The tiny life I hadn’t even known was there—gone.

Maybe this was fate.

Outside, loud booms suddenly filled the air, followed by a chain of explosive bursts.

Fireworks. Giant ones, painting the daytime sky with brilliant color, dazzling even in broad daylight.

A group of young nurses crowded by the window, chatting excitedly.

“Did you hear? The CEO of Blackthorne threw this fireworks show to celebrate his wife’s pregnancy. So romantic.”

“Ugh, if I had a husband like that, I could die happy.”

“He’s planning a huge party next week too, I heard. Whoever that Mrs. Blackthorne is so lucky!”

If I weren’t Mrs. Blackthorne myself, I probably would’ve swooned over such a grand romantic gesture too.

But unfortunately, I am her.

My mind drifted back to a year ago.

That night, Vincent came home drunk. He pinned me under him without protection. The next morning, he shoved a handful of pills into my hand.

“You have no right to carry my child. Even if you ever got pregnant by accident, I’d make sure it never sees the light of day.”

And now his wish had come true.

He forced me to donate blood to his mistress and because of that, I lost my child.

Yet he lit up the whole city with fireworks to celebrate hers.

I wept silently. After the IV was finished, I signed my discharge papers and went home.

Passing through the backyard, I found myself standing beneath the wisteria tree. Its blooms were in full glory. Without realizing it, I sat beneath it for hours.

By evening, Vincent returned with Sable in tow.

Spotting me under the tree, he paused.

Sable’s eyes glimmered as she said sweetly, “Vincent, this wisteria is thriving. Should we cut it down and make a good-luck charm for our baby? But… I heard Andrea planted this tree herself.”

She paused, then looked at me with fake sweetness. “Would you mind, Andrea?”

This tree was one of the few beautiful memories Vincent and I shared.

My adoptive father had planted it for my adoptive mother—it was their symbol of lifelong love.

Four years ago, I transplanted it here from my hometown, digging the hole with my own hands.

Vincent once told me it wouldn’t survive. I seized that moment to bargain with him.

“If I keep it alive and it blooms… would you consider loving me?”

He went quiet for a long time, then said, “I’ll think about it.”

It was the only sliver of hope he’d ever given me.

Since then, I’d cared for that tree more than anything else.

Once, his eighteenth mistress broke a single flower off it and I fought her like my life depended on it.

Anyone who dared suggest cutting it down would’ve faced my full wrath.

But now, facing Sable’s provocation, I smiled faintly.

“Go ahead. Cut it if you want.”

Vincent frowned, visibly displeased.

As I stood to leave, he stopped me. “You planted it,” he said coldly. “So you cut it. I don’t want you bringing this up later and blaming Sable for it.”

He wanted me to destroy my last sanctuary with my own hands.

I expected this, but my heart still trembled.

A servant handed me the chainsaw. My hands shook as I slowly severed the thick trunk.

The master bedroom. My mother’s keepsake. The baby. My faith…

Everything I had treasured was now just entertainment for Sable.

Vincent gazed at her indulgently. “Pick whichever piece you like. I’ll have it carved for you.”

Sable carefully selected a slender branch no thicker than a finger.

Vincent turned to the servants. “Clean up the rest. Throw it all in the trash.”

Trash. That’s what my love for him had amounted to.

Dropping the chainsaw, I numbly returned to my room.

That night, Damian texted me.

[A month is too long. I’m already back in the country. I’ll come get you in three days.]

I stared at the now-empty garden and typed my reply:

[Okay.]

Three days.

That was enough time to settle everything.

The first day, I sold off the equity agreement Vincent had signed.

Five years of torment—this was what he owed me.

The next day, with the money in my account, I went to the nursing home to arrange my brother’s transfer.

There were far better treatments abroad. I was taking him with me.

But as soon as I arrived, I was met with chaos.

The nurse rushed over, panic written all over her face.

“Miss Leighton! Where have you been? Your brother’s condition has taken a turn for the worse!”

