Chapter 2

"The only way I will stop pestering you is if he agrees to donate his heart to Alec."

"When that time comes, we'll settle both old and new grudges together!"

Krista stormed off with a flick of her hair. As she turned, I could almost catch the lingering scent of jasmine in her tresses.

It felt so familiar, yet I knew all too well—

She was no longer the wife who loved me most, the one who would travel across half of America overnight just to celebrate my birthday.

Now, she's a devil who would callously sacrifice lives for Alec's sake!

Ever since my father was admitted to the hospital, Krista had stationed countless people to keep watch outside his room, ready to track my every move at a moment's notice.

However, as days passed, there was no sign of anyone except my tear-stricken mother.

Her patience wearing thin, Krista barged into my father's hospital room, inadvertently encountering the doctor who was there for a follow-up.

She wouldn't remember him, but the doctor found her oddly familiar. He couldn't help but take a second glance before hurriedly leaving, leaving only my parents to bear the brunt of Krista's taunts and provocations:

"Edgar's got some nerve, doesn't he? His father's in such critical condition, yet he can still resist coming to visit."It looks like just a broken leg isn't enough to threaten him. Guess we'll have to bring his mother into this too."

Mother had long ago learned of Krista's actions from Father's words, but she still refused to believe that the once innocent girl could do such a thing.

She reached out her hand, taking two trembling steps forward to try and pull Krista, but was instead slapped to the ground:

"Stay away from me! Who do you think you are to dare touch me?!"

Mother was already elderly, and after being hit like that, she sat on the ground for a long time unable to get up, causing Father to cry in distress.

As a result of being too agitated, he fell straight out of the bed. The wounds on his legs that had not yet healed burst open again, a truly heart-wrenching sight.

Krista not only didn't react, but raised her voice mockingly:

"Well, isn't this touching. If I don't do something to her, wouldn't I be letting down this whole 'adversity reveals true feelings' moment you two are having?"

"Krista! How did you become like this... You used to be such a good and filial child!"

"Shut up! You teamed up with Edgar to deceive me for so many years, and you still have the nerve to bring up the past?!"

Mother's words clearly reminded Krista of the truth I had concealed from her years ago.She was burning with rage, whipping out her phone and plunging our family into an even darker abyss with just a few words:

"I hear you're working as a cleaner now. I don't think anyone would want someone with sticky fingers in their home, would they?"

Before my mother could grasp her meaning, Krista had already dialed her company.

Using her wealth and influence, she embellished lies about my mother stealing valuable items from clients' homes while working, seriously questioning her character.

She even demanded that the entire industry blacklist my mother, never to hire her again.

I trembled with anger. She knew full well that my father's leg was broken, and my mother was the sole breadwinner. This was cutting off our family's lifeline!

Almost simultaneously, my mother received her termination notice.

With eyes full of disbelief, she crawled on her knees to Krista, begging her to give back her job:

"Krista, please, I can't lose this job!"