They Favored the Imposter, Now They Regret Losing Me

My best friend’s surgery failed, and he’s about to die.

I held him, crying my heart out. He whispered just one sentence in my ear.

I froze, then burst out laughing through my tears.

Earlier, my best friend had been in a car crash and was in critical condition. Only my sister and my wife, both top surgeons, could operate on him.

My sister was his wife, so I called her first.

“Sis, Noah’s been in a serious car accident. You need to come to the hospital right now. Only you can save him!”

“What are you two up to again? Will Noah Hart die if he doesn’t act? It’s Lucas’s birthday today. I’m busy—don’t bother me!” She hung up, and when I called again, her phone was off.

Frustrated, I called Clara Dean.

“Clara, you—”

She cut me off coldly.

“Didn’t I tell you not to bother me on Lucas’s birthday? Don’t you understand plain language?” Then she hung up and blocked me.

With no other choice, another doctor performed Noah’s surgery—but it failed.

——

After he died, I handled the funeral alone.

Long ago, he told me that if he died first, I should scatter his ashes at sea—because he loved the ocean, and because, as he said, he didn’t belong to this world anyway.

When I returned home that night, the house was lit and decorated for Lucas Grant’s birthday party.

“Ethan, why so late? You knew it was my birthday!”

“Where’s Noah? Why didn’t he come back with you?” Lucas looked innocent, like a white flower.

Only Noah and I knew how dark he truly was inside.

My sister pulled him aside. “Ignore them, they’re always so dull.”

“Sis!”

“Noah’s surgery failed. He’s gone.” I handed her his death certificate.

She glanced at it, then laughed.

“You two really know how to act. Think I’ll fall for this piece of paper?” She ripped it up and tossed it aside.

“Noah’s hiding, isn’t he? If he doesn’t come back tonight, tell him never to come back!” She walked off with Lucas, who threw me a smug look.

His eyes said, See? Even though you’re Mom and Dad’s real son, they only care about me.

Noah and I were both transmigrators—it’s been ten years in this world.

I’m the real heir of the richest family, switched at birth, while Lucas was the fake young master raised by the Reeds for twenty-five years.

Noah loved my sister, and I loved Clara, so we decided to stay here.

But Lucas made us realize our love meant nothing, and we both wanted to leave.

Noah left first. Now, it’s my turn.

I remembered his last words: “Ethan, don’t be sad. I’m just going back to our original world. The system will reward me with ten billion. I’ll take care of you there.”

I returned to my room, just setting down my phone, when a group of men barged in.

I recognized them—Lucas’s brothers.

“Who let you in? Get out!”

They grinned, locked the door, and stepped closer.

I tensed instantly.

“What do you want?”