My heart dropped. “What? But his vitals have been stable all this time! What happened?”

The nurse couldn’t give me any clear answer.

Not long after, the doctor emerged from the ER, his face grim.

“Miss Leighton, we’ve stabilized him for now, but his situation is critical. Things could deteriorate at any moment.”

“This facility isn’t equipped for this level of emergency care. I strongly recommend transferring him to the provincial hospital immediately.”

I didn’t hesitate for a second.

An ambulance was called and we sped down the highway toward the hospital.

We were only two blocks away when a line of luxury cars blocked the road.

The driver got out to negotiate, but came back shaking his head.

“They’ve reserved this entire stretch for a private event. They won’t let us through.”

What could possibly be more important than a life hanging by a thread?

I threw open the ambulance door and got out. That’s when I saw them—Vincent, leaning casually against his car, one arm wrapped around Sable.

At that moment, the massive LED display on one of the cars lit up:

‘Happy 24th Birthday, Sable Frost.’

A birthday celebration.

They blocked an emergency route—for a birthday party.

Rage boiled inside me.

“Vincent! Move the cars! We need to get through to the hospital!”

He looked over lazily. “You just got discharged. Instead of going home to cook some soup for Sable, you’re running off to the hospital? What for?”

“My brother!” I snapped, my voice trembling with urgency. “His condition worsened. I need to get him to the hospital right now!”

My adoptive parents were long gone. My brother was all I had left in this world.

And Vincent knew that better than anyone. He hesitated.

But Sable leaned in, feigning confusion.

“Your brother? Isn’t he safe, comfortable and perfectly fine at the nursing home as we speaking?”

I was burning with frustration.

“I don’t have time for your games, Sable. This is life and death situation. Move out of the way!”

Her lips quivered as she forced tears into her voice.

“Andrea... I know you’re upset because Vincent’s been spending so much time with me lately. But how could you stoop so low? Cursing your own brother’s to death just because you’re jealous?”

Then she glanced at Vincent with an innocent look. “Vincent could easily check the truth with a quick phone call. There’s really no need to lie, is there?”

Her soft, gentle voice landed like a knife—hitting every one of Vincent’s sore spots.

Frowning, he dialed a call.

After a short conversation, the hesitation on his face vanished entirely.

Just then, the medical equipment inside the ambulance started beeping wildly.

“Miss Leighton, we’re losing him!” the nurse cried out. “We need to move NOW!”

My palms were soaked in sweat as I pleaded, “Vincent, I’m begging you! Please let us through!”

But Vincent only sneered. “I just called. Your brother’s at the nursing home, perfectly fine. I really didn’t expect you to sink this low, Andrea. How much did you pay that actor inside the ambulance? You’re just jealous of Sable’s pregnancy, so you picked today of all days to pull this stunt and ruin her birthday.”

The machines inside shrieked louder. But he was too caught up in his own delusions to see the truth.

Moments later, one long flatline rang out from inside the ambulance. Chaos erupted as the paramedics rushed to resuscitate him.

The doctor soon came out, shaking his head.

“I’m sorry, Miss Leighton. We were too late.”

My whole body trembled. The tears wouldn’t stop falling.

“Vincent…” My voice cracked. “You’ve finally done it. For Sable, you killed the last family I had left. Are you happy now?!”

For a brief moment, seeing my devastation, doubt flickered across his face.

He opened his mouth to say something when Sable handed him her phone.

“Vincent, I was worried I might be wrong, so I called the nurse earlier. Look—they’re taking good care of her brother.”

She showed him a photo of my brother, perfectly fine, being wiped down in his hospital bed.

The perfect cover.

Whatever doubt Vincent had vanished in an instant. Disgust twisted across his face.

“Such an amazing actress. What a waste not going into show business.”

“Today’s Sable’s birthday. So I won’t deal with your nonsense now. But tomorrow, we’ll finish this.”

With that, he pulled Sable close and walked away without a second glance.

I crumbled beside my brother’s cooling body, sobbing helplessly.